No. 15
3 May 1859
I have the honor of transmitting herewith for your information a copy of the Minutes of the Council of this Colony, from the 11th to the 16th day of April last, both days inclusive.
2. The Act for the preservation of Game is peculiar inManuscript imagein its character, inasmuch as it is merely intended for the protection of Game, during the close season, and to prevent its wholesale destruction by a class of persons who make a trade of hunting and a livelihood by selling the game at this place.
3. It would be impossible perhaps to prevent altogether the killing of game animals in the close season, but the present act will have a highly conservative effect, by entirely putting a stop to its beingManuscript imagebeing sold publicly in the market and by imposing a fine upon all persons buying or selling the same.
4. The following Bills which have passed the Council, and are now in favorable progress through the House of Assembly are fowarded at present, in order to have the benefit of your remarks on them.
5. The first is an Act for the registering of Conveyances, affecting land or real estate, which is of manifest utility and greatly required in this ColonyManuscript imageColony.
6. The second Act is for the purpose of legalizing marriages solemnized by Dissenting Clergymen, of which there was before a doubt.
7. The other Bill is to enable religious bodies to hold land and other real estate and to transmit the same in their corporate capacity.
8. Those measures have been framed with great care and after mature consideration and will I trust meet withManuscript imagewith the approval of Her Majesty's Government.
I have etc.
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
I think there is only one Act amongst these papers. The rest are Bills of the Council not yet sent down to the Assembly. If so—register the Act & refer it to Sir F. Rogers.
Are the bills to be sent to him likewise?
ABd 29/June
The "Act" I suppose is the Game Act. Please annex it, registered.
HM Jy 1
Annexed, & registered. Refer to Sir F. Rogers?
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This is rather a curious specimen of legislation on H. Bay Company's principles, I suppose. I observe the Act does not even give an appeal: yet surely a single justice's opinion might be worth but little on a question what is a "valuable consideration," or even what is "an animal of the deer kind." But as we are dealing with a representative legislature, it is questionable whether it is worth while to take notice?
HM July 2
CF July 4
I think it may be passed by without notice, but refer to Sir F.R.
N 6
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Minutes of Council from 11 April to 16 April 1858, as per despatch.
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Council Bill, "To Authorize and to Provide for the Registering of Conveyances and other Deeds or Instruments in writing, affecting Land or Real Estate in the Colony of Vancouver's Island and its dependencies, the appointment of a Registrar General for the said Colony, and to define his duties."
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Council Bill, "For the passage of An Act respecting Marriages in the Colony of Vancouver's Island and its Dependencies."
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Council Bill, "For the passage of An Act respecting the Property of Religious Institutions in the Colony of Vancouver's Island and its Dependencies."
Douglas, Sir James to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 3 May 1859, CO 305:10, no. 6509, 139. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V59015.html.

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