Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, Sir James to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 3 May 1859, CO 305:10, no. 6509, 139.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (5), Enclosures (untranscribed) (4).
Douglas forwards the minutes of the council from the 11th to the 16th of April for the British government’s approval.
The minutes discuss the “Game Act” and agree to register it and refer it to Sir Frederick Rogers.
Enclosed in the document is the council minutes from the 11th to the 16th April; a 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”; a council bill “for the passage of an Act respecting Marriages”
in Vancouver Island and its dependencies; and a council bill “for the passage of an Act respecting the
Property of Religious Institutions” in Vancouver Island and its dependencies.
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 in
in 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.
in 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 being
being sold publicly in the market and by imposing a
fine upon all persons buying or selling the same.
being 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 Colony
Colony.
Colony.
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 with
with the approval of
Her Majesty's Government.
with the approval of
Her Majesty's Government.
I have etc.
Minutes by CO staff
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.
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?
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?
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Minutes of Council from 11 April to 16 April 1858, as per
despatch.
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."
Council Bill, "For the passage of An Act respecting
Marriages in the Colony of Vancouver's Island and its
Dependencies."
Council Bill, "For the passage of An Act respecting the
Property of Religious Institutions in the Colony of Vancouver's
Island and its Dependencies."
People in this document
Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester
Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer