No. 37, Legislative
               
            
            
               
               
               6 August 1860
               
            
            
               Since I had last the honor of addressing your Grace, in reference to
               the proceedings of the House of Representatives of 
Vancouver Island a
               
number
number of useful measures have been prepared and introduced by the
               Attorney General, acting on Government behalf, of which a schedule is
               hereto appended.
               
               2.  Bills have also been introduced by other Members of which the
               title is likewise given in the schedule.
               
            
            
               The greater portion 
of
of those Bills have now reached their final
               stages, and they will probably be carried through the House in the
               course of a few weeks.
               
               3.  I have also caused a Bill for the Titles of Real Estate, to be
               introduced into the House; in sufficient time, to insure its passage
               before the close of the session.
               
            The
             
            
            
               4.  The Committee of Ways and Means has, after considerable
               discussion and delay agreed to the following votes, to wit:
               
               
               Civil List (Salaries)            £3200.
               
               Expenses of the different
               
               ‹    Departments                 £3207.14.1
               
               Education‹ Roads &c              £9364.
               
               
            
            
               5.  During the early part of the session, the Government party 
met
met
               with considerable opposition from five or six of the Members, who
               exhibited a captiousness that no measure however useful or necessary
               appeared to have the effect of allaying.
               
               
               
                  
                     
                     This is the Governor's view, which must be adopted
                     with some reserve by this Office:  for I have reason to believe that
                     some very able & independent men have been elected to this House of
                     Assembly, who wish to act for the interests of the community.
                     
                  
                
               
               This opposition has now however sensibly diminished, though it still
               exists to an extent which greatly retards 
the
the despatch of business.
               
               6.  Two of the Bills enumerated in the schedule are of considerable
               importance, to wit:
               
               
               The Bill to incorporate the Town of 
Victoria, and
               
               The Bill to provide for the improvement, repair, and laying
               out of roads.
               
               
               The first of those Bills is in some respects an adaptation of the
               Canadian 
Municipal
Municipal Act to the peculiar position of the 
Town of Victoria, and it is proposed to give to the Council a power to make
               Bye Laws for the regulation of their internal economy, which, upon
               receiving the assent of the Governor for the time being, shall have
               the force of Law.
               
               7.  The Second Bill 
introduces
introduces a system of statute labour on the
               rural roads and affords a means of composition to those prefering
               
               a Cash payment to the performance of the required labour.
               
               8.  A full report of all those measures will be prepared and
               forwarded for your Graces information 
at
at the close of the present
               Session.
               
               I have etc.
               
               
            
            
            
            
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  
                     Acke. saying that the Bills, of which he forwards the schedule, will
                     be taken into consideration as soon as they arrive here.  Submit this
                     
desph to 
Sir F. Rogers with the Acts.
                     
                  
                  
                     Prepare draft, & afterwards submit
                     the despatch & acts to 
Sir F. Rogers.
                     
 
               
               
                
            
            
               Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
               
                
                  
                  
                     Schedule of bills introduced by the attorney general and
                     other members, as per despatch.
                     
                     
                   
            
            
               Other documents included in the file