Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Walcott, Stephen to Rogers, Baron Blachford Frederic 4 October 1861, CO 305:18, no. 8941, 208.
Abstract
Walcott, Stephen to Rogers, Baron Blachford Frederic 4 October 1861, CO 305:18, no. 8941, 208.
Public Offices document.
Minutes (3), Other documents (1).
Walcott to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Emigration Office
4 October 1861
I have to acknowledge your Letter of the 28th ultimo, on the
subject of the application from the Governor of Van Couvers Island for an advance of £3000 from the Imperial Government for
the purpose of extinguishing the native Title to certain lands
in the Colony.
The circumstances of thecase
case and the importance and practical
economy of extinguishing the aboriginal title on the lands in
question as early as possible, are fully set forth in Mr
Murdoch's report of the 12th of June last, who recommended that
the application should be submitted to the Lords Commissioners
of the Treasury, as the only question which appeared to remain
open was the source from which the money should in the first
instance be obtained.
case and the importance and practical
economy of extinguishing the aboriginal title on the lands in
question as early as possible, are fully set forth in Mr
Murdoch's report of the 12th of June last, who recommended that
the application should be submitted to the Lords Commissioners
of the Treasury, as the only question which appeared to remain
open was the source from which the money should in the first
instance be obtained.
3. From Mr Peel's letter of the 25th ultimo which accompanies
your Letter it appears that theLords
Lords Commissioners of the
Treasury to whom the matter had been submitted, are not prepared
to purchase up the native Title at the expense of this Country,
and do not view the present application as one for a loan, since
the House of Assembly had asserted the liability of the Home
Government to bear the charge of extinguishing the Title. Their
Lordships moreover consider that the Governor's best course
would be to follow his previous practice of purchasing the
native rights over such land only as was immediately required
for settlement, and noton
on so large a scale at once as to
require that a loan should be raised for the purpose.
Lords Commissioners of the
Treasury to whom the matter had been submitted, are not prepared
to purchase up the native Title at the expense of this Country,
and do not view the present application as one for a loan, since
the House of Assembly had asserted the liability of the Home
Government to bear the charge of extinguishing the Title. Their
Lordships moreover consider that the Governor's best course
would be to follow his previous practice of purchasing the
native rights over such land only as was immediately required
for settlement, and noton
on so large a scale at once as to
require that a loan should be raised for the purpose.
4. The Governor has however explained, in his Despatch of the
25th of March, his inability to continue the practice of
purchasing the Native title, and
the great difficulty he experiences
in raising sufficient money to defray the most indispensable
wants of his Government. As the matter therefore stands the
Colony cannot provide the required sum, and the Home Government
declines to make a grant of it. The resultwill
will be that the
opportunity will be lost of extinguishing the Native Title on
very moderate terms, and that faith cannot be kept with the
persons to whom the Government sold the land 3 years ago without
endangering the peace of the Country.
will be that the
opportunity will be lost of extinguishing the Native Title on
very moderate terms, and that faith cannot be kept with the
persons to whom the Government sold the land 3 years ago without
endangering the peace of the Country.
5. The only alternative which seems left, that offers a
prospect of solving the difficulty, is that the Governor should
be invested by the Local Legislature with full powers to raise a
loan on the best terms he can, on the security of the land and
generalRevenues
Revenues of the Colony. This security, and distinct
admission of Colonial liability, may probably remove the
objection of the Treasury (which I understand is not so much to
a loan as to a grant) to guarantee so small a sum as £3000—or
if not some capitalist may be found willing to lend it on terms
which, looking at the object to be attained, it may be well
worth the Colony's while to give.
Revenues of the Colony. This security, and distinct
admission of Colonial liability, may probably remove the
objection of the Treasury (which I understand is not so much to
a loan as to a grant) to guarantee so small a sum as £3000—or
if not some capitalist may be found willing to lend it on terms
which, looking at the object to be attained, it may be well
worth the Colony's while to give.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
The reason why the Governor finds it difficult to get money for the service of the Govt of Van C. Island is simply because the Legislature is unwilling to tax the Community sufficiently for the purpose. Free trade prevailing there, & Custom House Officers being unknown—whilst the proportion of taxable persons is very small—it is doubtless a source of embarassment how to raise funds so as to make every body contribute his just share towards the expenses of the public service. [But I?] suppose that difficulty may be overcome at Van C. I. as it has been in other places. In this particular case there can be no question that the Land fund of the Colony is the primary source to which the community must look for guaranteeing the loan which is wanted for the extinction of the Indian Titles, or if the Land Fund is inadequate then recourse must be had as Mr Walcott suggests, to the general revenue of the Colony.
The reason why the Governor finds it difficult to get money for the service of the Govt of Van C. Island is simply because the Legislature is unwilling to tax the Community sufficiently for the purpose. Free trade prevailing there, & Custom House Officers being unknown—whilst the proportion of taxable persons is very small—it is doubtless a source of embarassment how to raise funds so as to make every body contribute his just share towards the expenses of the public service. [But I?] suppose that difficulty may be overcome at Van C. I. as it has been in other places. In this particular case there can be no question that the Land fund of the Colony is the primary source to which the community must look for guaranteeing the loan which is wanted for the extinction of the Indian Titles, or if the Land Fund is inadequate then recourse must be had as Mr Walcott suggests, to the general revenue of the Colony.
ABd
5 Octr
Two things appear to me equally clear, 1st That the land ought
to be purchased, and 2nd, That it ought not to be done by
English money or by English credit. The Colonists cannot be
suffered to cast their own proper duties and burthens on the
English Tax payer, and the way to prevent it is by steadily
refusing to grant them one or the other. The Treasury seems to
me perfectly right. Ishould
should recommend a despatch to the
Governor, agreeing in the great importance of losing no time in
purchasing the Title; I should point out that it is a purely
Colonial Interest and should inform him that the Legislature
must not indulge any expectation that the British Taxpayer will
be burthened to supply the funds, or British Credit be pledged
for the purpose; I should earnestly recommend therefore that
they should enable the Governor to procure the requisite means,
but should say that if they do not think it proper to do so,
they must be deemed the best judges of their own affairs, and
that this Country cannot supply the deficiency of the small
amount requisite for the service which is so important to the
interests of the people of Vancouver's Island.
should recommend a despatch to the
Governor, agreeing in the great importance of losing no time in
purchasing the Title; I should point out that it is a purely
Colonial Interest and should inform him that the Legislature
must not indulge any expectation that the British Taxpayer will
be burthened to supply the funds, or British Credit be pledged
for the purpose; I should earnestly recommend therefore that
they should enable the Governor to procure the requisite means,
but should say that if they do not think it proper to do so,
they must be deemed the best judges of their own affairs, and
that this Country cannot supply the deficiency of the small
amount requisite for the service which is so important to the
interests of the people of Vancouver's Island.
TFE
11 Oct
I quite agree. It is miserable work to see the Colony objecting
to pay so small a sum for an object at once essential to their
interests and purely Colonial in its character.
N
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