No. 21
16 April 1862
I duly received Your Grace's Despatch No 67 of the 23rd August last, conveying your opinion and instructions upon the case of the Reverend Edward Cridge, and with respect to the disposition of the portion of land at Victoria known as the Church Reserve.
2. The conveyance ofthatManuscript image that part of the land which forms the site of the Church, and of the Cemetery, can I believe be effected without any difficulty, in the manner Your Grace indicates; but with respect to the conveyance to Trustees of the remaining portion of the ground, designated as the Glebe, "for the use of the Incumbent" a point has arisen in connection with local circumstances which probably did not occur to Your Grace, from ignorance of these circumstances.
3. The portion of ground to be conveyed for the use of theIncumbentManuscript image Incumbent comprises about 20 Acres. At present if utilized it would produce but a very moderate stipend for the Incumbent; but it is situated in what will undoubtedly be the very heart of the City, and, in a few years even, may yield a princely revenue. I therefore propose, and the Bishop and Mr Cridge both coincide with me in the arrangement, that the ground in question should be conveyed to Trustees for "the benefit of the Church of England", being subject to the following charges in the order in which they stand.
1stManuscript image
1st A suitable stipend (to be fixed beforehand) for the Incumbent of Christchurch.
2nd The repairs and necessary Expenses for the due maintenance of Christchurch.
3rd Such Clerical aid at Christchurch as may become necessary.
4th The foundation and maintenance of Schools in connection with Christchurch.
5th For the benefit of the Church of England generally: that is to say for the establishment and maintenance of other Churches and Schools throughout the Island.
4. I believe IshouldManuscript image should be but following Your Graces views were I to carry out this arrangement of the matter at once, but as the terms of Your Graces Despatch are distinct—"for the use of the Incumbent, if local circumstances prevent no obstacle to that course"—I prefer representing the local circumstances that do affect the case and submitting the foregoing proposition for Your Graces sanction.
I have the honor to be
My Lord Duke
Your Grace's most obedient
and humble Servant
James Douglas
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Sir F. Rogers
In the first instance refer to Land Board.
ABd 5/6
TFE 5/6
Duke of Newcastle
I think the reference is hardly necessary. The question is whether this Land shall be conveyed "to the use of the Incumbent" [or] to Trustees for the four purposes specified in Govr Douglas' letter. I have no doubt that the four purposes are best. The only doubt mt have been whether Mr Cridge might not have set up some vested right of his own (for his [life?]) against this generally good disposition. But he is a consenting party.
Authorize the Govr to proceed as he proposes.
FR 7/6
Certainly.
N 8
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Newcastle to Douglas, No. 104, 12 June 1862.
Douglas, Sir James to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 16 April 1862, CO 305:19, no. 5576, 136. 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/V62021.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)