Colonial Despatches

I have to acknowledge your letter of 2nd instant, with a despatch from the Governor of VanCouvers Island requesting instructions as to the answer to be given to an Address from the Legislature of that Colony, in which they ask for copies of the correspondence between the Colonial Office and the Governor, and between the Governor and the Hudsons Bay Co respecting the Townsite of Victoria.

2. As far as relates to the correspondence between the Colonial Office and the Governor I am aware of no objection to the production of the papers which the Legislative Council desire to have. As regards the correspondence between the Governor and the Hudsons Bay Co I can express no opinion, as no complete copy of that correspondence has been sent home. Upon that point the Governor must I think be left to his own discretion—but if one part of the correspondence is produced it does not occur to me that there can be any objection in principal to the production of the whole.