Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Kennedy, Arthur to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 27 August 1863, CO 305:21, no. 8395, 295.
Abstract
Kennedy, Arthur to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 27 August 1863, CO 305:21, no. 8395, 295.
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (6), Other documents (1).
Kennedy to Newcastle
I cannot learn from any documents transmitted to the Colonial Office
what provision (if any) has been made for the Private Secretary of
the Governor of Vancouvers Island.
I need not point out to Your Grace the importance of having a
Gentleman (in the fullest sense of the term) to fill this office and
I should feel obliged for Your Grace's decision upon the amount of
salary I would be justified in offering a Gentleman to accompany me
in that capacity.
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle K.G. &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
No sum has been fixed upon as a salary for the Governor's P. Secy. Hitherto Mr Douglas has employed Mr Good in that capacity without salary, that gentleman being Chief Clerk for B.C., receiving £350 from that Colony, but residing at V.C.Id—for which place also he does the work appertaining to a Chief Clerk. Mr Good will now have to go to the Colony on acct of which he is paid—and Mr Kennedy will have to replace him. Assuming that the Govr selects a successor to Mr Good in the Clerkship, and assigns him the same salary (350) as that Officer recd, an addition of £100 a year wd, I think, be ample remuneration for the further duties of Priv: Secy. In such case the two situations wd be combined in one person. But if the Governor were to urge that it is not expedient, or prudent to combine the 2 situations, & that it is preferable that a Priv: Secy shd be kept distinct from other official duties, & be more of a personal attendant, like an A.D.C., than a Chief Clerk of an Office could be, then, in such case, it wd be requisite to assign him a separate salary—& £250 per ann: wd probably not be too much. Application would have to be made to the Assembly for any salary, no sum having been named in our desph respecting the Civil List.
No sum has been fixed upon as a salary for the Governor's P. Secy. Hitherto Mr Douglas has employed Mr Good in that capacity without salary, that gentleman being Chief Clerk for B.C., receiving £350 from that Colony, but residing at V.C.Id—for which place also he does the work appertaining to a Chief Clerk. Mr Good will now have to go to the Colony on acct of which he is paid—and Mr Kennedy will have to replace him. Assuming that the Govr selects a successor to Mr Good in the Clerkship, and assigns him the same salary (350) as that Officer recd, an addition of £100 a year wd, I think, be ample remuneration for the further duties of Priv: Secy. In such case the two situations wd be combined in one person. But if the Governor were to urge that it is not expedient, or prudent to combine the 2 situations, & that it is preferable that a Priv: Secy shd be kept distinct from other official duties, & be more of a personal attendant, like an A.D.C., than a Chief Clerk of an Office could be, then, in such case, it wd be requisite to assign him a separate salary—& £250 per ann: wd probably not be too much. Application would have to be made to the Assembly for any salary, no sum having been named in our desph respecting the Civil List.
In another desph 8392 the Govr submits the name of Mr Wakefield
for the vacant
Colonial Secretarship. It seems to me—being in
ignorance of the Duke of Newcastle's views—that if His Grace allows
Mr Kennedy to nominate a Priv: Secy, & to fill up the vacancies,
of which there will be 2 or 3 in the Chief Clerk's Office in Van
Couvers Island His Grace may prefer retaining himself the patronage
of the Colonial Secy, instead of giving it to Mr Kennedy.
Colonial Secretarship. It seems to me—being in
ignorance of the Duke of Newcastle's views—that if His Grace allows
Mr Kennedy to nominate a Priv: Secy, & to fill up the vacancies,
of which there will be 2 or 3 in the Chief Clerk's Office in Van
Couvers Island His Grace may prefer retaining himself the patronage
of the Colonial Secy, instead of giving it to Mr Kennedy.
ABd
28 Augt/63
Mr Fortescue
I think that the Governor ought to have a Private Secretary and that his salary ought to be £250, but I suppose that for the present we can only authorize him to seek it from the Legislature. If a Civil list be hereafter settled, I should think that the Private Secretary would be very fitly placed on it since his pay is almost as personal to the Governor as his own Salary.
I think that the Governor ought to have a Private Secretary and that his salary ought to be £250, but I suppose that for the present we can only authorize him to seek it from the Legislature. If a Civil list be hereafter settled, I should think that the Private Secretary would be very fitly placed on it since his pay is almost as personal to the Governor as his own Salary.
TFE
1 Sepr
I agree.
CF
3
He shd have a P.S. & of course appoint him, but he should not
appoint the Colonial Secy from England.
N
6
Other documents included in the file
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Blackwood
Are we at liberty to impose this charge on the V.C.I. Revenue. What if they close (or have closed) with the terms already offered them—& refuse to make any provision for the P. Secy.
Are we at liberty to impose this charge on the V.C.I. Revenue. What if they close (or have closed) with the terms already offered them—& refuse to make any provision for the P. Secy.
FR
7/9
These contingencies presented themselves to my mind also: and I
saw no way of meeting them except on the very probable assumption
that the Legislature would not move in the matter so rapidly as you
anticipate. In the first place it is reported that Mr Douglas is on
his way home. In his absence, & pending the arrival of his Successor
it is questionalbe whether the locum tenens
wd proceed with a subject of this importance of a Civil List
arrangement. Further the Isld has not yet been reconveyed to the
Govt.
that the Legislature would not move in the matter so rapidly as you
anticipate. In the first place it is reported that Mr Douglas is on
his way home. In his absence, & pending the arrival of his Successor
it is questionalbe whether the locum tenens
wd proceed with a subject of this importance of a Civil List
arrangement. Further the Isld has not yet been reconveyed to the
Govt.
But if Legislation shd have taken place before Mr Kennedy arrived
at Van Couver there will be nothing for it except for him to use his
persuasive talents to get this item either annually voted, or else
get a short act passed making the provision for his P.S. permanent.
Mr Kennedy is not altogether in the dark as to the position of this
question, as I had some conversation with him about it.
I am unable to suggest any better mode than that sketched in the
draft for obtaining a salary for a P. Secy. We cannot go to the
T-y for it.
ABd
8 Sep