No. 27
20th May 1864
My Lord Duke,
I have the honor to enclose the copy of a letter from Mr A. Watson, Treasurer of this Colony, applying for an increase of Salary.
2. Your Grace will observe by the correspondence named in the margin
No. 78, Dec: 28th/61, Govr to Secy of State. No. 91, Mar: 15th/62, Secy of State to Govr. No. 25, May 17th/62, Govr to Secy of State.
that Mr Watson was appointed at a Salary of £500 per annum. Your Grace has in your despatch dated 15th June 1863 proposed to fix Mr Watson's Salary at £600 per Annum—a sum, in my opinion, barely sufficient to secure theservicesManuscript image services of a competent Officer, having regard to the very high cost of living in this Colony.
3. Mr Watson appears to be an industrious and accurate Officer and I have authorized his drawing Salary at the rate of £600 per annum from the 1st January 1864, on the distinct understanding that it is subject to your Graces approval.
I have the honor to be
My Lord Duke
Your Graces very obedient
humble Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
Mr Watson was the manager of the Branch Bank of B.N.A. at V.C. Island. He was offered and accepted the post of Colonial Treasurer with a salary of £500 per ann. payable out [of] the Crown Land Revenue—£400 a year having previously been the salary of the Office. He now asks for an increase of salary up to £600 (which is the amount proposed in the Civil List despt. to be assigned to the Treasurer) alleging that Gov. Douglas had recommended that the salary of the Office should be increased.
It appears to me that Governor D. has fulfilled his promise. The Office—tho' not in Mr. W.'s time was £400. For Mr. Watson it has been augmented to £500. I see no expectation held out by the Governor of augmentation beyond that sum. But we haveManuscript image ourselves without solicitation on the part of any body raised the salary to £600—which I quite think was no more than right to do—when the Crown Land funds shd. be surrendered to the Assembly in exchange for a Civil List. Mr. Watson, however, wants the increased rate at once. Taking into consn. the very unsettled position of the Civil List question I scarcely think the S. of State can prudently acquiesce in that application, unless the Governor means (for he does not explain himself) that the increase is to come from the Assembly. If that is his intention we can have no objection to Mr. Watson at once receiving the increased rate of Salary.
ABd 28 July
I should state that Mr. Cardwell is unable to sanction any increase of Mr Watson's or any other salary witht sufficient security that funds will be forthcoming to meet the charges wh are thus created, and those not merely from any accumulated balance, but from the Revenue annually accruing.
FR 28/7
EC 29
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Watson to Kennedy, 18 May 1864, asking to be allowed to draw the increased salary named in Newcastle's despatch of 15 June 1863.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Cardwell to Kennedy, No. 26, 1 August 1864.
Kennedy, Arthur to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 20 May 1864, CO 305:22, no. 6966, 232. 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/V64127.html.

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