No. 39
7th July 1864
Sir
1. It is unnecessary for me to preface this communication by detailing the very great importance of an efficient Police Force in this as in other portions of Her Majesty's Dominions.
2. The necessity for such a force sufficient in number and efficient in organization becomes still more important in thisColonyManuscript image Colony where there are no regular Troops.
3. I find that the whole Police Force in this Island consists of eight Constables, two Serjeants, and one Superintendent who are stationed and employed in the City of Victoria.
4. There are neither Police nor Magistrates in the outlying Districts, with the exception of Nanaimo where there is one paid Magistrate and an insufficient allowance for one constable.
5. It is needless for me to enlarge upon the inevitable consequencesofManuscript image of this state of thingsā€”drunkenness, and violations of the Law, endangering the lives and property of the citizens and settlers.
6. The men obtainable for the Police Force in this colony are of a most undesirable class and hence constant changes are occurring in the Force by the introduction of new and untrained men who are of little use and frequently compromise its character.
7. With a view to remedy this evil I am desirous of obtaining some trained men from the IrishPoliceManuscript image Police, or men who have retired on pension from that Force.
8. Some of these men, were on my application sent to Western Australia some years ago and acquitted themselves very creditably.
9. The inducements I can offer to such men to take service in this colony are as follow: The pay for constables is one dollar and a quarter per day, with clothing, namely, coat, trousers, hat. If they live in barracks they have a cook found them, with fuel and soap. Serjeants receive one dollar and three quarters per day.
10. TheirManuscript image
10. Their duties would be principally confined to the City of Victoria.
11. The climate is equal to that of the South of Ireland, and public lands are obtainable for one dollar per acre with a highly remunerative price for produce.
12. The Colony will bear the expense of the passage of the men, (but not that of their families) on condition of their entering into bonds with the Agent General that they will refund the amount of passage money so paid in the event of their quitting the service or beingdismissedManuscript image dismissed for misconduct, within a period of two years after arrival.
13. I will further authorize the Agent General to defray the cost of passage for the families of such men on condition of their entering into bonds for the repayment of such advances by quarterly payments of one sixth of the sum so advanced to be deducted from their pay.
14. The number of men immediately required would be six and they may be sent as soon as arrangements can be completed by the Agent General.
15. IManuscript image
15. I need hardly impress upon the Officer entrusted with the selection of the men that steadiness and good character are all important requisites. Their duties will be light compared with those they have been trained to, and it will be my desire to make their position comfortable and respectable.
16. I would wish two of the six men to be selected if possible from the mounted branch of the Police.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your very obedient Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
Copy to Home Office requesting that Dt to communicate on the subject with the Irish Govt & inform Mr Cardwell of the result.
ABd 23 Augt
Mr Cardwell
I think that this may be done. There are many precedents.
TFE 23/8
Mr Cardwell
On the question whether the Governor has available funds for the purpose, I annex a memo by Mr Ebden. On the one hand the Governor writes with apparently not a misgiving as to the measure's being within his power. On the other hand it does not appear that the papers which we have in this office contain any proof of the fact. It will be for you therefore to decide what is to be done on the subject.
If on the whole you should be for referring back the question to the Governor, it might perhaps serve as a lesson to all parties in the Colony of the inconvenience of not having a good understanding on financial matters. In that caseManuscript image write out, saying that the measure appears in itself desirable, but that adverting to the discussions which have taken place on financial matters in the Colony, and not seeing in the Estimates which have come home any appropriation by the Legislature for such a service, you feel it necessary to refer to him, in order to ascertain that the requisite funds are duly placed at his control before you take any steps for procuring and sending out the required Policemen?
TFE 30 August
Write accordingly to Govr.
EC 1 Sep
Gov. 7928 Vancouver I. Friday 26 Aug
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
The vote for police in Vancouver I for 1864 is subjoined.
It is not perhaps clear whether the policemen asked for by the Governor are wanted instead of the present force or in addition to it.
If the latter is the case, and perhaps on general grounds, it is worth observing that the estimated Revenue for 1864 including Crown Revenue was
$385869.43
& the estimated expenditure 295309.5
& therefore the estimated surplus 90569.93

Manuscript image But the supply act appropriates only $257279.5 the House of Assembly having struck out of the estimates $38030. The $38030 so struck out comprises the following reductions

(1) Entire salaries proposed by
Duke of Newcastle $28130
(2) Other salaries & establishments 1800
(3) Governors house rent 1000
(4) Works and buildings 3600
(5) Miscellaneous 3500
38030

The 1st and 3rd items with one or two other items not in the original estimates will be paid as far as possible out of the Crown Revenue but the 2nd, 4th and 5th amounting to $8900 swell the original estimated Surplus to $99459.93 = Ā£20513.12. 21125 Manuscript image at 4.1 1/2 per dollar, the present exchange.

Police Establishment
Commissioner $1750
Superintendent including
allowance for horse hire 1500
Clerk & Storekeeper 800
Two Sergeants at $1.75 per diem 1277.50
Eight constables at $1.50 per diem 4380
Cook at $1.50 per diem 547.50
One Sergeant for the town of
Esquimalt at $2 per diem 730
Contingencies 100
Extra constables on emergencies 500
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Cardwell to Kennedy, No. 36, 8 September 1864.
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 7 July 1864, CO 305:22, no. 7928, 314. 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/V64139.html.

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