No. 39, Miscellaneous
15th June 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to report that Mr William Culverwell, Official Assignee of the Court of Bankruptcy absconded from this Colony on or about the 1st May 1865 leaving many debts and liabilities unsatisfied.
I enclose for your information copies of communications betweenHisManuscript image His Honor the Chief Justice and the Acting Colonial Secretary on this subject.
I have made careful inquiry into the former character and antecedents of Mr Culverwell without being able to learn anything to his advantage and a great deal to the contrary.
I can from personal knowledge state that he is wholly uneducated and without any qualification that I could discern to fit him for such an office, and as now shown without even that of common honesty.
YouManuscript image
You will observe that His Honor the Chief Justice has not returned any reply to the letter addressed to him on the 26th May 20 days ago.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most obedient Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Sir F. Rogers
Another discreditable public Officer in V.C. Isld. It is to be hoped that the Sureties have the means of paying: I have little doubt that the Govr will do all he can for that purpose.
Acknowledge?
ABd 31 July
There seems no now to be done. The official assignee is appointed by the C. Justice. It might be desirable to observe that the Govr does not state who is responsible for Mr C's appointment but that Mr Cardwell perceives that by an Act of 1 Feb. 1862 the appointment is vested in the C.J. and cannot but view with great regret this scandal following upon a similar event in another department under the control of the S. Court.
FR 11/8
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Henry Wakeford, Acting Colonial Secretary, to David Cameron, Chief Justice, 11 May 1865, referring to the reported departure of Culverwell and asking for pertinent details regarding his appointment, qualifications and accounts.
Manuscript image
Cameron to Wakeford, 16 May 1865, confirming that Culverwell had absconded and providing information regarding his sureties and duties as Assignee.
Manuscript image
Wakeford to Cameron, 26 May 1865, asking that he answer the questions contained in the last paragraph of his previous letter relating to Culverwell's appointment and qualifications.
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Cardwell to Kennedy, No. 41, 22 August 1865.
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 15 June 1865, CO 305:25, no. 7328, 673. 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/V65039.html.

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