Colonial Despatches

We are honored with your commands, signified in Sir Frederic Rogers' letter of the 20th of March, ultimo, stating that he was directed by you to request that we would take into consideration the following circumstances.

A doubt has arisen, in Vancouver Island, whether the Governor can give his assent toa a Bill passed by the Legislative Council and Assembly, after the expiration of the Legislative Session.

That the present Legislature of Vancouver Island was constituted under Letters Patent of 16th May 1851, being the Commission of the then Governor—now Sir James Douglas, modified, in certain respects, by other Letters Patent of 8th October, 1862. That, on the revocation of these Letters Patent, provisions to the same effect were included in the Commission of the present Governor, Captain Kennedy, of which a copy was enclosed. That that Commission provides for the constitution of a Legislative Council, and theconvening convening of a Legislative Assembly, and empowers the Governor, with their consent, to make laws for the peace &c.

That similar legislative Bodies are established in other Colonies, sometimes by Letters Patent, sometimes by Act of Parliament, or local Law. But neither in the Letters Patent constituting the Council of Vancouver Island, nor (it is believed) in the Instructions establishing any other Colonial Legislature, is any express provision made for limiting the time within which the Governor may assent, on behalf of Her Majesty, to a Bill passed by the Legislature.

That, in some small Colonies, legislation is effected, not by a single Annual Session but by summoning the legislature pro re natâ, as Laws are wanted.

Sir Frederic Rogers was further pleased to state, that, under these circumstances, you desired to be informed, whether, in Vancouver Island, and other Colonies possessing Representative Legislatures, the assent of the Governor to any Bill, passed by such a Legislature, must, in the absence of any express Legislative provision, be given before the expiration of the Session, within which such Bill was passed: and in case this necessity doesnot not exist, whether there is any limit, and, if so, what limit, to the period within which such assent must be given?

In obedience to Your commands, we have taken this matter into consideration, and have the honor to Report,

That we do not think it is necessary, that the assent of the Governor to any Bill, passed by such a Legislature as is supposed by the question, should be given before the expiration of the Session, within which such Bill was passed. If, indeed, it were provided by the Constitution of any such Legislature, that the law and custom of the BritishParliament Parliament should, as far as practicable, be observed therein, the point might admit of more question: but we conceive it to be certin, that, when Bills passed by such Colonial Legislatures are reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon, the Royal assent need not be given, and generally is not given, during the Session in which the bill is passed: so that the usage, in such cases, is generally different from that of the British Parliament.

We are not aware of any limit, within which the Governor's assent must necessarily be given to a law passed by such a Colonial Legislature, and notrevoked revoked or altered by any subsequent legislation.