Colonial Despatches

With reference to your letter of the 2nd instant, transmitting Transcripts of two Acts passed by the Legislature of Vancouver's Island, entitled respectively No X, 1865 "An Act to amend the 'Victoria and Esquimalt Harbour Dues Act, 1862,'" and No XI, 1865 "An Act to impose Landing Permit Dues on the importation of certain Stock and Carcasses," I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of Mr Secretary Cardwell, that Their Lordshipssee see no reason for interfering with the operation of these Acts.

At the same time I am desired to add with reference to the present legislation of this Colony and to the Tariff Act of British Columbia, which recently came under Their Lordships' consideration, Ordinance No 3 of 1865, to amend the duties of Customs," that My Lords regret to observe what appears to them to be an unseemly antagonism between neighbouring British Colonies, and that their fiscal systems have been altered with a view rather to interfere with a particular course of trade than from considerations of Revenue.