Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to inform you that I received from Mr. Young a request for an extension of his leave of absence which appears to have been granted to him for one twelvemonth, and to have commenced from the 14th of May last. At first I hesitated to prolong his leave, but on receiving from him afurther further letter dated the 17th Instant, of which a copy is enclosed, and also obtaining some explanations given by Mr. Young personally at this Office, I have been led to consider his application not unreasonable, and have conveyed to him my sanction for deferring his departure from this Country until the beginning of May.

I have written to inform Governor Hampton of this extension of leave, and have expressed to him my wish, that if Mr. Wakeford should remain at Vancouver Island until Mr. Young's return to relievehim him from the provisional discharge of the duties of Colonial Secretary, and should then proceed without delay to Western Australia, this prolongation of his absence from that Colony may be sanctioned under the peculiar circumstances of the case, and not deprive him of his appointment in Western Australia.