No. 22
10th March 1866
Sir,
I have on several late occasions brought under your notice the fact that the Legislative Assembly had struck out of the annual Estimate submitted to them, the salaries for Private Secretary and Auditor, £350 and £247 respectively. They have also reduced the establishment of Colonial Secretary to one clerkwhoManuscript image who is also "Clerk to the Legislative Council." I am therefore when the Council is in Session, left without the services of Colonial Secretary or clerical assistance of any kind.
I have thus been reduced to the alternative of shutting up my office and allowing public office to fall into arrear and confusion, or retaining the services of Mr Wakeford as Private Secretary.
I have no disinclination for labour, nor any desire to require others to do that which it ispossibleManuscript image possible to do for myself, but in the present case it would be physically impossible for me to perform even the clerical labour of my office. Much of this is connected with Crown Lands, and Crown Revenues, and I therefore feel justified pending your decision to charge Mr Wakeford's salary at the rate of £350 per annum against the Crown Revenue under the terms of your Despatch "Separate" dated 12th October 1865. I have the less hesitation indoingManuscript image doing this inasmuch as the Acting Surveyor General's salary which you authorized me to pay from the Crown Funds has been voted from General Revenue.
You will observe from the accompanying letter from Mr Wakeford that he will continue to perform the duties of Auditor in the belief that he will be ultimately remunerated for his services.
The proposal of the Legislative Assembly to transfer the auditofManuscript image of the Public Accounts to their own Clerk of whose qualifications and fitness for an office of high trust I have no knowledge is one that I could not accede to and for which I would not render myself responsible.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
Add this to the Collection of Correspondence on the misdeeds of V.C.I. which has been printed?
Under the circes approve the payment of £350 per ann: to Mr Wakeford out of Crown Revenue.
ABd 15 May
TFE 15/5
WEF 16/5
EC 17
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Send down with Arrear List. Put by?
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Henry Wakeford to Kennedy, 9 March 1866, describing how he came to audit the accounts of the colony and declining to relinquish "the half finished task which I have undertaken" despite the fact his salary had been disallowed.
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 10 March 1866, CO 305:28, no. 4668, 311. 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/V66022.html.

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