No. 69, Financial
3rd September 1866
Sir,
1. I have the honor to submit for your information the documents named in the margin
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Message of Governor Kennedy, 22nd June 1866.
Resolution of Legislative Assembly, 31st August 1866.
having reference to proposed supplementary votes to cover Expenditure for 1865.
2. You will observe that on 22nd June 1866 I intimated to the Assembly my readiness to afford any further information on the subject which theymightManuscript image might require. You will also observe that on the 31st August 1866 (being more than two months afterwards and their last day of sitting) the Assembly by a Resolution which reached me on Saturday 1st September 1866 (the day before the expiry of the Assembly by efflux of time) declined to grant a Supplementary Supply because the "Executive has refused to allow this House to examine the accounts of the public Expenditure for the year 1865."
3. As this statement might leadtoManuscript image to the conclusion that I had refused information on financial matters it is proper for me to remark that I have always been prepared to furnish any such information in my power in the regular and usual course. I presume this statement refers to the fact that the Assembly having appointed a Committee of three Members (of whom one was beyond doubt an unprincipled and bankrupt adventurer and another a man who wasrarelyManuscript image rarely to be found sober either in or out of the Assembly) to inquire into the Expenditure of 1865, I did decline to authorize the Treasurer to submit his books and vouchers to any such Committee, in the belief that it was the duty of the Executive Government, but wholly beyond the province of the Legislative Assembly, to make such a detailed examination.
4. I may add that in 1865 the Assembly passed Supplemental votes for 1864 having before itsimilarManuscript image similar information to that transmitted to it on the 22nd June 1866. On that occasion it sought from me and obtained further though as I thought valueless information on certain specific points.
5. In the present instance although I intimated my readiness to "furnish further information" the Assembly abstained altogether from seeking at my hands any such information.
6. In reference to the last portion of the Resolution of the Assembly now transmitted I am preparedifManuscript image if desired, to explain how it would be impossible to restrain expenditure under every head of service within the precise limits of the votes.
7. The general result, as shown by my Message to the Assembly, is that the actual Expenditure for 1865 fell short of the estimated Expenditure by the sum of $46,264.
8. It will be necessary at a future time again to submit to the Legislature the supplementary votes which have now thus been rejected.
9. HavingManuscript image
9. Having carefully watched and considered the conduct of the majority of the Legislative Assembly throughout these proceedings I can only arrive at the conclusion that they desire thereby to force the Executive Government into a compliance with their demands to prepare the Estimates of Expenditure and originate money votes, the disastrous results of which it would not be difficult to foretel.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
I shd say that, the Assembly being dead, and all other circes considered, it wd be better now to treat these matters as lightly as possible. It was, no doubt, very proper on the part of Govr Kennedy to submit these documents to the S.S. but as he will have left the Colony before the ansr to this despatch can arrive he will be indifferent to the result.
I wd suggest an ackt with the addition that, under present circes, Lord Carnarvon does not feel that it wd be of any advantage to the public interests for him to offer any opinion on the subject.
ABd 31 Oct
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I suppose so. I do not know how far or whether at all Gov. Kennedy is chargeable with imprudence in having allowed the difft departments to expend more than the money voted for them in the face of a hostile Assembly. Under ordinary circumstances it wd require explanation.
FR 31/10
CBA 1/11
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Acknowledge—observe that under ordinary circumstances it is the duty of the Executive Govt to confine the different departts to the expenditure only of the votes granted, but that looking to the change wh by this time has taken place in consequence of the Union of the Colony I do not think it necessary to or for the public interest to pursue the question further.
Let me see the dph.
C 13 Nov
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Kennedy to Legislative Assembly, 22 June 1866, forwarding various financial statements and estimates for 1865 and submitting a Bill to the house for the sum "necessary to cover the expenditure ($26,581.64) in excess of the sums voted.
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"Comparative Statement of the Estimated Expenditure of Vancouver Island for the year 1865 and the actual Expenditure of the year as taken from the accounts made up from 1st January to 31st December 1865," with explanatory notes attached, signed by Henry Wakeford, Auditor.
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"Comparative Statement of the Estimated Revenue of Vancouver Island for the year 1865, and the Revenue received in that year as shown by the accounts made up from 1st January to 31st December 1865," with explanatory notes attached, signed by Wakeford.
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"Comparative Statement of the Estimated Expenditure of Vancouver Island for the year 1865 and the actual expenditure of the year as taken from the accounts made up from 1st January to 31st December 1865," with explanatory notes attached, signed by Wakeford.
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Bill submitted to the legislative assembly asking for a supplementary vote to cover expenditure for the year 1865, with schedule attached.
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Resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly, 31 August 1866, refusing the supplementary supply because "the amount asked for has been expended in excess of the Supplies voted by the House, and the Executive has refused to allow this House to examine the accounts of the public expenditure for the year 1865."
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"Recapitulation of Revenue received during the year 1865," showing a total of $432,943.18, signed by Wakeford.
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"Recapitulation of Payments made during the year 1865," showing a total of $432,943.18, signed by Wakeford.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Carnarvon to Kennedy, No. 20, 16 November 1866.
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 3 September 1866, CO 305:29, no. 10227, 228. 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/V66069.html.

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