Colonial Despatches

Sir F. Rogers
This is the ansr of the Assembly of V.C.I. to a message sent to that Body by Govr Kennedy on the 6 July last—of which a copy reached us on the 27 August. See 8305. In that message the Assembly was charged with omissions & commissions, tending to the prejudice of the public interests. The Assembly now defends itself & retaliates by expressing its want of Confidence in the Governor & its earnest desire for his removal from office. In due course we shall receive the Governor's reply to the resolutions herewith. The discussion will then have to be considered. In the meanwhile, though the present is an irregular mode of communication with the S.S. I should be in favor of acknowledging receipt, adding that as soon as the Governor's report is recd the Resolutions will be taken into consideration. It appears at P. 21 that the Govr is to be supplied with a copy for transmission to the S. State.

I don't understand how it is that this House of Assembly is trailing on an existence when it's three years of existence have expired. It was elected in July & continues sitting in August.

Will it not be too late to take [this] into Consideration when Govr Kennedy has left, & the Colony of V.C.I. no longer exits.

I wd merely say that it had been received in the [ny?] & that Ld C. presumed he shd shortly receive another copy thro' the Govr with such obsns as Mr Kennedy mt think requisite.

Lord Carnarvon
Considering the irregularity of the communication & the uselessness of prosecuting it—& the irregularity of the Assembly itself, & that even [the?] Govr's reply would not end the discussion through de mortuis—I would merely acknowledge rect.

Dft according to Sir F. Rogers' min but let me see it.

The Governor's desph on this subject has since been recd. The ackt of this had perhaps better be comprized in the ansr returned to Govr K.

Resolutions of the Legislative Assembly, confirmed 25 July 1866, in response to a communication from the governor, No. 33, 6 July 1866 (twenty-eight resolutions, 21 pages).

Copy of the communication from Kennedy as noted above, 6 July 1866, detailing the uncertain state of finances in the colony and explaining how the assembly had contributed adversely to the situation (eight pages).

H. Myers, Hutchinson and Co., to W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, 3 July 1866, advising that "a second month's account has now become due to us for Supplies to the Lighthouses, and there is no apparent prospect of the same being early liquidated."

Draft reply, Carnarvon to Kennedy, No. 14, 25 October 1866.