Berens to Newcastle

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of to Sir Frederic Rogers'
letter of the 4th instant, enclosing a copy of a letter addressed to
the Colonial Department in which enquiries are made respecting a
person of the name of George Cook who has for some years past been in
the employment of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver's Island.

On enquiry I find that George Cook went out to Vancouver's Island in
November 1850, as a servant in the employment of the Hudson's Bay
Company. About a year afterwards he appears to have entered the
service of the Pugets Sound Agricultural Company, but in 1853 he
re-entered the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, and was employed
at the Coal Mine belonging to that Company at Nanaimo. As late as
February 1859 he appears to have continued in the employment of the
Company at Nanaimo, and to have drawn his wages monthly. Since that
date no returns have reached this house of the servants at Nanaimo so
that it is probable he may still be there. I would take the liberty
of suggesting that, if further information be wanted, enquiries might
be made of the Superintendant of the Coal Mines at Nanaimo who would
readily afford the information required, or if a letter were sent
under cover to him, addressed to George Cook, he would be able to put
it in the way of reaching its destination.