No. 94

I have had under my consideration your Despatch No. 111, of the
16th September, enclosing an application from Mr. O'Reilly, the Gold
Commissioner of Cariboo, to be relieved from liability on account of a
sum of public money amounting to Five Hundred and Eighty Six Pounds Five
Shillings and Ten Pence, of which he had been robbed in 1862 by a
Constable travelling with him.

Taking into consideration the immediate steps adopted by Mr.
O'Reilly for the investigation of the matter, and the alleged difficulty
of transporting money in safety through the upper part of the Colony, I
have to authorise you to relieve him from any further responsibility in
respect of this sum: but in communicating to him this decision you will
not fail to caution him to exercise more vigilance for the future over
persons accompanying him to whom he entrusts public monies.

I take this opportunity of transmitting to you the enclosed Copy of
a Report of the Commissioners of Audit, shewing how far Mr. O'Reilly
stands charged with this sum as part of a larger sum of three Thousand
Four Hundred and Seventy Five Pounds Thirteen Shillings and Three Pence
as Collectors Balances not passed through the Treasurer's Cash Books for
1864.

I regret that the late Governor did not bring this subject under
the consideration of the Secretary of State at an earlier period, when
more light might have been thrown by him upon the question of Mr.
O'Reilly's responsibility, and with reference to the statement of the
Commissioners of Audit that the sum stolen in 1862 is outstanding
against the Accountant in the Accounts of 1864 as part of a larger sum,
I would remark that this shews the existence of an unreasonable delay in
bringing up the Accounts of Sub-Accountants in British Columbia. I have
therefore to request that you will give the necessary instructions for
obtaining a system of earlier Account for public monies.