No. 33, Miscellaneous

I have the honor to submit the following for your information and
instruction.

On assuming the Government of this Colony I found it to be the custom
for the Governor to issue licences for the marriage of persons who
did not desire to adopt the ordinary course of publishing banns. For
this licence a fee of ten dollars (or £2.1.8) was paid to the
Colonial Secretary.

I was informed by that officer that my Predecessor regarded this as a
personal fee and that he kept it as a fund in aid of subscriptions
for objects of charity and benevolence for which no public provision
was made, and did not therefore bring it to public account.

I have continued to pursue the same course, the Colonial Secretary
keeping an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements of the
fund.

The total so received and disbursed from April 1864 to 22nd May 1865
amounts to $620 (or £127.16.8) a sum very insufficient to meet the
numerous calls upon the Governor in a Colony where there are no Poor
Laws or legal provision for destitute or distressed persons or for
any charitable purpose.

If the course hitherto pursued meets your approbation I will continue
to disburse and keep a regular account of this small fund. If not I
think it ought to be carried to the account of "Crown Revenue", as it
is not levied or received under any local Act. Indeed I am unable to
discover any authority for receiving it beyond the general one
contained in Clause XII of my Commission.