No. 8

In my despatch No. 7 of the 1st instant I acknowledged the receipt
of your predecessor's despatch No. 14 of the 4th of April which was
accompanied by three Ordinances of the Legislature of British Columbia
assented to by him on the 10th of March last and intituled respectively

No. 6—"An Ordinance for the amendment of the Licences Act, 1859."

No. 8—"An Ordinance to authorise the introduction of steam
traction engines into British Columbia."

No. 9—"An Ordinance to encourage the construction of a telegraph
line connecting British Columbia with the Telegraph Lines of the United
States and for other purposes."

The last named Ordinance formed the subject of my despatch No. 7 of
the 1st instant.

I have laid the remaining two Ordinances before The Queen and I am
commanded to acquaint you that Her Majesty has been pleased to confirm
and allow them.

You will communicate Her Majesty's decision to the inhabitants of
the Colony in the usual manner.

Ordinance No. 8 creates a monopoly of the use of steam traction
engines but since the monopoly lasts only one year and is a matter of
purely Colonial concern I have not refrained from advising Her Majesty
to confirm the Ordinance: I have however to observe that the Colonial
Government will do well to be on their guard against the temptation
which will always exist to purchase an immediate advantage by granting
to private persons exclusive privileges which may be the source of
future embarrassment and inconvenience.