Childers to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)

With reference to your letter of the 2nd instant, transmitting
Transcripts of two Acts passed by the Legislature of Vancouver's
Island, entitled respectively No X, 1865 "An Act to amend the
'Victoria and Esquimalt Harbour Dues Act, 1862,'" and No XI, 1865
"An Act to impose Landing Permit Dues on the importation of certain
Stock and Carcasses," I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her
Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of Mr
Secretary Cardwell, that Their Lordships see no reason for interfering
with the operation of these Acts.

At the same time I am desired to add with reference to the present
legislation of this Colony and to the Tariff Act of British Columbia,
which recently came under Their Lordships' consideration, Ordinance
No 3 of 1865, to amend the duties of Customs," that My Lords regret
to observe what appears to them to be an unseemly antagonism between
neighbouring British Colonies, and that their fiscal systems have
been altered with a view rather to interfere with a particular course
of trade than from considerations of Revenue.