No. 44

In my Despatch No. 34 of the 22nd of July, I instructed you that
Fees paid for Marriage Licenses ought, as was your opinion, to be viewed
as part of the Crown Revenue of Vancouver Island.

You very properly suggested that in case they had on the contrary
been paid to the Governor personally they should continue to be devoted
by him to Charitable purposes.

I did not instruct you to make the same appropriating of them when
they were merged in the Crown Revenue, because the first demand on that
Revenue consists of the public salaries for which at present there is no
other provision. But I think it right to add the present explanation to
you that supposing this Revenue to prove adequate, I do not wish by my
previous Despatch to preclude your recommending, if you think it
expedient, the application of any moderate part of it which can be
spared for the purpose to charitable objects.