No. 25

I have the honor of transmitting herewith a Communication from
Mr Pemberton the Colonial Surveyor relative to the sale of
about Twenty thousand acres of land of inferior value,
consisting in a great measure, of rocks and swamp, scattered in
small portions over the four surveyed districts around Victoria.

2. Mr Pemberton therefore suggests, for the reasons stated in
his letter, viz. his inability to sell the land in question at
the established price of one pound (£1) sterling an acre, and,
consequent on the land remaining unsold, the obliteration of the
subdividing lines by fire or otherwise, and the loss of the
public outlay in the survey, that those lands may be put up for
sale on the 1st day of August next at the upset price of Four
Shillings and two pence (4/2) per acre.

3. As Mr Pemberton's views on this point appear to be
perfectly sound, I have given my sanction to the Sale of the
land in question on the terms proposed, as a Special and
exceptional case, in no way affecting the sale price of other
public lands in this Colony.

4. I do not however feel disposed to adopt Mr Pembertons
suggestion respecting the Cowitchin Country. It has for good
reasons been the invariable policy of the Government to
concentrate as much as possible the white population when
forming settlements in Districts inhabited by powerful tribes of
Indians, but that object is attainable now as fully as at any
former period in the history of this Colony, and I therefore do
not consider it expedient or advisable to close, for some time,
the Cowitchin valley against the settlement of Whites, as Mr
Pemberton suggests. To adopt such a course would naturally give
rise to much clamour and dissatisfaction among the people, and
in effect retard the legitimate progress of the Colony.