No. 13

I have the honor of forwarding herewith for your information a
copy of my correspondence with the House of Assembly, on various
subjects relating to the public business of the Colony of
Vancouver's Island, from the 21st day of February last to the
7th day of April instant.

2. The subjects referred to therein do not require separate and
distinct notice. I will however take the liberty of drawing
your attention to a few points of much importance; the first
being the establishment of a Mint in this Colony, a subject in
relation to which, the House feel a deep interest, and in their
address to me of the 31st of March last, express an earnest
wish that I should recommend it, for the consideration of
Her Majesty's Government.

3. Knowing your own views with respect to the advantages of
that measure; its benificial

effects on Trade; in strengthening our connection with the
Mother Country, and in promoting the material interests of the
Colony; having also lately reviewed the question of establishing
an Assay Office in this Colony, as a preliminary step to the
establishment of a Mint, it does not appear necessary that I
should revert to the subject more fully in this communication.

4. With respect to the recommendation of the House of Assembly,
that the coinage of the Colonial Mint should be in decimal
currency, of the same value as that of the United States, that
is a question which I shall take care to reserve for the
decision of Her Majesty's Government.

5. The other point to which I beg to draw your attention, is
respecting the reserves of public Land made for Government
purposes, in the several Districts of this Colony, which the
House of Assembly in their Address of the 31st of March desire
may be restricted to reserves for educational purposes, and
placed for that object, exclusively at the disposal of the
Legislature of Vancouver's Island.

6. I declined, for the reasons stated in my reply to that
address, to act in compliance with their request, as it appeared
to me that the claim advanced by the House to the control of the
reserves of public land, is unconstitutional, and would be an
encroachment on the rights of the Crown.