No. 14, Legislative

I have the honor of transmitting the following
Ordinances for Her Majesty's approval, with the accompanying
Reports from the Attorney General.

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

No 8. An Ordinance to authorize 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.

*

2. No 6. An Ordinance for the amendment of the Licences
Act 1859.

The object of this Ordinance is to authorize the
enforcement of penalties for infractions of the Licences Act,
a power not given in the Original Act. This Ordinance also
imposes a Licence Fee, not hitherto levied, on all persons
selling goods by auction, and it confines the tax to the
House or Firm, instead of levying it on each person concerned
in the profits, a practice which was found to be oppressive,
especially in the case of petty Firms doing a small business
under the management of several partners.

3. No 8. An Ordinance to authorize the introduction
of Steam Traction Engines into British Columbia.

This is a scheme for employing Steam, instead of
animal, power in carrying on the land transport of the Colony.

The projectors are well acquainted with the State of
the Roads, and with the Trade and resources of the Colony.
With the full knowledge of these conditions they are prepared
to risk their capital on the issue, without exacting any
exclusive privilege, or advantage, over other carriers, except
that of using Steam Traction Engines in the conveyance of
goods, for the term of twelve months from the date of the
arrival of their Machinery in this Colony; that exclusive
privilege to commence and date, from the 1st day of May 1865.

This scheme offers so many prospective advantages to
the public, and will so manifestly promote the great interests
of the Country, that I had no hesitation in acceding to
these very reasonable proposals.

4. 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.

This Ordinance relates to one of those bold and daring
schemes which will bring the Colony into easy and direct
intercourse with the world of Europe and America, and will
be of the greatest advantage commercially and politically
to the public at large. Mr Carpentier, who negotiated this
agreement is the President of the California State Telegraph
Company, which has constructed Lines of Telegraph in that
and the adjoining States and Territories, connecting by a
line of Telegraph across the Continent with the Telegraphic
Systems of the Atlantic States, and of the British Provinces
of North America.

This Company owns all the Telegraph Lines in the United
States, West of the Rocky Mountains, and is prepared,
immediately, to carry out the present project of connecting
New Westminster, by a line of Telegraph with San Francisco.
The work is to be commenced in five months from the passage
of this Act, and to be completed in a further period of
13 months or the Act shall be void.

This Ordinance grants to the California Telegraph
Company the exclusive rights, for twenty years, of communicating
by Telegraph between any place in British Columbia and the
Territories of the United States lying West of the Rocky
Mountains, and, at the same time, fixes a maximum rate of
charge for messages transmitted. This exclusive right does
not extend to, or interfere with any Telegraph Lines within
the Colony, or running across the Continent through British
North America, or elsewhere not within the Territory of the
United States. No other special privilege, whatever, is
granted, either in the way of guarantee, or subsidy; the whole
work is to be executed at the sole risk and expense of the
Telegraph Company.

There is no doubt as to the advantages which the Colony
will derive from the existence of this work, though it is
difficult to see how it can be remunerative to the projectors for some
years to come. I trust it will meet with your Grace's approval.

5. The Attorney General enters so fully into the character
of these Ordinances as to render further remarks from me unnecessary.