No. 47

I had the honor to receive in London a despatch marked
"Separate" of the 15th of January 1864, from the Duke of
Newcastle, forwarding to me, amongst other enclosures, a letter
from Sir Edmund Head complaining that the Government of this
Colony did not issue the grants to the Hudson's Bay Company
of the lands assigned to them under the Agreement of the 11th
of October 1861. His Grace directed me to give my early [attention] to
the matter.

2. I do not find that my predecessor is to be blamed for
the delay which has occurred. Under the Land Act now in force
no grant can be issued for a piece of land until the "Government
Survey shall extend to the land claimed." This general Government
Survey has reached some of the lands claimed by the Hudson's Bay
Company, and in such cases the grants have been issued to them.
There are many persons aggrieved by the non receipt of their
grants, and as the "Government Survey" will not probably for
very many years be extended over the Colony, I propose making some
changes in the Law at the next Session.

3. Even, however, if the Law be amended so as to allow of
isolated surveys, I presume that there are many of the blocks
of land claimed by the Company, which are not worth the expense
which the survey would entail.

4. The Hudson's Bay Company will always find in me a desire
to meet their wishes.