No. 5

I have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of Your Grace's
Despatch No 14 of the 20th of October last, Conveying to me the instructions of Her Majesty's Government with respect to providing
means for defraying the expense of the Civil Administration of
Vancouvers Island.

2. I beg to assure Your Grace in reply that I was not unprepared for
the instructions I have now received, and that the measures reported
in my Several Communications noted in the margin,

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for Extending
Parliamentary franchise; creating new electoral Districts in order to
ensure a full representation of the people; dissolving the late House
of Assembly on account of its not imposing taxes for the Support of
Government, and Calling another House with larger views, are
preparatory Steps in the plan of providing for the service in
question; and I am of opinion that the Colony is now capable, without
overtaxing its financial resources, of defraying the ordinary and
regular Expenses of her Government.

3. In that case however the Legislature will no doubt make an urgent
appeal for the Control and entire disposal of all monies arising from
the Sale of Crown Land, and other Sources of revenue; and I shall
feel much obliged if Your Grace will inform me, as soon as may be
convenient whether Her Majesty's Government will sanction such
arrangement, providing the Colonial Legislature undertakes to defray
the expense of the Civil List, by which I mean payment for Services
of a permanent nature, such as the salary of the Governor, Chief
Justice, Colonial Secretary, Treasurer, Attorney General, and other
officers engaged in the administration of the Civil Government of the
Colony; and providing that such payments, whatever their amount may
be, Shall be fixed by law, and not merely placed on the Estimates for
the Year.

4. I have further to assure Your Grace that I will not fail to
prepare an estimate of the Salaries to be paid, and of the expense of
the Civil administration of the Colony, and to urge its acceptance by
the Legislature at an early period of the approaching session; and it
will then, I trust, be in my power to carry on the Government as you
have directed, without the aid of the Civil officers of British
Columbia.