No. 15

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your despatch
No. 5 of 16th January, on the subject of an application made
on behalf of Mr A. Waddington for assistance in constructing a
 Road from Bute Inlet to the interior of British Columbia.

2. Previous to the receipt of Your Despatch I had brought
the subject before my Executive Council on a similar application
made to me by Mr Waddington. I enclose copies of that Gentleman's
letter together with the reply which, with the advice of my
Executive Council, I caused to be addressed to him.

3. It may possibly be considered that the last Paragraph of
the Acting Colonial Secretary's letter does not convey the
reasonable encouragement you desire should be afforded. I will
only state in explanation that Mr Waddington based his claim to
be re-imbursed his previous outlay in this speculation on the
grounds that the then Governor encouraged him to commence and
continue the work. It was the opinion of my Executive Council
that any encouragement Mr Waddington might now receive from
this Government would be used as an Advertisement to obtain
capital in England for an undertaking considered by all best
informed on the subject a most hazardous speculation.