McClure to Newcastle

I have the honour of forwarding for your perusal, according to
request, the following statistics in connection with the political
condition of Vancouver Island:

Name of Area No. No.

Electoral Locality in sq. miles of Voters of Members

Victoria Town 3 32 2

" District 12 97 3

Esquimalt Town 1 65 1

" District 21 61 2

Nanaimo 80 32 1

Lake District 25 57 1

Saanich 37 29 1

Sooke 25 15 1

Salt Spring 95 45 1

___ __

833 13

It will thus be seen that Victoria has a larger number of voters than
all the other districts combined, yet it has not even the maximum of
the district representation.

As a means of placing the representation on a more correct basis, I
think population should be taken as the foundation, making of course
an allowance for the several interests. In Vancouver Island these
latter may be divided into four classes: The
Commercial and Manufacturing in Victoria Town, represented by
a population of 5000
and in Esquimalt by 500 persons; the
Agricultural interest, comprising all other localities but
Nanaimo, and represented by, about 500 of a population; and the
Coal mining interest at Nanaimo absorbing a population of about
300.

At the present time, with proper facilities given the inhabitants for
registering their names on the electoral roll, it would be found that
there are fully 1050 persons qualified to become voters. By an
increase of eight members to the number of representatives in the
Legislative Assembly, we would then have as a basis one
representative to every fifty voters—or, on an average, a member to
every 300 of the population. As the voters in the agricultural
districts are much more numerous in proportion to the population than
those in the towns this change would leave them no cause for
complaint. Victoria, accordingly, would be entitled to about nine
members, giving three to each of the Municipal Wards. Combined with
Esquimalt town, which from its growing importance might with reason
claim two representatives, it would be seen that this arrangement
would give exactly eleven members to the commercial and manufacturing
portion of the community, nine to the agricultural, and one to the
coal mining—as evenly balanced a representation as, I think, could,
under the circumstances, be adopted.

The next subject is that of the Legislative Council, which I think
should be increased from five to nine members—one third being
nominated by the Governor, and the other two thirds (or six)
representing the various interests of the Island without regard to
population; for instance—two representing commerce and manufacture;
two, agriculture; and two mining, lumbering, or other interest
connected with this description of Industry.

The question with regard to qualification for members of Legislature
is one which, I think, should not be allowed to rest in the present
unsatisfactory state. The small population of the Island necessarily
makes our choice of representatives exceedingly limited, without
having its dimensions still further and unjustly circumscribed to
those only who are in possession of
landed property to the amount of £300.

*

It unfortunately happens that the majority of this class on Vancouver
Island are
men whose life-long experience has been principally
confined to trading with the native tribes,
and who are, of course, in a great measure, unacquainted with the
political economy of a more progressive description of civilization.
In the first place, therefore, I think the qualification too high
and too restrictive, and consequently injurious in its general
effect; because it is rather a premium on indolence than on industry;
since the man who spends his capital solely in house property, in
manufactures, or even in merchandise adds to the general wealth and
industry of the place, he whose money is invested in land, unless he
be a
bona fide
agriculturalist (which is not often the case in a new country)
actually occupies a position—that of speculator—highly inimical to
the general welfare. Yet it is to this class principally the
inhabitants of Vancouver Island are at present compelled to look for
representatives.
Without a more liberal qualification it would be almost
impossible to obtain any beneficial change in the composition of our
Assembly,
and of course that change is not to be expected from the colonial
Government. I therefore take the liberty of putting this fact before
your Grace in the hope that it may merit your earnest attention.

There is but one other subject with which I have to trouble your
Grace—a subject which I approach with both respect and anxiety. I
mean the composition of the Executive and Administrative Departments
of the Government of Vancouver Island. I cannot get over the fact,
and I hope I may be pardoned for making the perhaps bold assertion,
that any reformation in the political condition of Vancouver will be
very incomplete indeed that does not include a thorough change in the
official departments of the country—from the highest to the lowest;
or at least that does not confer some such power upon the colonists.
So bold have the men occupying these important positions
become, from uninterrupted success in
ignoring constitutional usage and public sentiment,
that I confess to the fear that however liberal the changes which
your Grace might make in the machinery of the Government, much of
their beneficial character would be destroyed or counteracted by the
administration of those at present filling the most important yet most
irresp[onsible?]

offices in the Government of Vancouver Island.

I hope that, in presenting your Grace with the foregoing details and
remarks, I have not exceeded my position, or trespassed too heavily
on your time and patience. The importance of the subject must be my
only excuse. For certain am I that it only requires the
establishment of a liberal and enlightened system of government on
Vancouver Island to make that colony a magnet for the attraction of
all those numerous British elements which now be scattered along the
American portion of the Pacific coast, and for drawing from all parts
of the world, in a very few years a population more commensurate with
the greatness of its natural resources and the unequalled nature of
its geographical position.