Murdoch to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)

I have to acknowledge Mr Merivale's letter of 26th
ultimo, enclosing a Despatch from Governor Douglas proposing
the reservations of some land in British Columbia for the use
of certain of the Indians of that Colony.

2. Governor Douglas encloses a correspondence which has
passed between Mr Cridge, the District Minister of Victoria,
and Mr Duncan, a

Gentleman who has devoted himself to the
work of Christianizing the Indians, from which it appears that
Mr Duncan is anxious to obtain some land on which to locate
the younger Members of the Tribe who have been under his
instruction, in order that by separating them from the older
Indians they may be rescued from the danger of relapsing into
vicious habits. Governor Douglas in consequence proposes to
reserve several hundred acres of land for this purpose about
20 Miles South of Fort Simpson to be conveyed to the Governor of the Colony for the time being in trust for the

Indians, but not to be in any degree subject to their disposal.

3. This proposition appears to me well deserving of
approval, and I would recommend that it should receive the
sanction of the Duke of Newcastle.