No. 41

I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Circular
Despatch of the 31st December, last, respecting the question of
enabling the Courts of one Colony to try offences committed
within the jurisdiction of another, and transmitting a copy of
a Draft Bill founded on one prepared by the Chief Justice of
Western Australia to effect that object.

2. Such a measure would have scarcely any effect as regards
this Colony. It is so far removed from any other British
Possessions that the expense of obtaining evidence would in most
cases be far greater than that of sending the accused person
for trial to the place where the offence was committed, under
the provisions of the 6 & 7 Victoria, C. 34. And as nearly all
persons coming to, or going from British Columbia pass through
the United States, no evidence as to the disposition of stolen
goods is likely to be obtained here, or in any British
Possession to which an accused person might proceed from hence.
I readily, however, perceive the value of the proposed measure
as regards a group of British Possessions like the Australian
Colonies.