Tennent to Under-Secretary of State

I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council
for Trade, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the
3rd Instant, transmitting for the consideration of this
Department, a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of British
Columbia, enclosing a copy of an Ordinance passed by the
Legislature of that Colony, entitled "An Ordinance to amend
the Duties on Customs," and various other Despatches mentioned
in the margin of your letter and having reference to this subject.

In reply I am to request you to inform the Secretary of
State for the Colonies, that although My Lords see no reason
to object to the average rate of Customs duties charged by the
Act in question, there are certain articles upon which the
amounts levied are unusually high, and attaching principally to
articles of food of first necessity—they are calculated seriously to
affect the price to the Colonial consumer

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of such articles as Beans, Candles, Cheese, Drugs, Chemicals, Dried
Fish &c, upon which the high rates in question are levied.

My Lords are not however prepared on these grounds to
recommend the non confirmation of the Act by Her Majesty, more
especially as the objections which appear to have been raised
to its operation, emanate from parties who can only be regarded
as temporary residents in the Colony.

The printed enclosures which accompanied your letter are
herewith returned as requested.