No. 17

The Governor and the Committee of the Hudson's Bay Co, have
brought under my notice the financial condition of Van Couver's Island,
with reference to the means of defraying the future expenses of the
Government.

It appears that owing to the cessation of purchase of land
by the Hudson's Bay and Puget Sound Companies, the land sales will not
prove so productive a source of revenue as they have hitherto been, and
therefore other means must be resorted to for raising the necessary
funds for the support of the Government of the Colony. This is a
subject which I have no doubt will engage the early attention of the
Legislature after the Meeting of the Assembly, and I consider it
reasonable under the circumstances that some moderate Imposts should be
levied to help to defray the expenses of Government.