Separate

Though there is nothing of much importance, in the proceedings
of the Legislature to communicate, I beg to state, for Your Grace's
information, that the Legislative Assembly has since the commencement
of the present Session been principally occupied with local matters.
The following Bills have gone through the several stages in the Lower
House and are now before the Legislative Council.

1. "Act to repeal the Stamp Act, 1862".

2. "Legal Profession Act, 1863"

3. "Writ of Capias restriction Act 1863"

4. "Victoria Pilot Act, 1863"

5. "Representation Extension Act, 1863"

6. "Bills of Sale Amendment Act, 1863"

7. "Oaths Act, 1863".

8. "Fireman's Act 1863".

And my assent was given on the 30th October last to a
Provisional Act for the election of a Mayor and Councillors for the
City of Victoria for the year 1863; the object of which I will
briefly explain. In the Act for incorporating the City of Victoria
it was provided that the first election of a Mayor and Councillors
should be made by the persons then registered as voters for the
election of Representatives for the Town of Victoria, and that all
subsequent elections for these offices should be made by persons
rated in the Municipal Assessment Roll of the City at £20 Freehold or
Leasehold Estate. In consequence of unexpected delays the Municipal
Assessment Roll was not completed in time for the elections, and
there being no Assessment Roll in existence, there could be no
qualified voters, and no election of Municipal Officers. It
was to provide for this want and to authorize the election of
Municipal Officers by persons qualified as in the first election,
that is the registered electors of the Town of Victoria, that the
provisional Act was, in haste, and at the last hour, passed and
assented to.

2. No definitive action has been taken by the Lower House in the
matter of the financial arrangements recommended in my opening
speech, as a provision for the permanent support of the Government.
A Committee was duly appointed to prepare a report on the Crown Lands
of the Colony—to enable the House to settle the questions of the
Civil list, but the Committee has as yet made no report; having been
engaged ever since their appointment, in the, somewhat irrelevant,
task of enquiring into the management of the Land Office, during the
Administration of the Hudson Bay Company; the financial question
therefore remains absolutely in the same position it was in, four
months ago.

3. I have this day sent in the Estimates for the year 1864,

*

made up on the increased scale of salaries for the Civil
Establishment. This step will soon bring the House to a decision. I
fear that will be unfavourable—as from what is known about the
opinions of the Members I infer that they are not disposed to grant a
Civil list on the proposed Scale—nor without making a large
reduction in the Governor's proposed salary—which is generally
considered as excessive, in so poor a Colony as this.

4. The composition of the Lower House is very respectable, and there
has, so far, been no marked exhibition of party feeling—all
questions having been considered very much on their own merits—the
general policy of the Government is moreover so well known and so
thoroughly endorsed by the great body of the respectable public that
neither reputation nor influence could accrue from a course of
factious opposition.

There being nothing further of much interest to communicate.