No. 53

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 59
of the 18th of July, enclosing copy of a Bill to regulate the payment
and application of fees for Marriage Licenses.

So long as Marriage Licenses are issued by the Governor of
Vancouver Island in virtue of his commission, the fees receivable on the
issue of such Licenses form properly a part of the Crown Revenue. You
will not therefore in the present state of affairs be at liberty to
assent to a Bill transferring these receipts to the General Revenue of
the Colony.