Confidential

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Grace's
Despatch of the 5th September last upon the subject of the
non-residence in the Colony of British Columbia of the Officers
who have been appointed by the Crown to conduct its affairs.

2. I need scarcely say, that as a general principle, I fully
agree with your Grace as to the

advantages attending a residence
in the Colony, but circumstances have however compelled me to
retain hitherto at Fort Victoria some of the principal Officers of
the Government of British Columbia, and I would long 'ere this
have reported to your Grace any reasons for adopting such a
measure, had I not been under the impression that the whole
circumstances were well known, and understood by Her Majesty's
Government.

3. The day after the arrival of Mr Begbie, the Judge, he
accompanied me to British Columbia, and after his return to Victoria
he was of the greatest assistance to me in discharging the functions
of Attorney General, which

Office he kindly fulfilled with the
concurrence of Her Majesty's Government. Since the arrival in
Victoria of the Attorney General Mr Begbie has passed long
periods in, and has been on circuit over the greater portion of
British Columbia, and his personal communications to me upon his
return have been most valuable, and have assisted me materially
in framing laws, and in adapting the general systems of Government
to the actual requirements of the people. Mr Begbie has but
recently returned from an extended circuit, and I do not think
that his absence from the Colony under existing circumstances
has in any way proved injurious; although it certainly has formed
a subject

of remark to a discontented few whose only business it
is to cavil at everything.

*
Mr Begbie is however on the point of proceeding to British Columbia
to take up his permanent residence there.

4. Your Grace is well aware that I constantly require the
Colonial Secretary to be with me, and the same remark applies to
the Attorney General.

5. With regard to the Treasurer, it is probably more for the
convenience of the service, and for the benefit of the Colony of
British Columbia that he should at present and probably for some
little time to come reside at Victoria, but I

beg Your Grace will
receive my assurance that so soon as I am satisfied that his stay
here is detrimental to the public Service, I will instantly require
him to proceed to British Columbia.

6. I do not presume to enter more fully into particulars,
for the opinion I have given accords with that already expressed
by Your Grace in previous Despatches referring to the Colonial
Secretary and to the Treasurer; and I doubt not Your Grace will
readily understand of what little assistance would the Attorney
General be, unless he be near to me.