No. 45

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your
Grace's Circular Despatch of the 30th April last, acquainting
me, that, on account of inconveniences lately experienced
in an important Colony, Your Grace had laid down the rule
there, that no public Servant employed in the receipt, issue,
or custody of public monies ought to be concerned in the
management of any Bank, Railroad, or other Commercial
undertaking: leaving however a discretionary power with
the Governor to waive the prohibition in the case of other
Government Officers, who may be already engaged in the
management of Commercial enterprises, so long as they
shall retain their existing appointments: and Your Grace
desires to be informed whether there is any objection to
establishing the same rule in the Colony of British Columbia.

2. With respect to the subject of this inquiry it is
only necessary to refer Your Grace to my Despatch No 45
of the 4th November 1862, enclosing a copy of instructions
which I then caused to be issued for the direction of the
Assistant Gold Commissioners and their subordinates, on
the subject now under consideration. It being reported
that some of these Officers were connected with Mining
speculations, and other business transactions on their own
account: the object of these instructions was to inform
them that such practises were considered incompatible with
the proper and efficient discharge of their public duties,
and must be, at once, relinquished or they must be prepared to
resign their official appointments.

3. The rule contemplated by Your Grace is one of obvious
utility, if not of positive necessity, and may, I conceive,
be established without inconvenience, and made at once
applicable to every public Servant in British Columbia.