"173cd375-b520-4d49-9eaf-59a0934d2406"@en . "CONTENTdm"@en . "HON. MR. DAVIE'S VISIT TO OTTAWA, 1892."@en . "http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1198198"@en . "Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia"@en . "British Columbia. Legislative Assembly"@en . "2014"@en . "[1894]"@en . "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcsessional/items/1.0063433/source.json"@en . "application/pdf"@en . " 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1013\nPAPEBS\nRelating to Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892.\n :0:\t\nOttawa, November 18th, 1892.\nTo the Honourable\nSir John Thompson, K.C.M.G.,\nMinister of Justice, Ottawa.\nDear Sir John,\u00E2\u0080\u0094Adverting to the conference held on Monday and Tuesday, the 31st\nOctober and 1st November, between Hons. Carling, Ouimet, and yourself on the one hand, and\nmyself on the other, the subjects discussed may be summarized as follows:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\n1. Delimitation of the Railway Belt.\n2. Immigration Matters.\n3. Quarantine.\n4. Public Improvements.\nThe question of the judicial needs of Vancouver District had already been satisfactorily\narranged at a conference previously had with yourself and deputy, the arrangement being that\none of the Victoria Judges should hold Court weekly at Vancouver, and that during Mr.\nJustice McCreight's leave of absence, the Local Government should enlarge County Court\nJudge Bole's jurisdiction as a Local Superior Court Judge, and include his name and that of\nMr. Harrison in the Assize Commission, leaving it to the County Court Judges Bole and Harrison to arrange between themselves for the latter's assistance in the County Court work in the\nNew Westminster Judicial District. A further matter which I was deputed to discuss with\nthe Dominion Government, was a claim of $8,000, paid to Kinipple & Morris by the British\nColumbia Government on Dock account, and now demanded by the Province from the Dominion under the terms of the settlement in 1884. This question, it was arranged, should be\ndiscussed between Mr. Sedgewick and myself, and was, consequently, not taken up at the\nconference first alluded to, which was confined to the four subjects above particularized.\nDelimitation of the Belt.\nThree methods have been proposed for defining the boundaries, one by the Dominion\nOrder in Council dated 27th May, 1887; a second by an Order in Council of the Provincial\nGovernment dated 24th August, 1887, and a third by a Dominion Order in Council dated 15th\nJuly, 1892. These boundaries are marked upon the map referred to in the Order in Council\nof 15th July, 1892, and produced at our conference. The line proposed by the Dominion\nOrder in Council dated 27th May, 1887, being coloured red; that proposed by the Provincial\nOrder in Council dated 24th August, 1887, being coloured blue, and the line lastly claimed by\nthe Dominion Government being coloured brown and green. Without entering into detail, I\nthink I may say that during our conference the brown and green line was abandoned, and the\nquestion was reduced to the consideration of the red and blue lines, the difference in area\nbetween which is estimated to be between 750,000 and 1,000,000 acres in favour of the\nDominion, should the red boundary be adopted. We afterwards proceeded to the discussion of\ntitles which had been granted by the Province to lands within the belt, and then to the question of public works and undertakings. I refer with some degree of particularity to such\nundertakings further on.\nDuring our conference you asked me to furnish a list of the lands within the red belt sold\nby the Province and for which patents have been issued. This I telegraphed for and have since\nreceived, and I enclose the same with this letter. This list includes all sales so far as known,\nbut cannot be guaranteed to include all, as, in the absence of work upon the ground shewing\nwhere the red line is located, it is impossible, when dealing with a mountainous country, to be\nanything like exact. The likelihood of there having been other sales I deal with later on in\nthis letter. 1014 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\nQuarantine Matters.\nWere disposed of satisfactorily by Mr. Carling's assurance that Albert Head, or some more\nsuitable location, would be thoroughly equipped as a quarantine station, without delay, and a\nmedical quarantine officer stationed there instead of at Victoria. It was also suggested, and I\nunderstood agreed to, that for the examination of vessels coming from Puget Sound ports direct\nto Victoria and Vancouver without having reported at Albert Head, the Municipal Health\nOfficers should, during office, be appointed Dominion Quarantine Officers. I think the same\nplan should be adopted at Nanaimo, as Puget Sound vessels visit that port also.\nImmigration Matters.\nPrior to the month of May last, the Dominion Government, at small cost, maintained\nagencies at Victoria and Vancouver, the home in the former city and the land upon which it is\nerected being Dominion property, and in the latter being held under rental from the Canadian\nPacific Railway Company. Without previous warning, the Dominion, by Order in Council\ndated 28th May, 1892, resolved to close these homes and discharge the agents, which was done\nin the month of July following. As it was necessary that the homes should be maintained, and\nthere was no time for parley, the Provincial Government concluded it best, until some understanding should be arrived at, to themselves keep the homes afoot, and, consequently, appointed\ncare-takers for Victoria and Vancouver, and have also arranged to retain the agent temporarily\nat Victoria. One of the reasons for the discontinuance of the agencies in these towns of the\nDominion in which it was resolved to discontinue them appears, by the report of the Minister\nof the Interior, dated 27th May, 1892, to have been the neglect of the Provinces of Ontario\nQuebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia to contribute towards the maintenance of the Lon\ndon office, to which it had been agreed at a conference held in November, 1874, at which these\nProvinces were represented (but British Columbia was not), that the Provinces of Ontario,\nQuebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia should contribute. The principle that the responsibility for all matters connected with the promotion of Immigration should be vested in the\nGovernment of Canada had been affirmed at previous conferences at which British Columbia\nwas represented, and at one of which, held in September, 1871, it was expressly stipulated that\nthe Dominion Government should maintain an efficient Immigration Office at Yictoria. Subsequently, after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the growth of the city of\nYancouver, the Government of Canada established the Immigration Home there also. I would\ncall attention to a Minute in Council of the British Columbia Government dated about 10th\nJuly, 1892, and forwarded to the Hon. the Secretary of State for Canada, wherein the ground\nis taken that the agreement arrived at by the conference of September, 1871, to establish an\noffice at Victoria was such as to place Victoria in the same position as Quebec, Montreal,\nHalifax, and St. John, N.B., at which last-mentioned points the Government of Canada, by\nAct of Parliament, is bound to establish and maintain Immigration Offices, and it is also pointed\nout that whilst the Hon. the Minister of the Interior recommends the closing of the agencies at\nLondon, Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston, Prescott, and Ottawa, he does not report against the\ncontinuance of the offices at Quebec, Montreal, Halifax, and St. John, and that Victoria and\nVancouver occupy the same relative positions on the Pacific as seaport towns, which those\ncities do on the Atlantic, and that no discrimination should be made between cities so situated.\nIt was also shewn by the Provincial Order in Council above alluded to, that the immigrants\nhoused at Vancouver, particularly, were principally those who might be expected to settle on\nDominion lands in the Railway Belt, there being no Provincial lands in the vicinity.\nConsequently, at our conference on Monday and Tuesday, i urged that the Dominion\nGovernment at once resume the maintenance of the agencies at Vancouver and Victoria.\nWhilst upon the subject of immigration, I wish also to urge the unfairness of the present\napportionment of the tax imposed upon Chinese immigrants, one-fourth of which only is paid\nto the Province, three-fourths being retained by the Dominion. These immigrants settle\nalmost exclusively in British Columbia, and on their account alone the Province and Municipalities have been obliged to establish a hospital and home for lepers, several of whom have\ndeveloped amongst the Chinese. Not only in maintaining this institution are the Chinese a\npeculiar burthen upon the Province, but they unduly increase the cost of administering justice,\nas criminal statistics shew; they are looked upon as being, and are, an undesirable class of\nimmigrants, and it is certainly but right that the disadvantage and burthen of their presence\nbeing borne by the Government of British Columbia, the compensation for their incoming\nshould be enjoyed by the Government shouldering the burthen, and not by the Dominion\nGovernment, which suffers no loss or inconvenience on account of the Chinese whatever, 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1015\nPublic Works and Improvements.\nIt is felt that the prosperity and development of the Province is being seriously retarded\nfor want of necessary public works and improvements. These have already been pressed upon\nthe Government of Canada by the British Columbia representatives, and chief amongst them,\nand of vital and urgent necessity, may be mentioned :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\n1.\u00E2\u0080\u0094Improvements of Rivers.\n(a.) A hydrographical survey of the navigable part of the Fraser River, which lias become\nseriously choked up by bars and diverted from its ordinary channel, as shown by the Admiralty\ncharts, thereby causing the washing away of large tracts of valuable land, and threatening\ncalamitous destruction in the near future. In the restoring of the river to its proper channel\nand the removal of obstructions, $100,000 can be usefully expended, and it is estimated will\nthoroughly accomplish the work. Upon this subject I refer you to the Minutes of the\nProvincial Government forwarded to the Secretary of State, and dated respectively 26th\nMarch, 1890, 2nd April, 1890, 14th March, 1892, and 22nd August, 1892.\n(b.) Removing the obstructions in the navigation of Skeena River, which will include\nremoval of the snags, for which work a steam scow would be necessary, and blasting the rocks\nwhich render the Kit-sa-las Canon dangerous at certain stages of water. For the purpose of\nblasting the rocks an appropriation of $2,000 was voted by the Dominion last session, but\n$5,000 will be required for the purpose. The removal of the snags and employment of a\nsteam scow will comparatively not be an expensive matter. The Local Government are\nconstructing a waggon road from Hazleton to the adjacent agricultural lands, but the efforts\nof the Provincial Government to open up this portion of the Province will be unavailing\nunless the improvements to navigation upon the Skeena, above indicated, be likewise undertaken.\nI will, before I leave Ottawa, endeavour to furnish you with an estimate of the cost of removing\nthe snags. During our conference I handed Hon. Mr. Ouimet a letter from Mr. R. H. Hall,\nM. P. P., giving valuable information upon the subject of the proposed improvements to the\nSkeena River.\n(c.) The removal of obstructions in the Cowichan River : owing to these obstructions last\nyear, the railway bridge near Duncan's and the Government road bridge in the same locality,\nwere both washed away, and serious damage done to the lower bridges, near the sea, also entailing\ngreat loss and inconvenience to the settlers. The Indian Reserve on the river has been\nreduced by 100 acres, or more (see report of a survey which it is understood the Indian\nDepartment has had made shewing the quantity of land swept away from the Reserve), and\nthe settlers have lost a large area of valuable land worth $100 per acre. Similar devastation\nis bound to occur in future unless the matter is remedied.\nThe Dominion Government have for some years expended annually $1,000 for improvement of the Cowichan River, but the work requires to be undertaken on an entirely different\nplan, and can be undertaken so as to be effective once for all. As it is now\u00E2\u0080\u0094one year the\nstream will wash a few acres from the north bank, and then next summer the $1,000 will be\nspent in trying to direct the current from the north bank, with the only consequence of the\ninroads of the river being directed towards the south bank ; and so on, year by year, turned\nfrom bank to bank. By this process the river has already cut a channel nearly 400 yards\nwide in some places.\nThe plan which Mr. Croft, an experienced engineer, member of the Local House for\nCowichan District, whose letter to me I have handed to Hon. Mr. Ouimet, recommends, is to\nerect suitable guiding works above the railway bridge, and extend them year by year towards\nthe sea, and thus in a few years the channel could be made straight, the safety of the various\nbridges assured, and the farmers' and Indian lands protected from loss. Accompanying Mr.\nCroft's letter is a rough sketch illustrating the proposed work.\n(d) Removal of log jams in the Koksilah and Chemainus rivers. This would be a work\nof trifling expense, but of vast advantage to the community.\n(e.) Giving a subsidy for a steamboat service and mail communication to the islands\nbetween Vancouver Island and the Mainland, Comox and those points of settlement on the\nMainland and Island not reached by rail, and extending to Queen Charlotte Islands. There\nare large and valuable tracts of land and important industries which might by this means be\nopened, populated, and developed, and in this connection I may say that the Local Government\nwould be prepared to open up roads in places thus made accessible.\n(j.) Lighthouses.\u00E2\u0080\u0094Nanaimo Harbour, Departure Bay, Cape Mudge, the northern entrance\nJohnson's Straits, and Moresby Islands, 1016 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\n(g.) Fog alarms.\u00E2\u0080\u0094East point of Entrance Island.\n(h.j Telegraph lines between Nanaimo, Alberni, and Comox, and signal line, northern\nentrance to Johnson's Straits ; also the better maintenance of the telegraph service provided by\nthe Carmanah and Cape Beale wire. As an instance of the inefficiency of the last-mentioned\nservice, I have handed Hon. Mr. Ouimet a clipping from the Colonist of 20th October, ult.,\nshewing the experience of the ship Dumfrieshire, proving the present working of the line to be\nsimply a delusion.\n(i.) Harbours.\u00E2\u0080\u0094Victoria and Nanaimo. Removal of rocks from inner harbour at Victoria,\ndredging both harbours, and new dredging plant.\n(j.) Beacon light to be placed on Brotchie's ledge.\n(k.) Indian schools.\u00E2\u0080\u0094The extention and maintenance of these institutions, as being a\nmost effective way of promoting order and usefulness amongst the natives, as fully proved by the\nsuccess which has so far attended the efforts of the Dominion in British Columbia in this direction.\nAnother matter which has been pressed upon the Government by the members is the\nquestion of remuneration to the post office employees. The present scale is hardly sufficient to\nprovide, in British Columbia, the ordinary necessaries of life. Living wages should be allowed,\nelse depletion of the service must ensue. As you know, the cost of living in British Columbia\ncannot be gauged by eastern prices.\nKootenay Indians.\nThe Dominion Government should, I think, strengthen their staff of officials dealing with\nthe Indian affairs in the District of Kootenay. These are a troublesome tribe of Indians, and\ntheir numbers are frequently augmented by visits of tribal friends from the United States.\nThey are not properly kept upon their reserve, but squat on Crown lands, and go about well\narmed. Recently the Alberta Company, who have a contract with the Local Government for\nwhich entails the cutting of a canal, having to operate their works through some of the garden\npatches which had been laid out by Indians on Crown land outside of the reserves, were met with\nresistance from the Indians. Things looked quite threatening, and the Local Government\nwere appealed to. We are, of course, responsible for the administration of justice, but we\ncannot be expected to cope with bands of armed savages. We adopted what, under the\ncircumstances, was the most feasible course, and gave authority to our local agent to treat with\nthe Indians and compensate them for the lands which the works of the Company had disturbed.\nI am not aware yet of the amount of compensation paid, but I am informed by letters which I\nhave received since my arrival that the trouble is now over for the present. There can\nbe little doubt that, but for the policy of compensation adopted by the Local Government,\nthere would have been a serious disturbance, little short of an Indian war.\nThe Fisheries.\nIt was decided in the case of Reg. v. Robertson, 6 C. S. G, R. 52, that the ungranted\nlands in a Province being in the Province, the exclusive right to fish follows as an incident and\nis in the Crown as a trustee for the benefit of the people of the Province, and that therefore a\nlicense by the Dominion to fish in streams running through Provincial property would be\nillegal. The Dominion, however, issues licenses in British Columbia and assumes control of\nthe fisheries. This seems in excess of their power as defined by the authority above quoted, and,\nmoreover, the people complain of the Dominion regulations as unsuited to the fishing interests.\nJnsolvency.\nThere is a general desire in commercial circles, as expressed by the Boards of Trade, for\nan insolvency law, the want of which causes much financial difficulty. It would be\nsatisfactory to the people of the Province if I could assure them that the intention of your\nGovernment is to enact an insolvency law in the near future.\nAdjustment of the Railway Belt Question.\n******\nI shall be glad to be informed whether the Dominion Government are prepared to\nrelinquish the claim of issuing fishing licenses and of recognizing the Provincial control of\nfisheries and right to administer them.\nI have the honour to be,\nDear Sir John,\nYour most obedient servant,\nTheodore Davie,\nPremier of British Columbia. 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1017\nOffice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada,\nOttawa, Canada, 30th December, 1892.\nSir,\u00E2\u0080\u0094I have the honour, by direction of the President of the Council, to transmit herewith a certified copy of an Order in Council, No. 3,194\u00C2\u00AB, dated the 30th December, instant,\nwith reference to the placing of a beacon light on Brotchie's Ledge.\nI have, &c,\n(Signed) John J. McGee,\nClerk of the Privy Council.\nThe Hon. Theo. Davie,\nPremier of the Province of British Columbia.\nCertified copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor General in Council on the 30th December, 1892.\nThe Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a communication\naddressed by the Premier of British Columbia to the Minister of Justice dated the 18th of\nNovember, 1892, calling attention to the placing of a beacon light on Brotchie's Ledge.\nThe Minister of Marine and Fisheries to whom the communication was referred reports\nthat it was proposed to erect during the past season a stone or concrete beacon on the ledge in\nquestion, and to surmount it by an electric light connected with the shore system of electric\nlights, but in consequence of the stranding of the steamer \"Quadra,\" the vessel was not available during the high spring tides of last summer, the only time at which the work could be\ndone advantageously.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, advise\nthat the Premier of British Columbia be informed that arrangements will, however, be made\nby the Department of Marine and Fisheries to carry out the work next season.\n(Signed) John J. McGee,\nClerk of the Privy Council.\nThe Honourable Mr. Davie,\nPremier of the Province of British Columbia.\nDepartment of the Secretary of State,\nOttawa, 17th January, 1893.\nSir,\u00E2\u0080\u0094I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, for the information of your Government, copy of an Order of His Excellency the Governor-General in Council, approving of a\nreport of the Honourable the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, on the subject of certain lighthouses and fog alarms in British Columbia.\nI have, &c,\n(Signed) L. A. Catellier,\nHis Honour\nThe Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia,\nVictoria.\nUnder Secretary of State.\nCertified copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor-General in Council on the 13th day of January, 1893.\nThe Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a communication from\nthe Premier of British Columbia to Sir John Thompson, dated 18th November, 1892, calling\nattention to the necessity for\u00E2\u0080\u0094\n(a.) Lighthouse on Cape Mudge;\n(b.) Lighthouse in Nanaimo Harbour;\n(c.) Lighthouse on Moresby Islands;\n(d.) Fog alarms, East Point of Entrance Island. The Minister of Marine and Fisheries, to whom the communication was referred, reports\nas follows:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\n(a.) Lighthouse on Cape Mudge:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nIn 1891 a communication was received from the British Columbia Board of Trade, which\nincluded a light on Cape Mudge in the list of aids required for navigation in northern waters.\nIt was ranked as one of secondary importance.\nThis cape is at the south entrance to Discovery Passage, about forty miles north-westwardly\nfrom the light already built at Yellow Island.\nThe Chief Engineer of the Department of Marine and Fisheries was sent in the spring of\n1891 to make a thorough inspection of the aids required for navigation, and the interests of\nthe navigation to be affected thereby in the Province of British Columbia. He visited Cape\nMudge and reported that a light upon a certain site which he had there examined would show\nup Discovery Passage, and around it into the strait as far as Texada Island. He, however,\nexpressed doubt whether the necessity for this light was very great, or whether the absence of\na light at this place was attended with much risk to vessels, and the Minister is of the opinion,\nconsidering the present condition of traffic, that the urgency for a light at this point, compared\nwith the demands elsewhere, is not sufficient to warrant the necessary expenditure.\n(b.) Lighthouses, Nanaimo Harbour, Departure Bay:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nThe Department of Marine and Fisheries has already placed two lights upon buoys at the\nentrance to this harbour, in lieu of building a lighthouse at that point. Having consulted\nhis officers the Minister finds that the Department of Marine and Fisheries has no reason to\nbelieve that these buoy lights are not giving satisfaction. If this be so, no necessity exists for\na special light in Nanaimo Harbour.\nThe importance of trade is fully recognized by the Minister, and the Engineer, on the\nvisit above referred to, ascertained that aid was required for entering the harbour at night.\nAt his suggestion, the buoys were lighted; and, as far as the records of the Marine and Fisheries Department show, this appears to have satisfied the pilots. These harbour lights are said\nto give mariners aids where they are most wanted, while lights on shore would be at a considerable distance from the somewhat intricate channels that have to be found and kept on\nentering the harbour.\nLighthouse in Departure Bay :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nThe Engineer having visited this point, reported that a chance anchor light lantern on a\npole on the east point of Jesse Island, in Departure Bay, would be a useful guide, but that it\nwas not so urgently required as Nanaimo Harbour Light, the entrance being bold and the\nwater good.\nConsidering the great number of demands made throughout Canada for expenditure on\naids to navigation, the Minister is of the opinion that, in the, absence of any further representations from those engaged in navigation, it would appear that the shipping in this district is\nfairly served by existing aids.\n(c.) Lighthouse on Moresby Islands.\nMany requests have been made for a light on Pelorus Point, Moresby Islands. The\nEngineer having visited this place, reports that while a light would be a useful guide to vessels\napproaching this point, its chief utility would be as a point of departure for vessels using the\nSwanson Channel in going through Active Pass.\nThe American Government have, however, since the above applications, definitely decided\nto place a light on Turn Point, Stewart Island, and, consequently, much of the necessity for a\nlight on Pelorus Point has disappeared. These two points are not more than four miles apart,\nand Turn Point is the better situated of the two for vessels approaching from every direction.\n(d.) Fog alarm, East Point of Entrance Island :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nThis subject is dealt with on another report to Your Excellency.\nThe Minister of Marine and Fisheries adds that, while every effort is being made to keep\npace with the growth of trade in British Columbia, so far as providing the necessary aids to\nnavigation is concerned, it must be recollected that throughout the great inland waters of\nCanada new routes are being constantly opened up as well, and the demands are yearly 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1019\nincreasing for similar aids in various other parts of Canada. Great caution is therefore\nnecessary, in order that, while the interests of navigation may be fairly served, the charges of\nconstruction and maintenance of these aids may not be unduly increased.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, advise\nthat a copy of this Minute, if approved, be transmitted by the Secretary of State to the\nLieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, for the information of his Government.\n(Signed) Joseph Pope,\nAssistant Clerk of the Privy Council.\nDepartment of the Secretary of State,\nOttawa, 28th January, 1893.\nSir,\u00E2\u0080\u0094I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, for the information of your Government, copy of an approved Minute of Council, having reference to the erection of a fog alarm\non the East Point of Entrance Island.\nI have, &c,\n(Signed) L. A. Catellier,\nHis Honour the Lieutenant-Governor Under Secretary of State,\nof British Columbia, Victoria.\nCertified Copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Rrivy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor-General in Council, on the 23rd January, 1893.\nOn a Report, dated 19th of January, 1893, from the Minister of Marine and Fisheries,\nstating with reference to the Order in Council of 13th January instant, in regard to the\nerection of a fog alarm on the East Point of Entrance Island, that a lighthouse has already\nbeen erected in the interests of navigation on Entrance Island, and steps have recently been\ntaken for the improvement of the light by replacing the Catoptric Light by a Fifth Order\nDioptric Light.\nThe Minister, in view, however, of the large amount of tonnage now visiting the Port of\nNanaimo, larger than visits either Victoria or Vancouver, and considering the approaches are\nmore dangerous, recommends that the subject be favourably considered when the Estimates for\nthe next fiscal year are dealt with.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, advise\nthat the Secretary of State be authorized to forward a copy of this Minute, if approved, to the\nLieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, for the information of his advisers.\n(Signed) John J. McGee,\nClerk of the Privy Council.\nOffice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada,\nOttawa, Canada, 22nd April, 1893.\nSir,\u00E2\u0080\u0094I have the honour to transmit herewith a certified copy of an Order in Council, No.\n1752h, dated the 22nd April, 1893, with reference to obtaining a thorough inspection at the\npoint of departure of passengers and goods from Asiatic ports, so as to prevent infected persons\nand cargoes being received on board vessels destined for Canada.\n1 have, cfec,\n(Signed) W. B. Ives,\nHis Honour the Lieutenant-Governor President of the Privy Council,\nof the Province of British Columbia.\nCertified copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor-General in Council on the 22nd April, 1893.\nThe Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a telegram, hereto\nattached, dated 12th March, 1893, from the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, on the\nsubject of obtaining a thorough inspection at the point of departure of passengers and goods\nfrom Asiatic ports, so as to prevent infected persons and cargoes being received on board\nvessels destined for Canada. 1020 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\nThe Minister of Agriculture, to whom the question was referred, states that departmental\nrepresentations have been already made, having for object to ensure vaccination of all steerage\npassengers from Asiatic ports before embarkation, from which it is believed a large measure of\nprotection may be expected.\nThe Minister finds that the thorough inspection of vessels from ports in China or Japan\nwould imply the stationing of Canadian quarantine officers at those ports, which is an action\nthat would be accompanied with difficulties.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture, advise that a\ncertified copy of this Minute, if approved, be forwarded to the Lieutenant-Governor of British\nColumbia.\nJohn J. McGee,\nHis Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, Clerk of the Privy Council.\nProvince of British Columbia.\n[Telegram.]\nWhereas in four several trips of the Empress and Northern Pacific lines of steamers during\nthe past year Chinese passengers were brought into the Province infected with the loathsome\ndisease small-pox ;\nAnd whereas there is great danger that Asiatic cholera may at any time be introduced\nfrom China or Japan, and thereby incalculable, vital, and financial loss be caused to the Province\nand Dominion ;\nTherefore be it Resolved, That a respectful Address be presented to His Honour the\nLieutenant-Governor, praying him to move the Dominion Government to take such steps as\nwill secure the thorough inspection at the point of departure of passengers and goods coming\nfrom Asiatic ports, so as to prevent infected persons and cargoes being received on board\nvessels destined for Canada.\nSubmitted in report of my Executive Council approved by me.\n(Signed) E Dewdney,\nLieutenant-Governor.\nOffice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada,\nOttawa, Canada, 22ncl April, 1893.\nSir,\u00E2\u0080\u0094I have the honour to transmit herewith a certified copy of an Order in Council, No\n3,194 11/92, dated the 22nd April, 1893, with reference to the communication, dated 18th\nNovember, 1892, addressed by the Premier of B. C. to the Minister of Justice, stating that the\nGovernment should strengthen their staff of officers dealing with Indian affairs in the District\nof Kootenay. I have &c,\n(Signed) Adolphe P. Caron,\nThe Honourable Theodore Davie, President of the Privy Council.\nPremier of British Columbia.\nCertified copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor-General in Council on the 22nd of April, 1893.\nThe Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration an extract, hereto\nattached, from a communication dated 18th November, 1892, addressed by the Premier of\nBritish Columbia to the Minister of Justice, stating with regard to the Kootenay Indians that\nthe Government should, he thinks, strengthen their staff of officers dealing with Indian affairs\nin the District of Kootenay, as the Indians are troublesome, and their numbers are frequently\naugmented by visits from their friends from the United States ; also, that they are not kept\nupon their reserves, but are allowed to squat on Crown lands, and that they go about well\narmed.\nThe Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, to whom the above extract was referred,\nobserves that the Premier of British Columbia gives, as an illustration of his description of\nthese Indians, some trouble experienced by the Alberta Company, who have a contract with\nthe Local Government entailing the cutting of a canal, in the endeavour of the Company to\nextend their works through some of the garden patches laid out by the Indians on Crown lands 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1021\noutside of the reserves, which difficulty amounted to resistance by the Indians, and upon the\nLocal Government being appealed to the Premier states it adopted what under the circumstances\nseemed to be the most advisable course, viz., to give authority to the Local Agent to treat with\nthe Indians and compensate them for the lands which the works of the Company had disturbed;\nthe Premier further states that there can be little doubt that, had not this policy been adopted by\nthe Local Government, there would have been a serious disturbance, little short of an Indian war.\nThe Minister further states that immediately after the receipt of the copy of the Hon.\nMr. Davie's despatch, communication was opened up with the Indian Superintendent for the\nProvince of British Columbia on the subject, who in turn communicated with the Indian\nAgent at Fort Steele, in the Kootenay country, furnishing him with a copy of Mr. Davie's\nletter. The Agent's report, as well as a report from the Superintendent in regard to the said\nmatter, have been received.\nThe Minister further states that the Agent expresses the opinion that the Premier of\nBritish Columbia quite misapprehends the matter of the trouble between the Indians and the\nAlberta Company, and that he had evidently received no full report on the subject. The\nAgent states that whereas the Premier's communication is headed \" Kootena}' Indians \" it was\nreally the \" Flatbow \" or \" Canoe\" Indians, of the Lower Kootenay Valley, who were involved\nin the difficulty referred to. He describes the Kootenay Indians proper as a well behaved and\nsuperior race to the Flatbows, and states that there is no communication between the tribes,\ntheir habits and mode of life being quite different. He describes the few Indians known as\nthe \" Flatbow \" or \" Canoe \" Indians as occupying a reserve, and as frequenting hunting and\nfishing grounds far removed from Fort Steele, which is the headquarters of the Agency. And\nas to the suggestion made in the Premier's letter, that the Dominion should strengthen their\nstaff of officials dealing with Indian affairs in the Kootenay District, the Agent states that\nthere is nothing in the much exaggerated trouble that occurred between the Flatbows and the\nAlberta Company, and which took place during the Agent's absence on leave in England, to\ncall for any action of the kind. He, however, admits that owing to the remoteness of the\nFlatbows' reserve from the Agency they are liable to be injudiciously advised by worthless\nwhite men, which neutralizes to a certain extent the advice given them when he visits them.\nThe Agent, referring to the description given by Mr. Davie of these Indians as a troublesome\ntribe of Indians, states that they certainly are untruthful, cunning, dishonest, rude, and\ndegraded, but that they are few in number, and have never shown any desire to resist the\nauthorities, and are by nature anything but warlike. In fact they have never been known to\nengage in any war when the Kootenays proper were on the warpath. The poverty, as well as\nthe densely timbered country in which they live, has protected them from the raids of their\nmore powerful neighbours.\nThe Minister observes that as respects the further statement made in the Premier's letter,\nthat their numbers are frequently augmented by visits of tribal friends from the United States,\nthe Agent reports that the same difficulty occurs elsewhere from members of the same tribe\nwho live on both sides of the International Boundary exchanging visits with one another, but\nthat there is doubt that the visits paid to these degraded Flatbow Indians by Indians from the\nother side are far from beneficial to them, as the Indians who visit them gamble with them\nand frequently deprive them of all they possess.\nAs regards the statement in Mr. Davie's letter, that the Indians are not properly kept on\ntheir reserves, the Indian Agent explains that the Flatbows, in common with all the Indians\nin British Columbia, are allowed to hunt, fish, and camp on unoccupied Crown lands, and that,\nwere it otherwise, they would starve to death ; that, in case of the Flatbow Indians, their\nreserve is quite unadapted for agriculture, were they disposed to follow it, as it is a swamp,\nand owing to its being densely timbered there is no room for pasturing stock, so that they are\nunable to follow either industry for obtaining a livelihood; and as regards the Premier's further\nallegation, that the Indians are allowed to squat on Crown lands, the Indian Agent states, as\nregards the Flatbow or Canoe Indians, that there is only a narrow strip of land in the Lower\nKootenay Valley, of about one hundred feet wide along the bank of the river, that is a little\nhigher than the surrounding flats; that this land is covered with a dense growth of willow,\nthorn, &c, and that the Indians have from time immemorial cleared little patches for camping\nas they move up and down the river in their bark canoes; and that their dead are buried there;\nfrom the fact of this tract being flooded every third or fourth year their garden patches are of\nthe smallest dimensions; and that it is on this strip of land that the Alberta Company are\nthrowing up their embankments. 1022 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\nAs to the resistance met with by the Company from the Indians, the Agent reports that\nwhen the Company came to the first little garden patch they threw it up with the steam\ndigger, including the growing crop of potatoes. The Indian made no demand for compensation\nfor the land, but simply asked to be paid the sum of $7.50 for his potatoes ; that had this\namount been paid, and the slightest regard shown for the susceptibilities of the Indian, no\ntrouble whatever would have occurred ; on the contrary, the Indian appears to have met with\nridicule and abuse, not however, the Agent says, from the officers of the Company, but probably\nfrom some of the employes, though the Agent does not say from whom ; but he states that\nthe Indian was told to go to the Indian Agent or the Government for compensation. The\nIndian was incensed at the wrong clone him, and having his rifle in his hand used threats, it is\nsupposed, though this the Indian denies, as well as the statement that he pointed his rifle. The\ntrouble, however, had been settled by the Local Government Agent before the person who was\nacting for the Indian Agent during his absence reached the spot.\nThe Minister also observes that as regards the Premier's further statement that things\nlooked quite threatening, and that the Local Government was appealed to, the Agent states\nthat the interpreter whom the Acting Agent took with him appears to have altogether misinformed the Chief and the Indians as to the purport of his visit, and also to have informed them\nthat they would be allowed to put in their gardens. The Chief refused to allow the work of\nthe Alberta Company to go through his garden, stating that he had been advised to do so, and\nthe Chief said he would not sell it for any price. The Acting Indian Agent then told the\n\u00C2\u00A7reman of the works to proceed with his work and that he would himself correct the first Indian\nthat offered to interfere in any way; that when the Indians saw that their threats were of no\navail they offered no further opposition; aud the Acting Indian Agent, having remained long\nenough to see the work well under way, returned to Fort Steele; that the Acting Indian Agent\nhad no authority to compensate the Indians in any way.\nThe Indian Chief afterwards expressed sorrow for the way in which he had behaved. The\nIndian Agent states that the Local Gouernment had officers on the spot by whom the Indians\nshould have been prosecuted for any breach of the law, if such was committed by them; and\nthat, instead of the Indian being paid the $7.50 for the potatoes destroyed by the Alberta\nCompany's machine, after he had used threatening language, he should have been arrested\nprevious to being paid that or any sum. The Agent states that when, in November last, he\nvisited the locality, the Company s steam dredger was within a few hundred feet of the Chief's\ngarden where the Indians were all camped, and that he, the Indian Agent, promised them that\nthey would receive right treatment; and notwithstanding that he had, some two years previously, informed the Indians that he could not protect their gardens off the reserve, he, the\nIndian Agent, paid the Chief and three others for the portions of their gardens required by the\nAlberta Company. The Agent states that the Indians do not understand deferred payments,\nor the promises of payment hereafter made to them by the Local Government Agent. The\nAgent further reports that he left everything clear for the work of the Alberta Company to\nproceed without further annoyance from the Indians, until the dredger gets to the neck of land\nwhere the Indians' grave-yard is, but that this will not be until late in the summer; and that he\ninformed the foreman of the works that he could not allow the graves to be turned up by the\nsteam digger, as it would be impossible to prevent the Indians from retaliating in some way if\nthis were done. The Indians alleged that they were informed by the Local Government Agent\nthat they could stop where their gardens were, and that every effort to get them on to the\nreserve was constantly met by this allegation. The Indian Agent considers that if this statement was made to them by the Local Goverment Agent, the difficulty in inducing them to leave\nthe gardens will be very much increased. Up to the time of writing the Indian Agent had\nnot been able to obtain a satisfactory reply from the Local Government Agent as to what he\ntold the Indians, and he states he informed him that any other arrangements with the Indians\nshould be made through him as Indian Agent, or that much confusion would ensue. He also\nstates that an American subject, who resides on the United States side of the line, is an\ninveterate mischief-maker amongst the Indians.\nThe Minister further states that the Indian Superintendent, in forwarding the Agent's\nreport, states that, from his own knowledge of the circumstances, he considers that the Agent's\nreport is a very accurate one; and that, as to the question of appointing a special agent for the\nLower Kootenay Indians, he cannot see any justifiable ground for any such additional expense,\nas no trouble need be apprehended from these Indians if they are treated with ordinary consideration by those who come in contact with them. The Indian Superintendent states that\nthe whole cost of compensating the Indians for the gardens destroyed by the Alberta Company, amounted to only $53.00, and the Superintendent considers that, when such trifling considerations were at stake, the trouble complained of need not have occurred.\nThe Minister concurs in the opinion of Superintendent Vowell in this matter, that there\nis no real necessity for increasing the staff in the employment of the Department of Indian\nAffairs at Kootenay, as the Agent for that locality is considered to be a most efficient man and\none who is quite capable of managing successfully, as he has hitherto done, the Indian Agency\nfor that District.\nThe Minister further observes that it appears to him also, that very much has been made\nof very little in this matter; and that had proper precautions been taken by the officers and\nemployes of the Alberta Company, before digging up the gardens of the Indians, all friction\nwith the Indians would have been avoided.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs,\nadvise that a certified copy of this Minute, if approved, be communicated to the Honourable\nthe Premier of British Columbia.\n(Signed) John J. McGee,\nClerk of the Privy Council.\nL\nCertified copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by\nHis Excellency the Governor-General in Council on the 9th May, 1893.\nThe Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a communication (an\nextract of which is hereto attached), dated 18th November, 1892, from the Premier of the\nProvince of British Columbia to Sir John Thompson, K. C. M. G., Minister of Justice, with\nregard to Indian Schools in that Province.\nThe Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, to whom the communication was referred,\nsubmits a statement, hereto attached, prepared by the Department of Indian Affairs, setting-\nout fully in detail the expenditure made for Schools in British Columbia, up to date, and the\nproposed expenditure during the proximate year 1893-94, which shows a grand total, since the\nyear 1875-76, of expenditure and proposed expenditure on account of Indian Schools of\n$222,161.46.\nThe Committee, on the recommendation, of the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs,\nadvise that a certified copy of this Minute, if approved, be forwarded to the Premier of British\nColumbia. (Signed) John J. McGee,\nClerk of the Privy Council.\nSTATEMENT\nShewing the expenditure on Indian Schools in the Province of British Columbia from the 1st\nof July, 1875, to the 30th June, 1892, together with the appropriations for Indian Schools\nin the Province of British Columbia for the fiscal years ending 30th June, 1893, and 30th\nJune, 1894: \u00E2\u0080\u0094\n1875-76.\nNanaimo $250 00\nPort Simpson 300 00\nSt. Mary's 350 00\nSongees 250 00\n $1,150 00\n1876-77.\nLytton $225 75\nMetlakahtla 375 00\nNanaimo 62 50\nPort Simpson 225 00\nSt. Mary's 350 00\n $1,238 25\n1877-78.\nKathahtammacks $150 00\nMassett 75 00\nMetlakahtla 550 00\nNaas River 225 00\nPort Simpson 300 00\nSt. Mary's 350 00\n $1,650 00 1024 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\n1878-79.\nKincolith $150 00\nMassett 195 50\nMetlakahtla 325 00\nNaas River 225 00\nPort Simpson 300 00\nSongees 132 00\n $1,327 50\n1879-80.\nKincolith $258 00\nMassett 135 00\nMetlakahtla 625 00\nNaas River 300 00\nPort Simpson , 300 00\nSonghees 159 00\n $1,777 00\n1880-81.\nFort Rupert $130 50\nHazleton 138 00\nKincolith 169 50\nMassett 117 00\nMetlakahtla 500 00\nNaas River 300 00\nPort Simpson 788 00\nSt. Mary's 262 50\n $2,405 50\n1881-82.\nFort Rupert $ 39 00\nHazleton 33 00\nKincolith 52 50\nMetlakahtla 125 00\nNaas River 120 50\nPort Simpson 193 50\nSt. Mary's 262 50\n $ 826 00\n1882-83.\nAlert Bay $141 21\nHesquiaht 169 83\nPort Simpson 300 00\nMetlakahtla 500 00\nNaas River 339 27\nSt. Mary's 350 00\n $1,800 31\n1883-84.\nAlert Bay $249 67\nBella Bella 204 99\nKitamart 127 80\nKitwamgach 77 88\nLakalsap 77 13\nNaas River 124 88\nPort Simpson 51 37\nSt. Mary's 350 00\n $1,263 72 12,798 21\nL\n57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1025\n1884-85.\nAlert Bay \u00E2\u0080\u00A2. . . . $ 23 64\nBella Bella 313 51\nCunchew 79 53\nEtyteyart 81 51\nHesquiaht 174 81\nKitlatamux 43 50\nKyuquot 600 00\nKincolith 204 06\nMassett 300 00\nMitchelety 88 14\nNaas River 35 79\nSt. Mary's 425 00\nPort Simpson 428 72\n1885-86.\nAlert Bay $ 85 14\nBella Bella 133 32\nHesquiaht 170 76\nKincolith 387 32\nKyuquot , 212 67\nMassett 300 00\nNanaimo 295 59\nNaas River 251 46\nPort Essington 150 00\nPort Simpson 298 70\nSt. Mary's 500 00\n1886-87.\nAlert Bay $107 53\nBella Bella 110 10\nComiakin 201 24\nCowichan , 216 84\nClayoquot 168 75\nHesquiaht 336 18\nKincolith 323 37\nKyuquot 576 84\nMassett 236 07\nNanaimo 126 15\nNaas River 126 00\nPort Essington 75 00\nPort Simpson 375 00\nSt. Mary's 625 00\n1887-88.\nAlert Bay . $ 46 14\nBella Bella 101 07\nComiakin 154 23\nClayoquot 55 35\nMassett 534 87\nKincolith 144 42\nKyuquot 32 22\nNaas River 163 08\nNanaimo 96 87\nPort Essington 132 48\nPort Simpson 400 00\nSt. Mary's 500 00\n$2,784 96\n$3,604 07\n$2,360 73 1026 Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1894\n1888-89.\nAhouset $ 42 48\nAlert Bav 71 22\nClayoquot 96 00\nComiakin 154 26\nHesquiaht 57 00\nKincolith 159 33\nKyuquot 86 40\nMassett 300 00\nNanaimo ' 126 12\nNamukawis 78 21\nNaas River 168 30\nPort Essington 136 98\nPort Simpson 381 88\nSt. Mary's 625 00\nYale 999 00\nIndustrial Schools.\nKamloops 65 66\nKuper Island 3,055 59\nMetlakahtla 6,121 00\n $12,724 43\n1889-90.\nAlert Bay $ 50 10\nBella Bella 57 24\nComiakin 89 58\nCoqualeetza 650 00\nHazelton 62 70\nKincolith 78 66\nKyuquot 76 08\nMassett 293 31\nNanaimo 35 25\nNaas River 55 83\nPort Essington 84 96\nPort Simpson 478 25\nSt. Mary's 500 00\nYale... 2,028 10\nIndustrial Schools.\nKamloops 12,683 99\nKootenay 8<503 54\nKuper Island 8,631 17\nMetlakahtla 5,224 51\n $39,583 27\n1890-1891.\nAlert Bay $ 55 63\nBella Bella 112 71\nClayoquot - 73 92\nCoqualeetza 2>300 00\nHazelton 23 28\nKincolith 22* 19\nMassett J> 69\nNanaimo t^tt\nNaas River 54 78\nPort Essington 159 81\nPort Simpson 225 00\nSongees 235 25\nSt. Mary's i \u00C2\u00B000 00\nYale L151 55 57 Vict. Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892. 1027\nIndustrial Schools.\nMetlakahtla ' $5,711 61\nKamloops 5,302 46\nKootenay 6,999 93\nKuper Island 5,237 52\n $28,443 27\n1891-92.\nAlert Bay $ 74 85\nBella Bella 99 60\nCoqualeetza 975 00\nGwayasdums 75 00\nHazelton 37 35\nKincolith 97 02\nKitlope 55 38\nLacland 74 49\nMassett 133 05\nNanaimo 287 00\nPort Essington 150 00\nPort Simpson 300 00\nSt. Augustine 90 27\nSt. Mary's 750 00\nSongees 300 00\nYale 891 45\nIndustrial Schools.\nAlert Bay 2,835 12\nKamloops 3,399 19\nKootenay 4,928 86\nKuper Island 6,727 53\nMetlakahtla 7,689 43\nWilliams Lake 923 65\n(\u00C2\u00A330,894 24\nAppropriation, 1892-93.\nAlert Bay $300 00\nAhouset 300 00\nBella Bella 300 00\nClayoquot 300 00\nCowichan 300 00\nFort Rupert 300 00\nGitlakdamicks 500 00\nHazelton 300 00\nHesquiaht 300 00\nKitkahtla 300 00\nKitwanquht 300 00\nKitlope 300 00\nKincolith , 300 00\nKyuquot 300 00\nLakalsap 300 00\nMassett 300 00\nNamukamis 300 00\nNanaimo 300 00\nOiath 300 00\nSt. Augustine 300 00\nPort Simpson 400 00\nPort Essington 300 00\nSt. Mary's 1,000 00\nSonghees 300 00\nZawadamiek 300 00 1028\nHon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892.\n1894\nIndustrial Schools.\nAll Hallows $1,500 00\nAlert Bay 2,700 00\nCoqualeetza 3,800 00\nKamloops 3,250 00\nKootenay 6,500 00\nKuper Island 3,900 00\nMetlakahtla 7,490 00\nPort Simpson (Girls) 600 00\nWilliams Lake 3,250 00\n $41,490 00\nAppropriation, 1893-94.\nAlberni $300 00\nAlert Bay 300 00\nAhouset 300 00\nBella Bella 300 00\nClayoquet 300 00\nCowichan 300 00\nPort Rupert 300 00\nHazelton 300 00\nHesquiaht 300 00\nKitkahtla 300 00\nKitwanquht 300 00\nKitlope 300 00\nKincolith 300 00\nKyuoquot 300 00\nLakalsap 300 00\nMassett 300 00\nNanukamis , 300 00\nNanaimo 300 00\nOiath 300 00\nSt. Augustine 300 00\nPort Simpson 400 00\nPort Essington 300 00\nSt. Mary's 2,400 00\nSongeas 300 00\nZawadamick 300 00\nIndustrial Schools.\nAll Hallows $1,500 00\nAlert Bay 6,550 00\nCoqualeetza 1,300 00\nKamlooos 3,250 00\nKootenay 6,500 00\nKuper Island 3,900 00\nMetlakahtla 7,490 00\nPort Simpson (Girls) 600 00\nWilliams Lake 3,250 00\n $44,040 00\nTotal $222,161 46\n(Signed) L. Vankoughnet,\nDeputy Supt.-General of Lndian Affairs,\nDepartment of Lndian Affairs,\nApril 13th, 1893.\nVICTORIA, B.C.:\nPrinted l)y Richard Wqi.fbndbx, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty,"@en . "Legislative proceedings"@en . "J110.L5 S7"@en . "1894_V01_43_1013_1028"@en . "10.14288/1.0063433"@en . "English"@en . "Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library"@en . "Victoria, BC : Government Printer"@en . "Images provided for research and reference use only. For permission to publish, copy or otherwise distribute these images please contact the Legislative Library of British Columbia"@en . "Original Format: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia"@en . "PAPERS Relating to the Hon. Mr. Davie's Visit to Ottawa, 1892."@en . "Text"@en . ""@en .