Panning for Gold

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Thompson River First Nations

SIR,--I have the honor to forward a letter which I have just received from Mr. Bedford relating to retail liquor licenses.

I should perhaps find much to say against issuing retail licenses for a less period than a year, under ordinary circumstances. But I conceive that it is of primary importance to accustom people to obey the laws: and for the present, therefore, to modify the laws if necessary so as to induce a ready obedience: since compulsory means are scarcely in all instances available, even if they were in any instance advisable.

It is also to be observed that in one district at least retail licenses have, as I am informed, been granted for so short a period as one month.

In favor of allowing retail licenses to be issued for three months, it might he observed that the duty $150 or £30 is 21/4 times as great as for a whole year in England.

The peculiar position of Langley might also deserve to be taken into consideration: I meanwith reference to the uncertainty as to its future prospects which has hitherto prevailed,(33) and wch may well deter a trader from fixing himself permanently there by the payment of so large a sum of £120. At the same time it might be dangerous or impolite to initiate a system there wch wod. not be extended to all the Colony.

Your obedient servant,
MATT. B. BEGBIE.

LANGLEY,
January 29th, 1859

DEAR BEGBIE,-A difficulty is found here in preventing people from selling liquors without a license, and to-day I have received an application from a man who is about to open a saloon in the New Town(34) to be allowed to pay a quarter-licence instead of the whole year's licence at once; he is ready to open his store in two days, but hesitates on account of the heavy license. I myself should suggest that an order be given to Mr. Bevis(35) to grant licenses by the quarter just now, subject to alteration when the working of it is seen. I feel confident then we could prevent unlicensed retailing of liquor and also a good deal of the smuggling which is going on, as it is carried on mostly by the unlicensed houses. If you will write me a note by the "Otter" I shall be much obliged, as I am spoken to by every man here on this subject.

Excuse this rough scrawl as I am writing on the "Governor Douglas."

C. J. N. BEDFORD.

NOTE.-Received and forwarded with memorandum to His Excellence the Governor, 31st January, 1859.-M. B. B.

Footnotes:
(33) The reference to probably to the question of the site of the capital. Colonel Moody, who had been specially ordered to make the selection, had in a letter dated January 28, 1859, disaproved of Old Langley and selected New Westminster. Doubtless his opinion was known unofficially; this appears from Lieutenant Mayne's remarks.
(34) Probably the reference is to Derby, about two miles below Fort Langley, where Governor Douglas proposed to build a "seport town."
(35) William Henry Bevis, who had been appointed Revenue Officer at Langley in June, 1858.
(30) This letter gives a complete view of the conditions prevailing in the mining region near Yale, with an authoritative account of the "late occurrences"; that is, the so-called "Ned McGowan War."
(37) Colonel Richard Clement Moody, who, besides being the commanding officer of the Royal Engineers and Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works of British Columbia, held also the dormant commission of Lieutenant-Governor. In a letter from Lytton to Douglas dated March 21, 1859 (see the Deadman's Island Case, before the Privy Council, p. 304), he pointed out that as this commission only took effect on the death or absence of the Governor, it was improper to speak of Colonel Moody as the Lieutenant-Governor.

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