Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-06-12
v.NoouvER,s ~IsLAtypAND BRIT.
NA IaH QQLUMAIA.

ISL ooLyMAIA
A correspondence the London Time,
has an article opJfhe misgovernment both
of Vancouver 1sland and British Colum.
bia, which shows how little English ideas
are suited to the shores Of this continent.
Had it been written by q citizen Of the
United States, it would have been set
down to envy or jealousy, but the British
writer. returning to Victoria, after a six
teen months absence in San Francisco,
finds the change SO great he can hardly
believe it, and the more so from the con-
trast in which it stands to all he has seen
while away. There" he says, "every
interest was progressing, the country
i~ourishing and the commercial capital,
San Francisco, growing fast in wealth and
Importance" But in Victoria he finds
the population reduced, q large proportion
Of the buildings Of every kind u~noccupied.
the rents of such as are occupied in arrears,
and real estate sunk to a nominal value
and unsaleable. One Of the largest houses
was closing its business, bankruptcy COM
mon. and ~skedaddling still more co; moth
ing aourishing but taxation, Government
expenditure and forced sales under the
sheriff for delinquent taxes. We all
know how a few years ago British Column
bia suddenly rose into notice from the
discovery Of gold mines which might be
most valuable. Population focked there
from the United States. Roads were on
structed, towns built, and capital invested
on a very large scale. Trade seemed so
fourishing that, instead Of n Governor,
they determined in England to send out
Two, and two complete suits Of Govern
ment officials. AL this came with the
turn of the times. the income fell short OF
the estimates, and heavy taxation had to
be resorted to. Two kinds Of money, two
capitals, two judiciaries, two Colonial
Secretaries, etc., prove too much for Colo
mics neither Of which is more populous
than an English parish. A residence,
too, was required for the Governor,
costing some $4,000, just at the moment
Of reaction. Formerly there had been at
leas, perfect unity Of action between the
two colonies, because they both had but
one Governor; but now, divided counsel,
or the fear Of il, have made concert Of &C.
ton impossible. Add to this that the
taxation. which is so heavy and so strictly
enforced, as well as the rigidity Of the
winters, have induced the miners to 90
back to the United States in the fall. and
every year fewer and fewer return. 1tis
apprehended that there will be two thou
sand miners less this season than there
were last. The colony cannot pay its way
cannot subsist its officers. Such is the
condition Of these colonies, as confessed in
the London Times.
Yet Victoria might and ought to be q
Aourishing place. 1t is well situated for
the Pacific and China trade, with tele-
graphic communications now with the
United States. Nothing but bad govern
ment prevents it from emulating our Pa
cifc settlements. The inhabitants know
and feel this painfully. A Governor is
sent out whose one great duty is to main
tain the British connection. He is pleas
ant, amiable, affable, but with no expert
ence Of the peculiar wants Of the colony ;
nor. indeed. have the officials who are
also sent out from England and fed by
taxes on the people. They give their
tones, it is thought, to society, ard teach
habits Of expenditure which are extrava-
CANT. The result is patent to all. While
California is fourishing, the British pos
sessions are fast, very fast going down,
and the power Of social relations being
used so as to destroy instead Of fostering
colonial growth. LyinsIside by side with
our own settlements, the results are more
apparent. On our side Of the line people
do not want to be seeking patronage, but
are steady in working for wealth where it
is to be found. Office seeking never made
a colony flourish, and never will. In fact,
1t would seem that some day this will be
so felt that British Columbia must and
will drop like ripe fruit into the lap Of
the United States.