DOCUMENTARY 229
conveyed into New Caledonia, and these aided by our people in erecting of their chapels and that the Rev. Mr. Balduc had obtained a passage in our steam boat." These circumstances arising probably from pressure of business have been omitted in your despatches and I mention them merely with the view of saying you cannot be too minute in recording and com- municating every passing event of importance. The case how- ever of Mr. Balduc and Mr. Demers,* I beg however to refer you to the 73 Resolution of council and to my letters of 21st Inst. which obviously prohibit any further indulgence of the kind without the express sanction of the Governor and Com- mittee, or the Governor and Council."
If it was intended that we should not be at liberty to grant passages to persons applying and paying for them, there was no use in fixing the rate of passage money, as no person going from this to Woahoo or coming from Waohoo to this place can wait till he gets leave from London to be allowed to em- bark on board of the Company's vessel, and our being obliged to refuse when people are ready and able to pay for their passage will only serve to excite ill feelings towards us which is contrary to every rule of business and as it is beyond doubt our duty to conciliate, especially when we can do so to our own advantage. As to the Rev. Mr. Demers going to New Caledonia and the short trip Mr. Balduc took with Mr. Douglas from Nisqually to Fort Victoria, and the arrival of the two Roman Catholic priests, I deemed [them] to be so very unim- portant that I did not consider them worth mentioning though I must observe I did not think the Company had any objection to the Rev. Mr. Demers going to New Caledonia, but he did not apply to return, but if he does, your instructions will be observed. At the same time I must state it will only excite ill-will towards us, as he can any day he pleases go there perfectly independent of us. As to the Rev. Mr. Balduc when I heard he had embarked with Mr. Douglas I was happy of it as I expected he would have proceeded to the Coast with Mr.
Evidently something omitted in quotation; and quotation marks are erratic.
