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- 22 VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED.
their raw products for distribution in an opposite direction. It is here also of interest to note that importers from the Orient, on
account of the existing conditions as above, find Victoria the most feasible headquarters at which to contract for importations to British
Columbia and to the United States, the latter trade for them being even the larger of the two.
OTHER RESOURCES.
Foreign trade and manufacturing, however, can be no index of the large amount of business transacted between Victoria's wholesalers and
the interior towns of the Island and Mainland, all of which draw their supplies from the Capital. The mining districts must import their
provisions and machinery ; the salmon canneries of the Fraser and the Northern Rivers must be kept in tin and other materials of the
industry ; the sealing fleet must be fitted out annually and vessels built here and to meet these demands requires liberal use of capital
which is returned, with interest, in the products of the mines and the canneries, and the catch of the sealing schooners brought home in
the Fall. Victoria is the headquarters of the salmon industry, and from here the output of the Province is shipped annually to the markets
of the old world, a fleet of sailing vessels being utilized in this trade alone.
Victoria merchants are largely interested in the development of the gold and silver mines of the interior, the coal and quicksilver
claims on the Island and the important timber resources in all sections of the Province, contiguous to water. The operations in each
direction indicated naturally tend to advance Victoria. The fifty schooners comprising the sealing fleet being owned, and annually fitted
out here, also play an important part in the business of the city. Farming in the district surrounding Victoria is advancing steadily, and
in all branches of agriculture, including hop raising, fruit growing, sheep culture and dairying, a large and unsatisfied market invites
the attention of practical men. The demand is still far in excess of the supply. Deep sea fisheries may also be counted among the industries
which offer rich inducements to capital and labor here. These matters are more particularly referred to in the chapter following, relating
to the country tributary to Victoria.
POST OFFICE.
A pretty clear index of a city's growth in commercial importance may generally be gathered from its post office returns ; we give therefore the gross yearly income of the Victoria post office from 188o to 1890 :
Year. Amount
1880 $ 8,961 33
1881 9,528 10
1882 10,905 44
1883 13,250 03
1884 16,790 11
1885 20,727 66
Year Amount
1886 22,352 56
1887 23,756 94
1888 25,319 36
1889 28,049 59
1890 30,999 98
LAW COURTS.
The Law Courts are also situated at Victoria, and are conducted in a similar manner to those of England. They consist of Police, County
and Assize Courts, held also at stated intervals in other cities; Superior Courts and a Court of Appeal in Chancery. Sir Matthew Baillie
Begbie, who is Chief Justice, is assisted by three Superior Court Judges.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The Mayor of Victoria is Mr. John Grant, M. P. P., while Wellington C. Dowler is Clerk of the Municipal Council. The city is at present
divided into three wards, each being represented by three Aldermen. The city will next year be divided into five wards, to be represented
by ten aldermen. Yates Street Ward is represented by Messrs. C. E. Renouf, F. G. Richards, jr., and W. D. McKillican ; Johnson Street Ward
is represented by Messrs. Joshua Holland, John Coughlan and John Robertson ; and James Bay Ward is represented by Messrs. Joseph Hunter,
H. A. Munn and A. G. Smith. In addition, other offices of the City Government are represented as follows : Chas. Kent, Treasurer ;
G. L. Milne, M. D., Health Officer ; Peter Summerfield, Water Commissioner ; W. W. Northcott, Superintendent of Public Works and City
Assessor; P. J. Leech, City Engineer; J. P. Lynn, Street Commissioner ; E. Mohun, C. E., Sanitary Engineer ; B. Bailey, Sanitary Officer ;
and others. The rate of taxation is very light, being about one per cent on the assessed valuation. The city's indebtedness is very small,
the assets in waterworks, municipal buildings and real estate alone being more than double the amount.
CENTRAL AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
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