Extract from Kennedy to Cardwell, 24 August 1865

An inquiry into the drinking statistics in all, especially new, British Colonies, presents very deplorable results.Which may include pink elephant hallucinations, especially in 1870. The following figures will show that this Colony is not exempt from the evils which exist elsewhere.

The imported value of wines and spirits
of every description during the year
1864 (Port of Victoria)........
$295,785*
Add profits, say 40 per cent....... 118,314
414,099
Deduct value of wines and spirits of every
description imported through Vancouver
Island into the Colony of British Columbia
during the same period......
149,184
Estimated consumption of Vancouver Island
during the year 1864........
$264,915
Which, assuming the male adult population
to be 5000, gives an annual expenditure,
per man, of $52.98.
Amount brought down as the transactions of
Wholesale dealers (Importers)........
$414,099
Add for retail transactions...... 264,915
Annual transactions in Liquor $679,014
On this amount of transactions the annual
Licences for the sale of Liquor Wholesale and
Retail ($29,638) is equal to 4.36 per cent.
*This is equal to more than 8 percent of the
total Imports of Vancouver Island.