What were some bad things about colonial Virginia's government?

From its inception in 1607, supreme authority over the Virginia Colony rested with the King of England. In practice, however, the colony's distance from Britain, its motherland, made it impossible for a monarch to have a constant eye on its affairs - not an ideal situation. As such, the Virginia Colony practiced a limited form of self-government but with some disadvantages. 

First of all, there were so many governing bodies in Virginia that it created...

From its inception in 1607, supreme authority over the Virginia Colony rested with the King of England. In practice, however, the colony's distance from Britain, its motherland, made it impossible for a monarch to have a constant eye on its affairs - not an ideal situation. As such, the Virginia Colony practiced a limited form of self-government but with some disadvantages. 

First of all, there were so many governing bodies in Virginia that it created a sense of competition and rivalry. There was the colonial governor, for example, appointed by the king, who theoretically held supreme authority in Virginia. But, from 1619, there was also the House of Burgesses, a group modelled on the British House of Commons. 15 of its 22 members were elected officials but only white males who owned a certain amount of property could run for office. This body only met once a year, to make laws for the colony, but its laws could be vetoed by the governor or by any of the five members of his council. 

The only control that the House of Burgesses had over the governor was the power to determine his wages. This was a strong incentive for the governor to respect the wishes of the Burgesses but, in practice, created a potential for corruption.