The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-15 00:00:00

MORNING ED ITION.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

e• 5...,. 1 Committee appointed to consider
t A`'•; t tiv of S uth Au.tralia,
and tilt actual S...te of tuat Colony ; and who were
empowered to report their opinion thereupon from
time to time to the House ; have considered some of
the matters referred to them, and hate agreed to the
following Resolutions
That en the 7th July 1840, the Colonization
Commissioners for South Australia brought un.!er the
notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonial De-
partment, the embarrassed state of the finances of the
colony.
`2. That on the 13th of July, Lord John Russell re-
commended to the Lords Commissioners of her Ma-
jesty's Treasury, that the Colonization Commissioners
should be authorised to raise a loan to the amount of
120,000/. on the security of the revenues and public
lands of the colony ; that the Lords of the Treasury
assented to this recommendation on the 18th ; and
that their Lordships' a'sent was communicated to the
Cornmissioi ers on the 20th of the same month.
3. That on the 26th of August, the Commissioners
reported- that no tenders bad been received for the ad-
vance of the loan required, and that in the mean time
advises from the colony stated, that while the revenue
did not much exceed the rate of 25,000/. par annum,
the current expenditure bad risen to a.rate approaching
140,000/. per annum, which they understood would
continue until instructions which they had sent out
could reach the Governor. The Commissioners, there-
fore, requested the immediate direction of her Ma-
Jest Y's Government as t ) the course which they ought
to pursue.
4. That the Lords of the Treasury, after full inves-
tigation of the circumstances of the colony, passed a
mieute, dated 3d November 1840, of which the follow-
ing ill an extract
:
Under these eircumstances, my Lords entirely concur
rn opinion with Lord John Russell, as to the necessity
for bringing under the consideration of Parliament, at
the earliest opportunity, the whole of the proceedings
Which have led to the embarrassments in question, in
order to a full revision of the system upon which,
under the provisions of the Acts relating to South Aus-
tralia, the government and financial arrangements of the
settlement have hitherto been conducted ; and my
Lords are also of opinion that, antil Parliamentary in-
-9°l'Y can be instituted, the contracting of any new en-
eugernents by the Commissionere, either for the trans-
mission of emigrants or otherwise, should be suspended.
strop 1 the meantime, however, my Lords cannot but be
ihgly impressed with the danger and distress to which
e already large population of South Australia, consist-
ne of Persons who have legitimately proceeded to, and
beep
their property in, the colony, or who have
of conveyed and located there under the sanction
°L Parliament, and who are still almost entirely de-
Pdrldent on supplies from other quarters for the or-
11itary articles of subsistence, might be exposed by
the total subversion of the credit of the local govern-
rneot and institutions, which would probably re-
dt from the positive and unqualified refusal and
honour of the Governor's bills by the Commissioners ;
and
f MY Lords cannot but likewise feel, that great injus-
Ce'l would attend the non-fulfilment on the part of the
eturnissioners of the contracts eeterel into with par-
, who, on the faith of the Parliamentary enactments
itiating to the settlement, have furnished shipping or
Ores
h„. for emigrants already conveyed or now on the
'''''sage to the colony.
To arrest these evils, my Lords conceite that they
siouldhe warranted in consenting that such guarantee
ratlald be given on *the part of her Majesty's Govern-
es would enable the Colonization Commissioners
sioners°rill to obtain the further loan, in completion of the sum
s 200,000/., they are empowered under the Act 4 and
c. 95, to borrow on colonial revenue securi-
Jle-' Pruicll was sanctioned by my Lords' minute of 17th
,
be and whereby the Commissioners would apparently
lead bled to replace to the credit of the emigration
tee liabilities of that fund, on account of emigrants a 151,11.4
$1,11.4 forwarded, and also to provide for the payment of
se-„eu, bills drawn from the colony as are likely to be pe-
t 'rd before the arrangements regarding the colony
he brought under the consideration of Parliament.
4titt.tl order to do this, my Lords would be prepared to
th "rise the Commissioners to give an assurance to
int Parties who may be disposed to contract for this
reap' that her Majesty's Government will undertake to
e' l°tilmend to Parliament that, notwithstanding any
Iv men erten e t that may be made in regard to the
Rot g
thoer ement of the settlement of South Australia, or to
Past or future proceedings of the Commissioners,
kiw •
te 'lion shall be made for the due fulfilment of the
wh.tract of the lenders, and of any stipulations under
Loich the money may be advanced. At the same time,
epweve, it further appears to my Lords, that this
at:trlntee should only be given on the express under.
rail and condition that the money thus to be
pityleft shall not be expended
itexce.pt by specific autho-
tint, my Lords' Board ;being my Lords' inten-
d that it shall only be made applicable to the liqui-
\ • e eftti°l3 of the liabilities already incurred by the South
Trittaitralian Commission in this country, or to meet such
1.4 as may be Jrawn from the colony, before the
Prohibition from further drawing could reach the Go-
:rular ; and as the payments on account of the emi-
V,ation fund, for which my Lords thus propose to pro-
atoe, will apparently be fully equivalent to the utmost
unt to which, at the expiration of the past
;fear, the advances from the emigration to the
-„"enue fund should legally have been left
i'll'iquidated, and the transmission of emigrants is
dlr, 00 respect compulsory as to time, my Lords
li not deem it necessary or expedient that any
fsnetion should be given for the adoption of measures
Ise eelleeting or embarking fresh emigrants previously
be the meeting of Parliament, or that recourse should
:11,1 to the power vested in the Cominissioners by
dit. Act of Ist and 2d Viet., c. 60, of raising any ad-
-„,,14141 sums to be applied to that purpose.
ICNIY Lords, likewise conceive that the guarantee
teetild he given with the further express understanding
eh. ` the officer, now under despatch to assume the
joi:10 of the Colonial Government, will be strictly en-
tee-et to 611 the expenditure of the Government to
44t4' smount of the revenue collected in the colony,
4441 he shall receive further authority and instructions,
theto
carry on such surveys only as are requisite for
land,°ecttion of parties who have effected purchases of
eton'o taking care that they are conducted on the most
Pr errangement that may be consistent with
eer
saccuracy.
addt
sn_T at on the sth of November Lord John Russell
.eone ssed the following letter to the Colonization Corn-
rs

GR?,„, Downing-street, Nov. 5, 1840.
11 1 LEMEN--I have the honour to transmit to you
tter f
sate,ll r 0 m the Secretary of the Treasury to Mr.
latir and a minute of the Board of Treasury re-
p °a to the
•-•uttrill pecuniary difficulties of the Colony of South
the la'
View which they tike of this subject.
torn 14ve consequently to direct you to propose terms
Tan of 120,0001., giv:ng an assurance to the par-
}leer maybe d sposed to contr4et for this loan, that
to p'''JestY's Government will undertake to recommend
Oleo; merit, that notwithstanding any new arrange-
the 23 that rosy be made in regard to the go% ernment of
ttlre-ettlement of South Australia, or to the pa!: or fu-
be Proceedings of the Commissioners, provision shall
letindlade for the due fulfilment of the contract with the
itlBe;dn,datcf
leadn.y stipulafons under which the money
Avea rs
• u
ty4 r,Wlthou• this
guarantee on the part of her M ajes
eo"overnment, it would be impracticable for the
rs to comply with the terms of the Act of
ease "~lent re'ating, to South Australia, and that the
ll'ap I:
"a of emergency, affecting the welfare, the
ni-ee,,-,tY, and perhap
s the lives of the inhabitants of
tact `°°Y'
consider myself further authorised to di-
the ,Y" not to expend the money thus raised without
to ,-Peeific authority of the Lords of the Treasury, and
I'll7ll/PIY in all respects with the terms and conditions
tt e~their Lordships have laid down in their minutae.
I~ve only further to reouest, that you will lose no
Yon
s.'l have acting upon the authority thus conveyed to
, Ste.

6, ,r, (Signed) J. RUSSELL.
ereta That nctwithatanding the guarantee. of the Se-
to!, rY, of State's letter, and of the Minute of Tsrea-
reiVne Commissioners were unable to raisa. the
beenum
14,14,V ; and that the Bank of England having
meat:',_ t° for advances, under the same guarantee, to
4t o; ‘.`e tAigencies of he colony until_ reference should
twoe4",r, t° Parliament, declined, after conference
.ber..-
401. trtlq°l,Ch encoder of the Exchequer and the Gene
totrikho"ePuty Governor, to grant the required ac-
7. 4ation.
ol,„."iat at the present moment the sales by the
441 e 1.124t1°° Commissioners of land in the colonyaroe.
Aitutls"(l ; emigration has cowed since the monthf
Drotest‘ ; the bills drawn by the Governor have been._
(hie 4 ae(1; the estimated mount of such bells already
114111:1 in Pr°g'ess is 97,000/. ; the amount due to
44'1 shin "gland for services performed is 56,000/. ;
IN
it," (611 from the revenue to the emigration
210.00'051.6'°30/, making a total deSciency of about
~
beet, h.urtt the bulk of the rotelted bills ape it to have
it) th "Itlierto retained by Pthe holders in this country,
some eqeetation of the adoption by Parliament of
tlttt orlle4sttres for providing for their payment ;_ but
tertyi j:e is reason to apprehend that protraetedt,!
(-1
litriougi and dela:, respecting such measures sill ,n 9. ,Y to .m
li I' at -t,gravAte the enisting diakultieF.
her
-'"ies vt': Government
Colunit tee has been informed that.
erapotti:- uov,:rnment contemplate the necessity o
pretentl to Parliament measures for the relief of the
f
10. TLflancial embarrassments of the co.lony.
that
olleptilFieent:ltYilitllffhtihe: withhold its
r,vpel:lcaittioonatoooPotarliament rests
Ytuislui:echcCuaotnniitqe conceives the
4"4014 11124 t Provision ought to be n.a le to meet the
rite°at:(l, une°rnr ttnhi
itesiderient-agementsiceuri;d under the authority. of the
:tcetri NaVnidlliatmhelVC.°,lnen.' 95, and to
Commissioners op-
° t4e soma • •d . and that
Ins due to the en:warA:on fun ,
0 r•
/7./‘