The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-05 00:00:00

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose and said, in rising to
move for a select Committee on Acts relating to South
Australia, he fait some difficulty as to how far be could
make a statement to the House upon the subject; and
though he had an opinion upon the subject, it was his wish
that a Committee should be appointed to investigate
the whole of the matter. But it was quite unnecessary
to show that they could not proceed with the colony of
Sonth Australia in its present state, and that it was neces-
sary either to bring forward some measure in the House,
or to appoint a Committee on the subject. As the colony,
however, was founded by Act of Parliament, as it was
founded in consequence of dissussions which had taken
place in that House, he though it would be the better way
ou subjects relating to its Government, to ask for a Com-
mittee of the House, who should have the power to inves-
tigate the whole question. The colony was founded
in a peculiar manner, and on peculiar principles.
It was founded on principles which he must say be
considered a little objectionable. The principle was
to govern the colony by certain Commissioners, hav-
ing, indeed, some conncltion with it, but a connection so
remote as to induce all persons who held office in the
colony, and generally the inhabitants of the colony, not to
place any confidence In hem. The first Governor, Mr.
liindmarsh, especially, found himself unable to maintain
peace in the colony. The second, Colonel Gawler, in a
despatch which he wrote shortly after his arrival, described
the colony as in a most wretched state of disorganization.
Persons who held offices seemed to think that they were
not bound to keep their offices in order,, or to pay
obedience to any one ; and with regard to the finances, it
was found, in 1829, impossible to pay any one, and though,
in 1839, things bad been placed under more stringent
regulations, it still remained under the old system, which
was calculated to produce distress and famine, and the ex-
penditure of the colony was not placed on any means pos-
sessed by the colony, or upon any
.votes of Parliament,
or on any national sources accruing in the colony, but on
certain speculations of future profits to be derived from
the sale of land. In one quarter of the year 1839, the
expenditure was 34,0001. making the average expenditure
of the whole year 140,0001. Now the real bona fide re-
venue of Oa colony, derived from duties, was about
20,0001. Therefore for a revenue of 20,0001. there was
an expenditure of 140,0001. There had been

siderabile sales of land, but according to the pro-
visions of the Act of Parliament upon the subject,
though money might be brought into the land fund,
yet it was necessary to pay from this sums at certain times,
and devote them to emigration in the course of the year.
The Commissioners who were appointed in this country
were a numerous body, and only one of them, Colonel
Torrens, received a salary for his services. Soon after
be (Lord J. Russell) took the seals of the Colonial-office,
he had appointed persons to regulate the sales of land in
Australia, but after a certain time he found that the
colony was evidently in a state of bankruptcy, and without
the means of paying a large bill which had been drawn upon
the Commissioner by the Governor of South Australia ; they
then represented the matter to the Colonial Office, and
the considerable obligations they were under, as well on
account of this bill as for ships for the purpose of emigra-
tion. Thu Chancellor of the Exchequer, to whom he
applied on the subject, immediately saw the Colony might
be driven to great distress by the sudden stoppage of these
bills, and declared himself ready to to propose to Parlia-
ment, in conjunction with him (Lord J. Russell), to raise a
great sum of money by way of loan. However,
when the markets were applied to, they, considering
the state of the colony, declined to advance money
for this purpose, and a considerable doubt was entertained
as to the manner in which it was to be applied. He bad
previously stated that it was his intention to bring the
question _ under the consideration of Parliament. He

owned his impression certainly was that it was not ne-
eessary to alter those Acts of Parliament. He would not
now say whether the general principle on which they were
based was sound or not ; but he thought it must be ad-
mitted that many provisions of these Acts a ere so incon-
venient, so fettered the colony on the one hand, and en-
couraged expense on the other, that it would ho impossi-
ble the colony could continue longer without some change.
He, therefore, moved for a Select Committee on Acts re-
lating to South Australia.
Lord MAHON had received communications from per-
sons connected with the Australian colonies and well ac-

quainted with their circumstances and interests, who con-
sidered the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell) had acted
upon information exceedingly defective. At a meeting
held at Hobart Town on the 29th of April, 1840, resolu-
tions were unanimously passed deprecating the changes
that bad been made in the system of convict labour by the
Orders in Council, and expressing apprehensions that the
most disastrous consequences would ensue from the aboli-
tion of the system of assignment. A petition from that
meeting was laid before the Governor, Sir John Franklyn,
founded on the resolutions, to which be replied that he
could not depart from the Orders, although he did not think
they were well advised, and he did not believe that there
was anything in the previous system in consequence of
which a respectable family of emigrants would be exposed
to any contamination. The Noble Lori opposite did not
seem to have been perfectly satisfied with his own measures.
Indeed he (Lord Mahon) thought the question was one
of greater doubt and difficulty than many persons in this
country were aware of. He would be happy himself to
give every assistance in his power towards the passing of a
measure for the satisfactory regulation of these colonies.
Lord STANLEY wished to put a question to which be
hoped the Noble Lord (John Russell) would be able to
give a satisfactory answer. He thought that cases were
very rare in which the Colonial Secretary should delegate
to a Committee of that House the duties of his own office.
He would not say that such cases did not sometimes arise;
but ho hoped that as all the information necessary to assist
the Committee in their judgment was already in the pos.
session of the Noble Lord, he would not throw the whole
subject before them for inquiry, but that he would lay be-
fore them the information which he possessed, and ask
their advice upon the views of the Government.
Lord J. RUSSELL agreed with the Noble Lord as to
the general principle that the government of the Colo-
nies should not be delegated to Select Committees.
But the Colony of Australia formed a case by itself. It
was not established by the Crown but by an Act of Par-
liament, which certainly the Government had supported,
and he thought a Committee might properly be appointed
to see what had been the effect of that Bill. But it was
his intention that either he himself or the Under Secre-
tary for the Colonial Department should lay before the
Committee the general views of the Government upon the
subject. He did not think that convict labour was alto-
gether objectionable, but certainly he considered the system
of assignment, as nearly as possible, a system of slavery.
Mr. HUME was satisfied that the Noble Lord could
relieve himself from a great deal of labour and greatly be-
nefit the Colonies, by allowing them to govern themselves,
and to elect the persons who should manage their affairs.
Motion agreed to.