The contract existing between the Government and the Pacific Mail S.S. Co. being about to expire, the PostmasterGeneral (Mr. Wright), on 26th April, moved the following resolutions in reference to its renewal:

"(1.) That, subject to the Imperial Government agreeing to continue to convey the mails to San Francisco as heretofore, the contract between the Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand with the Pacific Mail Company be extended for a period not exceeding two years from the expiry of the present contract in November next, at an annual subsidy not exceed ing £50,000, of which the portion falling upon this Colony shall not exceed £18,750, and subject to the following conditions, viz. :

"That it shall be optional for this Colony to withdraw from such extended contract at the end of twelve months, on giving three months previous notice, in the event of the Pacific Mail Company not having obtained from the United States Government, or from other sources, a contribution equal to one-third of the total annual subsidy for such extended contract, and in diminution of the subsidy.

"That the Service shall be performed with the acceleration upon the present contract time of at least twenty-four hours on each voyage to and from Sydney and San Francisco during the first year, and during the second year at least forty-eight hours, subject to the same terms, conditions, premiums, and penalties as heretofore; with this exception-that the Company be relieved from keeping a fourth steamer, but that such shall not absolve them from the penalties for any failure.

These resolutions having been agreed to in Committee, on division, by 41 to 3, were reported and passed without division. Similar resolutions were, on 30th April, passed by the Legislative Council.

On the 1st May, the following resolution was moved by Mr. McLaughlin :

That, in the opinion of this House, a free pass on the Government Railways should be issued to any child to travel to and from any School in the same manner as it is now issued to a child attending a Public School, and that such pass should not entitle the holder thereof to travel a greater distance than that between the residence of such child's parents or guardians and the nearest Public School."

This was negatived by a majority of 34 to 29,-—an amendment to include the words "and tramways" having been previously negatived by 34 to 28.

During the passing of the Estimates, in Committee, on 14th March, a proposal by Mr. Fletcher to reduce the immigration vote of £150,000 by one-half (£75,000) was negatived by a majority of 60 to 13. The Appropriation Bill was assented to on 2nd May.

A Public Works Loan Bill, founded on certain resolutions of Ways and Means, was introduced by Mr. Dibbs on 12th April. It was assented to on 2nd May.

Parliament was prorogued on 2nd May, by His Excellency the Governor. The Prorogation Speech congratulated Parliament upon the passing into law of a number of measures which would prove beneficial to the Colony. The Act to provide for the inscription of the Public Loan had been regarded with unqualified satisfaction, not only by the leading monetary authorities in England, but by all who were interested in the public securities of the Colony. The Speech then adverted to the passing of Acts for the amendment and consolidation of the Criminal Law-for increasing the salaries and retiring allowances of the Supreme and District Court Judges and for the arrest of the widely-spreading injuries from the Rabbit pest. It was hoped that the Act amending the Licensing Act would have the effect of removing certain harsh and oppressive restrictions, without interference with the Principal Act. The maintenance of the existing line of Postal Communication by way of the United States had been extended by the Government of the Colony, in conjunction with that of New Zealand, under the altered conditions of a reduced subsidy and an accelerated speed, for a further period of two years, with the option on the part of the Colony of withdrawing from the contract, under certain circumstances, at the end of twelve months. Although, owing to the attractiveness of the country as a great field of colonization, the support from the public revenue of lines of ocean steamers had almost ceased to be necessary, it was not deemed desirable that the existing arrangement should be abruptly terminated. The Revenue continued in a satisfactory condition; and the belief was warranted that the Estimate of the Colonial Treasurer for 1883 would be more than realized. The Imperial Government had made Sydney the principal Naval Station in Australian seas. The construction of the various lines of Railway which had been sanctioned was progressing without any delay. The connection between New South Wales and Victoria, crossing the river Murray by a temporary bridge, was completed; while more than 200 miles of new railway contracts had been entered into for lines from Sydney towards Wollongong, Murrumburrah to Young, and Goulburn towards Cooma, and also for the lines from Glen Innes to Tenterfield, and Narrandera to Jerilderie. The

tenders for the first section of the Homebush to Waratah line, which was designed for the connection of the Northern with the Southern and Western Railway systems, would be received in a few days. The numerous public works in connection with the Water Supply for Sydney and Country Towns, and for tanks and wells in the interior, were being rapidly proceeded with; and, to meet the increasing necessities of dock accommodation in the port of Sydney, the work in connection with the new Graving Dock at Biloela Island had been commenced. There had been a falling off in the number of conditional purchases of land in 1883, as compared with the corresponding period of 1882-a diminution which might be readily accounted for by the anticipated change in the Land Laws. Notwithstanding the almost total suspension of the sale by auction of country land, and the stoppage of the selection of that class of land, under the provisions of the 25th section of the Lands Acts Further Amendment Act of 1880, there was a fair prospect of the realization of the estimated land revenue for the current year.

The following figures are taken from the Registrar-General's Returns, and give a statistical view of the progress of New South Wales during the earlier period of Lord Augustus Loftus's administration:

CHAPTER XV.

NORFOLK ISLAND.

First Colonization: Captain Phillip, R.N., Governor of New South Wales and its Dependencies, 1788-Lieutenant-Governors of Norfolk Island: Lieutenant King, 1789; Mr. Ross, 1790; Major Foveaux, 1800; Lieutenant Brown, 1803; Captain Wilson, 1803-Second Colonization: Lieutenant-General R. Darling, Governor of New South Wales and its Dependencies, 1826—Commandants of Norfolk Island: Captain Wakefield; Lieutenant-Colonel Morissett, 1839; Major Anderson, 1839 ; Captain Maconochie, 1839; Major Childs, 1844-Island annexed to Van Diemen's Land: Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales and its Dependencies, 1844-Commandant of Norfolk Island: Mr. Price, 1846-Norfolk Island erected into a separate Colony, with great seal, to be presided over by the Governor of New South Wales for the time-being: Sir William Denison, Governor-General of New South Wales and Governor of Norfolk Island, 1856-Head quarters of Melanesian Mission established at Norfolk Island: Sir John Young, Governor-in-Chief of New South Wales and Governor of Norfolk Island, 1866. The Pitcairn Islanders.

NORFOLK ISLAND was discovered by Captain James Cook, during his second voyage in search of the Southern Continent. The "Resolution " was his vessel, and the "Adventure, commanded by Captain Tobias Furneaux, accompanied him. The expedition was initiated on 28th November, 1771, and started from Plymouth on 13th July, 1772. After various adventures and discoveries, Captain Cook, on 9th October, 1774, sighted an island of good height and five leagues in circuit, which he named Norfolk Isle, in honor of the Duke of Norfolk, the head of the noble family of Howard. island is situated in about latitude 29° 3′ 45′′ S., and longitude 167° 58′ 6′′ E., and is about 600 miles distant from New Zealand and 900 from the Australian Mainland. It is about 1,100 miles from Sydney.

The

Cook found that the island abounded with many trees and plants common to New Zealand, and that the flax plant especially grew more luxuriantly there than in New Zealand. The magnificent pine trees of the island, which were considered likely to afford suitable timber for the masts of ships, also attracted Cook's attention, and he observed that the flax would make excellent cordage. Representations on these points were submitted to the British Government, who instructed Captain Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales, to take an early opportunity of colonizing the island. Accordingly, on 14th February, 1788, a week after the formal

establishment of this Colony, the “Supply," under the conmand of Lieutenant Henry Lidzbiri Ball, was dispatchel from Sydney to form a settlement at Norfolk Island.

The new Colony consisted of twenty-four individuals, all toid, fifteen of whom were convicts, namely, nine men and six women. The settlement was placed under the control of Lieutenant Philip Gidley King, of the "Stirling," as Superintendent and Commandant, and he was provided with a

small staff of officers.

On 5th March, 1788, the party landed at a bay which Lieutenant King named Anson Bay; and the settlement was formally inaugurated at that place on the next day. Glowing accounts being received from the island, a larger party was sent there immediately afterwards.

It was not long before the title of Lieutenant-Governor was conferred upon Mr. King. On 24th March, 1790, he was relieved by Lieutenant-Governor Ross, and proceeded to England to give an account of the settlement to the British Ministry, returning by the "Gorgon" in December, 1791. Major Foveaux was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Island on 29th June, 1800. Mr. D'Arcy Wentworth was appointed Surgeon on 6th July, 1802, and ordered to proceed to his post on 8th February, 1803. He was the father of the great Australian patriot, William Charles Wentworth, who was born on the island. Lieutenant James Bowen, of H.M.S. "Glatton," was appointed to take charge of the island as Deputy Lieutenant-Governor, during the absence of Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, on 19th March, 1803, and on 29th September of the same year LieutenantGovernor Foveaux arrived in Sydney, leaving Captain Wilson in command.

The prolific soil of Norfolk Island-or, as it came to be familiarly called, Norfolk-proved a great boon to the parent Colony at different critical periods in the early history of Australian colonization, the quantity of wheat produced in the island being always very great. Governor King entertained the highest possible estimate of the suitability of the island for the purposes of a penal settlement, on account of the advantages afforded by its great fertility and extraordinary beauty. But Governor Hunter, who ruled New South Wales between 1795 and 1800, never looked with a favourable eye upon Norfolk, for nothing could reconcile him to its small size, want of harbour accommodation, and remoteness from Sydney; and, moreover, he was captivated