ing on its ample pastures. The expenses attending this occupation had been hitherto defrayed from the Revenues of Crown Lands, to which the sale of such lands within the district would hereafter largely contribute. It had been notified in the Government Gazette that an Act renewing for one year the Act which instituted and upheld the Legislature of New South Wales had passed the Imperial Parliament in the previous Session. It had been the intention of His Majesty's Ministers to propose to Parliament in that Session a new Bill for the future Government of New South Wales, but circumstances which had not been anticipated induced them to postpone it for another year. In announcing this delay the Secretary of State had assured the Governor of his intention to introduce at an early period of the current Session a Bill framed upon such principles as should appear best calculated to promote the important interests involved in the question. A Bill continuing the Jury Act of the last year would be submitted. The Abstracts of Revenue and Expenditure for 1836, also the Estimates for 1838, would shortly be laid before the Council. The Colony was again to be congratulated upon uniform tranquillity and rapidly-increasing prosperity. Great as was the Revenue of 1835, it had been surpassed by that of 1836; the exports and imports for the latter period had also considerably increased upon the former; and there was every indication of the continuance of such success.

Despatches on the subject of settlement at the Port Phillip and Twofold Bay districts were then laid before the Council. The first of these was a communication dated 10th October, 1836, from Sir Richard Bourke to Lord Glenelg (Secretary of State for the Colonies). The Governor stated that "being informed by the Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land that several British subjects connected with that Colony have taken possession of a tract of land on the south Coast of New Holland, in virtue of a treaty with a tribe of aboriginal natives, it becomes my duty to report to your Lordship this intrusion upon part of the territory described in the Commission which I have the honour to hold from His Majesty." Sir Richard Bourke stated that he had considered it incumbent on him immediately to protest against any consequences derogatory to the rights of the British Crown that might be imagined to flow from the alleged treaty; he had accordingly proclaimed in the Government Gazette of 2nd September, 1835, "that every such treaty, bargain, and contract, with the

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aboriginal natives as aforesaid for the possession, title, or claim of any lands lying or being within the limits of the Government of the Colony of New South Wales as the same are laid down in His Majesty's Commission * is void and of no effect against the rights of the Crown; and that all persons who shall be found in possession of any such lands as aforesaid without the license or authority of His Majesty's Government for such purpose first had and obtained, will be considered as trespassers and liable to be dealt with in like manner as other intruders upon the vacant lands of the Crown within the said Colony." He had not seen cause to take any other steps in the matter until he had received further advices from His Lordship on the subject. The settlement at Twofold Bay was then adverted to, and a proposal was made for the establishment of a township there, and the declaration of a portion of the adjoining lands as being open to location. In consideration of the capital expended in the Port Phillip district, an early occupation of that territory was recommended.

The despatch in reply to Sir Richard Bourke approved of the course which had been pursued, especially of the proclamation maintaining the right of the Crown to the soil on which those new settlements had been effected. Lord Glenelg expressed his general concurrence with the views of the colonial Governor, and sanctioned his acting on them in the manner he proposed.

The Revenue for 1836 amounted to £198,136 9s. 5d.; an unappropriated balance from the previous year, of £120,858 15s., augmented this to £318,995 4s. 5d; a further amount from the Commissariat, of £50,000 on account of Treasury Bills, increased the Revenue to £368,995 4s. 5d.; and a balance from 1835 of £18,845 2s. 74d. brought the total up to £387,840 7s. 01d. The Disbursements amounted to £248,663 9s. 94d., and an amount of £72,350 8s. 91d. remaining to be expended and charged, increased these to £321,013 18s. 63d. A balance, therefore, of £66,826 8s. 51d. remained available for future disposal. The Abstract of the Revenue arising from Crown Lands showed an amount from that source for 1836 of £132,396 19s. 9d.; repayment of a loan of £10,000, and an unappropriated Balance of £120,858 15s., made a total of £263,255 14s. 9d. The expenditure amounted to £16,362 12s. 1d.; an unappropriated Balance from 1835 of £120,858 15s. had been transferred in aid of the General Revenue of the Colony. This left a Balance in the Treasury, on 31st December, 1836, of £126,034 7s. 8d.

A Bill to continue the Jury Act was passed on 2nd June, and a Bill to adopt certain English Acts in the administration of Justice was passed on 13th July.

On 4th July the Governor laid before the Legislative Council his Financial Minute explanatory of the Expenditure and Ways and Means for 1838. The whole Charge for 1838 was estimated at £266,060 8s. 11d.; the Ways and Means to meet which were £346,526 8s. 51d. There resulted therefore, a Balance in favour of the Treasury of £80,465 19s. 6d.

The Estimates passed the Council in July, and on 4th August the Appropriation Bill was read a third time and passed. A protest was made by Mr. John Blaxland against the continuance of the salary to the Colonial AgentGeneral, and to the British Resident in New Zealand.

A Private Bill was passed during this Session for lighting the town of Sydney with gas; investing the Australian Gaslight Company with the necessary powers for carrying out the work. The total number of immigrants arriving during 1836 was 1,621-unassisted, 813; assisted, 808.

The Session of 1837 closed on the 13th September.

As

The efforts of Dr. Lang at this period to induce the local Government to set apart the land revenue of the Colony for the purposes of free immigration proving ineffectual, he appealed with success to the Home Government. the result of his representations, in 1837, the Right Hon. Lord Glenelg, Secretary of State for the Colonies, organized an agency for the promotion of voluntary emigration, from which the Colony derived much benefit.

The knowledge of Australian geography was greatly extended during Sir Richard Bourke's term by the efforts of Major Mitchell, the Surveyor-General. This officer, having conceived the idea that an outlet existed for the waters of the northwestern interior, fitted up an expedition. Although this was partly unsuccessful, owing to the hostility of the natives, who speared some of his men and obliged him to return prematurely, Major Mitchell ascertained that the Darling was the receptacle for the various streams rising on the western declivity of the Dividing Range, which had been previously discovered.

In 1835 Major Mitchell was commissioned by Sir Richard Bourke to trace the Darling River from the point whence it had been left by Captain Sturt, and to solve the problem as to whether the outlet of a river discovered by the latter gentleman when subsequently sailing down the Murray was

really that of the Darling. Major Mitchell took a westerly course from Boree, near Bathurst, along the Bogan River— or New Year's Creek, so-called by Captain Sturt till it emptied itself into the Darling. This latter river he succeeded in tracing for 300 miles to the southward, leaving only 130 miles of its further course unexplored, and discovering thirty-two new varieties of grass in his travels, thus proving the suitableness of the land for pastoral purposes.

In 1836 Major Mitchell was again directed to follow up his former discoveries by tracing the Darling for the remainder of its course, and, on his return, to explore the Murray River. This great task he successfully accomplished, not only verifying the conjecture of Captain Sturt, but, in tracing back the Murray to its source, discovered a splendid tract of country which he named Australia Felix-"which now constitutes the Colony of Victoria, or Port Phillip, equal in extent to the whole island of Great Britain, fascinating in its general aspect, traversed by numerous perennial streams, and equally adapted to agricultural and pastoral pursuits." Major Mitchell was knighted for this service.

Certain adventurers from Van Diemen's Land having set up claims to the Port Phillip land under pretence of having purchased it from the natives, it was deemed advisable to take possession of that district as a dependency of New South Wales, which was formally done by Sir Richard Bourke in October, 1836, and a regular Government establishment was formed there.

A statue of Sir Richard Bourke was erected by private subscription of the people, to commemorate their appreciation of the important services rendered by him during his Administration. It stands at the Macquarie-street entrance to the Domain, and bears an appropriate inscription.

Sir Richard Bourke left the colony on 5th December, 1837. The following statistical information is from the RegistrarGeneral's Returns, and serves to demonstrate the progress of New South Wales under Sir Richard Bourke :

CHAPTER VIII.

GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GIPPS.-1838-1846.

Sir George Gipps-His Policy-Financial Disaster-Legislative Session of 1838-Proposed Bill for the Government of New South Wales-Session of 1839-Crown Lands Occupation Act Amendment Bill-Minute on Finance-Minute on Education --Despatch from Lord Glenelg re Transportation-Session of 1840-Annexation of New Zealand-Claims to Grants of Land in New Zealand-Mr. Wentworth's Address-Sir George Gipps' Reply-Finance-Education-Police and Gaol Expenditure-Royal Instructions-The Council's Address thereon-Session of 1841 -Financial Embarrassments-Education-Despatches from England-Committee on Immigration Debentures-Session of 1842-Commercial Panic-Session of 1843 -The Constitutional Act-The Electoral Bill-Dissolution of the Council-Meeting of the New Council-Select Committee on Monetary Confusion-ProrogationExtraordinary Session of the Council-Session of 1844-District Councils— Differences between the Governor and the Council-Land Grievance Committee -Committee on Education-Select Committee on the Elective Franchise-Police and Gaol Expenditure-General Grievances Committee-Addresses to Her Majesty— Session of 1845-Immigration-Session of 1846-Crown Lands Occupation Continuation Bill-Close of Gipps' Administration-Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt-Statistics.

SIR GEORGE GIPPS, the ninth Governor of New South Wales, entered upon office on the 24th February, 1838; Colonel Snodgrass having been Administrator of the Government from Sir Richard Bourke's departure on 5th December, 1837.

The recent occupation of the splendid tract of available country known as the Port Phillip district had attracted thither a large number of immigrants, to settle as stockholders, agriculturists, and merchants. With regard to the disposal of land to these people, Sir George Gipps, anxious to fill the Public Treasury, adopted the policy of throwing into the market only a small quantity in proportion to the demand. Consequently, the price of land in the Port Phillip district became enormously high, and the settlers were therefore heavily handicapped by having to part with so much of their capital in purchasing the land.

The extensive immigration which took place was attended by a large influx of British capital. There were two Banks then in existence-the Bank of New South Wales and the