servant of those placed under him, and a courteous administrator. Whether a wise one or not, he was yet a true friend of Western Australia.
During the remaining months of 1835 Sir James paid visits to all the settlements he had established in the colony. He went to York and the surrounding districts, to the Murray, Leschenault, Vasse, Augusta and King George's Sound. In most of them he delivered farewell speeches, and promised while in England to spare no effort to serve colonists. A public meeting was held in Perth in October, whereat it was decided to prepare an elaborate address and to purchase a piece of plate for presentation to His Excellency. The speeches on this occasion testified the love and respect held for him.
As the time of his departure approached the Governor became more and more popular every day. On the 20th December Sir James and Lady Stirling gave a farewell ball to the colonists, and dancing was kept up till breakfast next day. On Christmas Eve a meeting of the Executive Council was held, and on the 31st December a deputation presented him with a service of plate and an address from all classes of colonists. When the deputation withdrew he sat in Council for the last time, and read a written address to the members. Thus closed Governor Stirling's administration and the year 1838.
CHAPTER XIII.
LAND LAWS; EXPLORATION; AUSTRALIND SETTLEMENT.
1839-42.
ARRIVAL OF GOVERNOR HUTT AND DEPARTURE OF GOVERNOR STIRLING—MEMBERSHIP OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL INCREASED—GOVERNOR HUTT LAND AND NATIVE POLICY—PROCLAMATION CONCERNING NON-IMPROVED GRANTS—LAND TAX THREATENED—OPINION OF AGRICULTURISTS AND PASTORALISTS—DEFICIT IN 1839—ASSESSMENT ON LAND PROPOSED—RESUMPTIONS AND A PETITION—AGITATIONS TO SECURE ALTERATIONS OF LAND LAWS IN ENGLAND BY COMMITTEES—REPLY OF SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES—AGENTS IN LONDON—LAND BOUNTIES IN 1840 TO ENCOURAGE EMIGRATION—EMIGRATION COMMISSIONERS—MINIMUM SALES PRICE OF LANDS RAISED TO 12S.—SQUATTING—FURTHER ADVANCE OF MINIMUM TO £1 IN 1841—EMIGRATION COMMISSIONERS ADVISE LAND TAX OF THREEPENCE PER ACRE—LABOUR THE CHIEF CAUSE—RATES OF WAGES, MONEY VOTED, AND EMIGRANTS BROUGHT OUT—POPULATION—NATIVE ADMINISTRATION—ROTTNEST PROCLAIMED A GOVERNMENT PENAL ESTABLISHMENT—WORK OF PRISONERS—NATIVE PROTECTORS—BOUNTIES ON INSTRUCTION OF NATIVES—NATIVE SCHOOLS OPENED—DEPREDATIONS AND MURDERS—FIRST EXECUTION—THE TERRIBLE MASSACRE AT MININUP—PASTORAL PROGRESS—KOJONUP—A MINERAL—BENGAL ASSOCIATION—STATISTICS OF STOCK AND LAND—BANK OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA TAKEN OVER BY BANK OF AUSTRALASIA—WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BANK ESTABLISHED—PUBLIC WORKS; MOLES, JETTY AT PERTH, CAUSEWAY—WHALING—FOOD SUPPLIES—MAIL SERVICE—WRECKS; DROWNING OF W. K. SHENTON—PRIVATE THEATRICALS, CRICKET, BREACH OF PROMISE CASE—RELIGIOUS MATTERS—EXPLORATION; GREY AND HIS TERRIBLE PRIVATIONS—DISCOVERY OF THE GASCOYNE RIVER, BABBAGE ISLAND, MURCHISON AND HUTT RIVERS, MOUNTS VICTORIA AND ALBERT, VICTORIA RANGE AND PROVINCE, BOWES, BULLER, CHAPMAN, GREENOUGH, IRWIN, AND ARROWSMITH RIVERS—SOME OF PARTY RESCUED BY MR. ROE—DEATH OF SIR RICHARD SPENCER; GREY APPOINTED GOVERNMENT RESIDENT AT ALBANY—BEAGLE EXPLORATIONS—CHAMPION BAY DISCOVERED AND OTHER PLACES ON AND NEAR COAST NAMED—BRAVE AND TRAGICAL EXPLORATION OF EYRE OVERLAND—AUSTRALIND SETTLEMENT: ITS RISE AND FALL—BUNBURY AND WATERLOO PROCLAIMED.
BY a singular coincidence Sir James Stirling relinquished the reins of Government on 31st December, 1838, and in the first week of the new year John Hurt assumed them. One retired with the old year; the other arrived with the new. It was so appropriate and convenient as to appear a preconcerted arrangement.
For some years the new Governor, Mr. John Hutt, had evinced a lively interest in colonial affairs, and with his brother, William Hurt, M.P., and other gentlemen in England, attempted to apply a new system of colonisation to Western Australian settlement. Influenced, probably, by these facts, the Home Government appointed him to succeed Sir James Stirling. Mr. Hutt was well acquainted with commercial affairs, and had already studied some essentials of colonial life and the principles of colonisation. A writer of those days described him as being of an enlightened frame of mind, firm, sagacious, and benevolent.
Mr. Hutt reached the colony on 2nd January, 1839, and met the retiring Governor at Fremantle. The two gentlemen had much to say to each other, and remained together until the next day. On the 3rd Mr. Hutt proceeded to Perth, where he was received by the civil officers. His commission was formally examined, and then he was introduced to the Executive Council. The proper oath was administered, his commission and different proclamations were read in public, and a short meeting of the Executive Council was held. On the 4th the Legislative Council sat to receive the Queen's representative.
It was a week of many doings. After the formal meeting of the Legislative Council on the 4th, the Governor, the Council, and private citizens repaired to Fremantle to bid good-bye to Sir James Stirling. A dinner and a ball were tendered him, and on the 5th all the gentry assembled on the small Fremantle wharf, and raised their voices in cheers for their departing friend. Sir James was visibly affected. Later in the year he was presented with a service of plate in London on behalf of the people of Western Australia.
Mr. Hurt at once increased the membership of the Legislative Council. The British Government had years previously given the local Governor the power to nominate non-official members to this body but, considering the proper period had not arrived, and at the express wish of settlers, Stirling did not make any appointments. Colonists preferred not to be represented except through the medium of direct members elected by themselves. But it was now determined to nominate new members, and on the 5th January Governor Hutt issued a proclamation declaring William Locke Brockman, George Leake, Thomas Peel, and William Tanner non-official members of the Legislative Council of Western Australia for as long as they continued to reside in the colony. The four new members took their seats for the first time when the Council met on 4th March.
A new and bold policy in land and native administration was inaugurated by Governor Hutt. These were the all-important questions of the period, and he quickly evidenced his intention to apply the land regulations to the letter, and sought to civilise and better the condition of the natives, and believed it could be done with little difficulty. He devoted himself to an earnest and exhaustive examination of the native question, and proceeded to apply preconceived notions relative to the land. His first public acts were not altogether calculated to render him popular or to satisfy colonists.
Sir James Stirling had used the power reposed in him with delicacy and deliberation, and, especially with regard to the land
