the colony by the death of Governor Clark. The Govenor's speech then allowed to an improvement which had taken place in local affairs. More internal wealth had been acquired during the preceding year, and a slight revival was apparent in almost every branch of industry. This was most evident in an increase of revenue on the year 1845-46 of £610 3s. 8d., the receipts amounting to £8,453 5s. 4d. As only £7,966 5s. 4d. had been expended there was a balance (with the surplus of the preceding year) of £821 8s. 2d. Owing to this improvement in the finances Governor Irwin announced that he had arranged for the colonial schooner Champion to proceed to Singapore for a supply of Chinese labour, in the hope that it would relieve the labour market. The speech then referred to the satisfactory facilities offered by Rockingham as a shipping port, which had been thoroughly examined by direction of Governor Clark. Governor Irwin also announced that he had directed that a stone jetty be erected in South Bay, Fremantle, by which large boats might discharge their cargo. A macadamised road was to connect the jetty with Cliff Street, Fremantle. Finally, he informed member's that the exports had exceeded those of the previous year by £6,869 3s. 4d., which brought the exports within about five thousand pounds of the imports. A comparative table set forth that the revenue in 1846 exceeded that of 1839 by £2,438 18s. 7d., population by 2,136, stock of all kinds by 88,852, cultivation by 3,190 acres, and wool exported by 254,918 lbs.
Later in the year the Champion was despatched to Singapore, and returned with a few Chinese servants, who were mostly absorbed for domestic purposes. The Council appointed a select committee to report on how best to encourage German immigraton. At this time South Australia was reaping benefits from the arrival of colonising Germans, and Western Australia was extremely desirous of acquiring such people. The report was valueless. It oracularly deplored the want of labour, referred to the good qualities and habits of Germans in colonising work, and suggested that special inducements be offered to attract them to Western Australia. That was the end of the matter.
Governor Irwin was certainly active as an administrator, and numerous bills were introduced into and passed by the Council. The chief of these was a bill imposing an export tax on sandalwood. The proceeds of the tax were to be devoted exclusively to the making and repairing of roads—a step which His Excellency said was absolutely necessary to facilitate the carriage of sandalwood and other produce from the eastern districts. The bill was introduced in September, 1847. Loud and vehement opposition was offered to the measure. A public meeting was held in Perth, when numerous resolutions were carried, all of which, when reduced to readable dimensions, embodied the opinion "that the contemplated tax on sandalwood is mischievous and impolitic for many reasons." Governor Irwin promised a deputation to withdraw the original proposal, but he introduced instead one which finally became equally objectionable to the producers.
He proclaimed on 24th September that licenses must be obtained for permission to cut sandalwood; no license would be given for a shorter period than three months; the license to include cutting and removal; and the cost, payable in advance to be £2 10s. per month for two men and £1 5s. per month for every additional man. Subsequently, in November, the Sandalwood Toll Bill was carried through the House.
A new Board of Administration over the roads of the colony was constituted to supervise the application of the funds. derived from this tax. The General Roads Trust had proved inefficient, and quite unsuited to the circumstances of the colony. A bill, passed by the Council in November, abolished the Roads Trust, and constituted a Central Board of Works. The Board consisted of official and non-official members, the former being represented by Messrs. William Knight (Chairman), G. F. Stone, Charles Symmons, and F. D. Wittenoom (Secretary), and the latter by Messrs. George Leake, Thomas Helms, Robert Habgood, and Joseph Hardey.
Early in 1848 the agitation against any sort of tax on sandalwood was renewed with intense rigour, the mode of raising funds for roads was deemed obnoxious, and universally unpopular, and was resentfully referred to as a direct tax on industry. In January the Government abolished the collection of tolls at Mahogany Creek, considering that the sandalwood toll would supply the Board of Works with all the funds that were necessary. Regulations were issued, making it criminal to cut sandalwood on waste lands without a license. Governor Irwin and the Executive Councillors were bitterly attacked, and a strong feeling of antagonism was shown by producers. A deputation waited on the Governor-in-Council, announcing that a fall had taken place in prices of timber, and that unless the impost was abolished the industry must collapse. In May the tax was repealed for six months, to allow time for the Government to obtain an expression of opinion from the Secretary for the Colonies. It was not again imposed in 1848.
The schools of the colony within the preceding few years had been improved. In 1842 there was not one Government school—the Government paying for the education of paupers but in 1847 and 1848 there was one in each chief centre of population. It was proposed in October, 1847, to erect a Government schoolhouse in Perth, to cost £300, but the work was not immediately carried out. The first public examination of children attending public schools was held in December, 1847. A Board of Education was established, and some difficulty experienced between the Catholic and Protestant members thereof.
No other measure of importance was considered by the Legislative Council in 1847. An addition was made to the official members in both the Executive and Legislative Councils by the appointment of Mr. H. C. Sutherland, the Collector of Customs. Mr. Singleton had retired from the Council, and left the colony. Mr. W. B. Andrews was nominated in his place for a short period, when he was succeeded by Mr. S. Moore.
The year 1847 was in point of value of exports the most successful period which had been experienced in Western Australia. The sandalwood industry, notwithstanding the tolls, expanded phenomenally. In the eastern districts, at Toodyay, Northam, York, and Bunbury, numbers of settlers were devoting themselves almost exclusively to cutting this wood. Bullock carts and waggons carried it to the seaboard, over roads which in some places were almost impassable. The sandalwood export of 1847 was more than thirteen times that of 1846, the amount being £4,440.
Whaling by local companies and private persons was followed with some success, although it was still true that "foreign" owned vessels secured the largest quantities of oil and bone. Their returns are not included in the exports of the colony. In 1847 the first mention of the export of guano is made—a small lot valued at £18. The total exports for the year were valued at £24,535, and the imports at £25,463. In January, 1847, the Rockingham town site was proclaimed.
Perhaps it is but human for a community constantly assailed
