Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 102
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
to be laid upon the Table. Included is a return of Electoral
Districts, showing the number of the population in each district
and distinguishing male adults from women and children "as
passed by the Legislative Assembly", which was presented by the
Solicitor General on 27 August 1858.
CSIL 58/3710
CSIL 58/3710 is a rolled petition from numerous citizens of
Sydney and other inhabitants of New South Wales to the
Governor, Sir William Denison, expressing their satisfaction about
the introduction of the Bill to amend the electoral system of the
Colony generally, the Electoral Bill of 1858.
CGS 905,
CSIL 58/3710
in [4/3387]
That your Petitioners, under a sense of the great importance of
that measure to the best interests of the Colony, at large, have
been earnest and anxious observers of its progress through the
House of Assembly, and that, when at length the Bill was
passed by that branch of the Legislature, your Petitioners
rejoiced in the prospect of its speedily becoming the law of the
land, and of the just expectations of the people being thereby
fulfilled. That, contrary, however, to the sanguine hopes and
the earnest desires of your Petitioners, as well, they firmly
believe, as of the great body of their fellow Colonists, the
Electoral Bill has met with a reception in the Legislative Council
which justifies the gravest apprehensions for the safety of the
measure ... your Petitioners are constrained to say, that they
would regard the loss of the Bill as a great public calamity ...
That, in order to avert the possibility of such a result, your
petitioners respectfully, but most earnestly, beg to suggest to
your Excellency that, in the exercise of your high prerogative as
the head of the Executive, your Excellency will be pleased, with
the advice and consent of the Executive Council, to appoint
such- an additional number of members to the Legislative
Council as may ensure the speedy adoption of the Electoral Bill
by that honorable House.
Also included is a letter from a James Pemell, as chairman of a
public meeting held in Sydney on 1 October 1858, transmitting the
petition which he claims had been signed by 2,700 individuals.
1858 General Elections — Special return of writ for the
United Pastoral Districts, 1858
CSG 906,
[4/744.3]
This bundle relates to a special return to the Writ of Election made
by the Returning Officer for the United Pastoral Districts of
Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett and Maranoa. On the writ issued on
23 December 1857, which was returnable on 27 February 1858,
the Returning Officer had endorsed "no person was duly chosen as
a Member" for his Electoral District because there was no mail to
forward his letter appointing Returning Officers at Rannes and
Gladstone, and there was no Returning Officer at Surat.
This matter was investigated by a Select Committee of the
Legislative Assembly which found that the Returning Officer,
Joseph North, was guilty of negligence in not appointing his
Deputy Returning Officers at the several polling places
immediately upon receipt of the writ from the Colonial Secretary's
Office. It recommended that the chief polling place be removed
from Ipswich to Gayndah, as more central and convenient, and
opined that Mr North had proved himself to be unfit to discharge
the duties of Returning Officer. At its meeting on 21 June 1858 the
100
State Records Authority of New South Wales
