Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 126
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
also among the populace for many years. It was generally seen that the two Robertson
Land Bills, particularly the free selection principle, would finally settle the matter.
Therefore, at the December 1860 elections the passage of the Robertson Land Bills had
been given a resounding mandate.
Early in 1861, Robertson again introduced his Land Bills. Passed in the Assembly the
measures were rejected by the Legislative Council. In order to counteract the determined
opposition which the measures aroused in the Upper House, 21 new, additional,
Members were appointed to the Council on 10 May. The effect of these appointments was
to bring about a parliamentary crisis, the President of the Council together with a
number of the members (19) withdrawing from the House. As the new members could
not be sworn in, the Legislative Council ceased to exist. In any case the Council had not
long to live, a few days only, as the Members' five year terms expired on 13 May; and as
no legislation had been passed in regard to a new Council, it devolved on the Governor
to choose a Council whose members would hold seats for life. The Governor was
extremely anxious about the nominations and selected some 27 persons for the life
appointments, or six above the minimum number, being advised in the matter by
Edward Deas-Thomson, one of the most experienced persons in the official life of the
Colony, and other men of tried experience and high position. The list of the first "life"
Council was published in the Government Gazette of 24 June 1861.17 (The Robertson
Land Acts were subsequently passed in October 1861.)
From this time onwards the tactic of `swamping the House', or appointing additional
members to the Legislative Council, was used by Government throughout the nineteenth
century as a means of making the Upper House more sympathetic to Government
programs and legislation. This meant that the numbers in the Council fluctuated but
tended upwards; by 1875 the membership of the Council had increased to 36, and by
1900 to 75.
Colonial Secretary
Main series of letters received
CGS 905
CSIL 60/4568
CGS 905,
CSIL 60/4568
in [4/3430]
CSIL 60/4568 in box [4/3430] comprises a number of petitions,
memorials and other papers relating to the dismissal of the
Legislative Assembly. These are from the inhabitants of the town
and district of Mudgee, of Canterbury and its vicinity, and of
Morpeth; electors of Newtown; residents of the Glebe near the City
of Sydney; and of the citizens of Sydney.
All are petitioning for the dissolution of the present Legislative
Assembly so that "the Country may have an opportunity of fully
expressing its opinions on a question of such vital importance to
its highest interests physically, morally, and socially". The issue of
vital importance was that the most essential principle of the two
Bills introduced into the Legislative Assembly that session —
limited free selection before as well as after survey — had been
rejected in the House on 26 October 1860 by a small majority.
17
Seven Colonies, op cit, pp.23-24
124
State Records Authority of New South Wales
