Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 129
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
In late 1856 the Colonial Secretary's Office sought the opinions of the inhabitants the
Clarence, New England and Gwydir pastoral districts on the proposal for these districts to
be included in the northern Colony about to be separated from New South Wales.
Generally, the replies indicated opposition to separation from New South Wales. The
Parliament was also opposed to the inclusion of the northern districts of the New England
and the Clarence River in a separate northern Colony and had indicated as much in
Resolutions adopted in November 1856:
That while this House does not feel called upon to dispute the propriety of the
Imperial Government erecting the Districts of Moreton Bay and Darling Downs into a
separate Colony, if in accordance with the expressed wish of the majority of the
Inhabitants thereof, it submits that, on the same principle, it will be unjust to the
inhabitants of New England and the Clarence River to include those Districts in such
Colony, if they are averse to be so included.
In the following year, in his Despatch of 13 July 1857 the Secretary of State indicated
that Her Majesty's Government had decided against the inclusion of the Clarence River,
New England and Gwydir districts in the new Colony and hence had abandoned the
boundary line of the 30th parallel of latitude. Labouchere also conveyed the decision of
Her Majesty's Government with respect to the division of the debt and the form of
Constitution to be granted to the new Colony.
On 2 November 1857 the Governor laid before the Executive Council two despatches
from the Secretary of State, the abovementioned despatch and a second transmitting a
copy of some observations on the boundary question by Mr M H Marsh. The Council
expressed itself in favour of a line of demarcation, which did not materially differ from
that proposed by Mr Marsh, and which preserved to New South Wales the whole of the
Clarence, New England and Gwydir districts with the exception of a small portion of the
latter lying north of the 29th parallel.
Shortly thereafter, on 23 November 1857, the Executive Council gave its attention to the
question of the division of the new Colony into electoral districts. The Governor laid on
the table a scheme for such a division; the Council advised that this be approved and
that the Governor should transmit a copy of the scheme to the British Government for
insertion in the Order in Council constituting the Government and Legislature of the new
Colony.
The Imperial Government finally took steps for the separation of the Moreton Bay District
from New South Wales in 1859. All outstanding issues having been resolved — apart
from the settlement of the division of the public debt between the two Colonies — a
warrant for passing Letters Patent to create the Colony of Queensland and appointing Sir
George Ferguson Bowen, Governor; Instructions to accompany these Letters Patent,
dated 6 June 1859; and an Order in Council to constitute a Legislature and provide for
the administration of justice, dated 6 June 1859, were transmitted in a despatch from
the Secretary of State of 18 August 1859.
The Order in Council gave the Governor the duty of inaugurating the new Colony, by
appointing the Legislative Council and summoning the first Legislative Assembly. For the
Legislative Council Governor Denison had to nominate not less than five members, who
were to hold office for five years. To bring together the first Legislative Assembly the
Governor had to proclaim the number of members, the boundaries of electorates, and to
arrange for lists of voters according to the laws in force in New South Wales. In
accordance with these provisions the Governor published a proclamation on
20 December 1859 which divided Queensland into 16 electorates, three of which were to
return three members, four two members, and nine one member each to the first
Legislative Assembly.'
19
Melbourne, op cit, p.445
State Records Authority of New South Wales
127
