Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 58
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
1853 Minutes — M11456
M11456 comprises papers relating to the separation of the
Northern Districts from New South Wales, including three
Despatches from the Secretary of State with related papers.
CGS 909,
M11456 in
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Topnumbered as M11456 is Duplicate Despatch No.74 of 4 May
1853 from the Secretary of State. This acknowledges receipt of the
Governor's despatch, No.209 of 29 November 1852, with its
enclosed petition from resident householders in the district lying
northward of the thirtieth parallel of South Latitude, agreed to at a
public meeting held at Brisbane on 17 August, praying for
separation. The petition had been laid before Her Majesty who was
pleased to receive it graciously, but without his advising Her
Majesty to issue any instructions on the subject. The petition was
transmitted to the Governor by J Richardson, MLC, for
transmission to Her Majesty which was done. A copy of this
petition, marked as having 760 signatures, is included.
M11456 includes Secretary of State Despatch No.7 of 20 January
1853 (topnumbered as M11163). This acknowledges receipt of the
Governor's despatch of 11 August 1852 (No.125), with its
enclosures including a petition from inhabitant householders in the
district of New South Wales to the northward of 30° of latitude
praying for severance of that district from New South Wales and
"that it may be at once declared a place to which convicts may be
sent" and notifying that it has been laid before Her Majesty but
referring the Governor that the "view which is equally taken by
Her Majesty's present Government" is as given in a despatch of
9 December 1852 (No.93). Two letter from Arthur Hodgson,
presumably on behalf of The Northern Districts Separation
Association, and a copy of a 18 June 1852 letter from Committee
members are included; the mentioned petitions and newspaper
account of the public meeting held on 17 May 1852 are, however,
not with these papers.
Also included is Secretary of State Despatch No. 1 of 28 December
1852 (topnumbered as M11158). In this Despatch the Duke of
Newcastle advises that the petition, stated to have been adopted
at a public meeting held in Brisbane on 27 November 1851,
forwarded by Dr Lang to his predecessor, praying for separation of
Moreton Bay from New South Wales has been laid before the
Queen.
1854 Minutes — M12307
Topnumbered as M12307 is Secretary of State Despatch No.22 of
1 August 1854. This acknowledges the Governor's Despatch No.40
of 28 February 1854, which enclosed a petition by certain
inhabitants of the Northern Districts praying for the erection of
those Districts into a Colony separate from New South Wales, and
states that "the question to which it relates will receive the careful
consideration of the Government". Included is a letter from Henry
Stuart Russell, MLC, transmitting, at the request of a Committee
appointed at a public meeting held at Brisbane on 1 November
1853, a petition of more than 1,060 inhabitants of the Northern
Districts praying for separation together with a copy of the
petition.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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M12307 in
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