Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 30
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
1848 Despatches
Box [4/1328] includes Despatch No. 133 of 31 July 1848: the
Secretary of State acknowledging receipt of the Governor's
despatches, No.3 of 6 January 1848 and No.31 of 2 February
1848, the former in which the steps taken to collect the opinions
of the community in regard to the measures proposed by the
Secretary of State in his Despatch of 31 July 1847 were reported
and the latter in which a petition from a large number of the
householders and inhabitants of Sydney and its vicinity
deprecating any change in the Constitution of the Colony was
enclosed. Earl Grey then continues by outlining the measures
being proposed: the separation of Port Phillip from New South
Wales by Parliamentary enactment — which would not affect the
composition or authority of the New South Wales Legislative
Council but would give Victoria a Legislative Council, and Van
Diemen's Land and South Australia representative institutions —
and granting to the Australian Legislatures the power to alter their
Constitutions.
1850 Despatches
Box [4/1334] includes Despatch Nos.125 and 140 —
Despatch No. 125 of 30 August 1850 - the Secretary of State
forwarding the Australian Colonies Government Act, Act 13 & 14
Vic c.59, it having at length received the Royal assent and
commenting on the rationale behind the Act and some of its
features, including the power of the New South Wales Legislature
to amend the Constitution —
NRS 4512,
[4/1328]
Despatch No.133
NRS 4512,
[4/1334]
Despatch No.125
But while thus maintaining the existing Constitution of New
South Wales, Her Majesty's government were, as I have stated,
anxious to give to the Legislature the fullest power, consistent
with safety, of amending that constitution: and of modifying
from time to time without the intervention of Parliament, the
political arrangements which may be suitable to existing
circumstances, but which are likely to require adaptation to the
changes which must take place in so rapidly advancing a
Society. The necessary powers for this purpose are given by
Section 32 of the Act. You will observe that they extend, among
other things, to the formation of two Chambers, of which one or
both may be elective. The only restriction, in short, on the
general power of alteration appears to be this, that, if the
present single Chamber is retained, the proportion of elective to
non-elective Members cannot be varied, nor can the manner of
appointment of the non-elective Members be interfered with.
Earl Grey also propounds Britain's beneficence towards its
Australian colonies:
Her Majesty's Government have had no other object in view but
that of establishing in the Australian colonies a system of
government founded on the same principles of well regulated
freedom, under which the inhabitants of this Country have
enjoyed so large a measure of security and of prosperity, and
under which the British Empire has risen to so high a pitch of
greatness and of power. It is my earnest and confident hope
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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