Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 39
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
take the Poll at the several Polling places in the County of
Durham". The usual steps were to be taken for issuing a writ for a
fresh election.
Included are an extract from the Act of Council 6 Vic No.16 (the
Electoral Act); the opinions of the Law Officers on the operation of
the 48th clause of the Act and on a draft writ of election; and a
draft writ of election.
A writ was issued 7 June 1849, with closing of nominations on
25 June, polling on 29 June and the return of the writ by 7 July. As
advised by Edward Johnstone, the Returning Officer, S A
Donaldson was declared duly returned as there were no other
nominations.
Proposed Electoral Districts of New South Wales after the
separation of Port Philip, 1851
CGS 906,
[4/6846.3]
This bundle comprises papers relating to the division of the Colony
of New South Wales into Electoral Districts following the
separation of the Port Phillip District in 1851 under the terms of
Act 13 & 14 Vic c.59. It includes multiple copies of A Bill to provide
for the division of the Colony of New South Wales, after the
separation of the District of Port Phillip therefrom, into Electoral
Districts, and for the election of Members to serve in the
Legislative Council, one of which has extensive annotations; Towns
in the Squatting Districts 1851 (showing name of district, name of
town and population); a note headed "Population and
Representation" which refers to the United Kingdom together with
returns showing average population to each Parliamentary
member; Return of the Population of New South Wales 1850;
Schedule of Polling Places, amended in accordance with the
recommendations of the several Benches; Scheme of Electoral
Districts as amended in Committee of Legislative Council 17 April
1851 (showing name of Electoral Division, number of houses and
population in 1846; population in 1851; land under culture 1850;
livestock equated as sheep 1850; and number of members for
each Division); printed return of proposed Electoral Districts; and
working papers.
Port Phillip District
From District to Colony
The Port Phillip District was opened to settlement in September 1836 and progressed
quickly — in just under fifteen years - from district of New South Wales to separate
colony, the Colony of Victoria. The tendency of the Imperial Government to treat the
district as a separate unit was shown in 1839 when Charles Joseph La Trobe was
appointed Superintendent. The following year, in a despatch of 31 May 1840 which was
received in November of that year, the Secretary of State effectively foreshadowed the
eventual subdivision of the Colony of New South Wales. Citing the rapid extension of
settlement in New South Wales rendering it "natural to expect that new arrangements
should be necessary for the administration of its affairs" Lord John Russell conveyed the
decision to divide the Territory of New South Wales into three distinct districts (the
Northern, Middle or Sydney District, and the Southern or Port Phillip District) for all
purposes connected with the disposal of land.14
14
38
Russell to Gipps, Despatch No.93 of 31 May 1840, in SRNSW: NRS 4512, [4/1310]
State Records Authority of New South Wales