Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 46
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
1851 Minutes — M9709
Topnumbered as M9709 is a copy of Secretary of State Despatch
No.128 of 9 September 1850. This acknowledges receipt of the
Governor's Despatch No.24 of 14 February 1850, in which three
petitions were enclosed — one by the inhabitants of Geelong and
its vicinity, and the other two "drawn up in consequence of
Resolutions passed at two public meetings convened by the Mayor
of Melbourne" — all of them praying for the separation of Port
Phillip from the Middle District of New South Wales, and for the
erection of the former Settlement with a distinct province under
the name of Victoria. In the despatch the Secretary of State also
refers to a similar petition which accompanied the Governor's
Despatch No.28 of 22 February from certain Port Phillip Members
of the Legislative Council. The Secretary of State goes on to state
that "it gives me sincere pleasure to be able to announce that an
object, of which the attainment has been so long been to them a
matter of deep interest, has at length been happily accomplished".
CGS 909,
M9709 in
[4/1037]
Included are correspondence relating to the transmission of
petitions from Geelong, the two public meetings and from the Port
Phillip Members of the Legislative Council, mentioned in the above
Despatch; printed copies of the two petitions of the colonists of
Port Phillip; a printed copy of the petition from the Port Phillip
Members of the Legislative Council; and printed copies of
"Revenue and Expenditure of Port Phillip", returns to Addresses
and laid upon the Council Table 11 and 27 September 1849.
In the petitions to the Queen the petitioners complain about the
withdrawal from the Imperial Parliament of the Australian Colonies
Government Bill. Additionally, the memorial from the Port Phillip
Members comments in some details on various aspects of the
lately withdrawn Bill.
Executive Council
Minute books — Minutes relating to the separation of Port
Philip from NSW, 1845-46
Consequent upon a Despatch from the Secretary of State, No. 58
of 12 June 1845, which was tabled by the Governor at the
Executive Council meeting of 15 November 1845, the Council
embarked upon a "more complete investigation" of the separation
of the Port Phillip District from the Colony of New South Wales.
CGS 4232,
microfilm copy
SR Reel 2438,
[4/1522]
This occupied the Council, to a greater or lesser extent, at a
further ten meetings until 23 April 1846 when the final results of
its investigation were reached. During these meetings a number of
Legislative Council Members were examined and various papers
tabled.
On 1 April 1846 the Council recommended the separation of the
District of Port Phillip from the rest of the Colony of New South
Wales and its erection into a distinct Colony. The lengthy Minute
which was adopted can be found on pages 254-82 of [4/1522].
This includes a paper containing the principal grounds of the
dissent of the Lord Bishop of Australia and the Colonial Treasurer
from the recommendation of the Council.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
45