Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 50
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
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 of 22 February (No.28) 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".
Boundary dispute with South Australia
In a despatch from the Governor of South Australia, which was forwarded by the
Secretary of State in his Despatch of 28 May 1845, the Governor (Grey) voiced his
dissatisfaction with the imperfect manner in which the eastern and western boundaries of
that Colony were defined and suggested fresh boundaries. The Governor of New South
Wales was requested to report his opinion on the alterations proposed.
Accordingly, on 3 February 1846 Governor Gipps brought the matter to the attention of
the Executive Council. In addition to Governor Grey's suggested boundaries, as detailed
in the Despatch, the Governor provided the Council with reports from the Surveyor
General and the Superintendent of Port Phillip on Governor Grey's proposal respecting
the boundary between New South Wales and South Australia.
Having considered the suggestions or options made by Governor Grey, the Surveyor
General and the Superintendent of Port Phillip, on 1 April the Executive Council advised
on an adherence to the 141st degree of East longitude as the boundary. However,
agreeing with the importance of clarifying the limits of the two colonies, the Council
recommended the appointment of Commissioners to lay down the boundary line.
With the concurrence of the Government of South Australia, the New South Wales
Government appointed Henry Wade as surveyor to carry out this work. The 141° of east
longitude was determined by Wade's 1846-47 survey, although incomplete, the results
being adopted and proclaimed as the boundary, by South Australia in December 1847
and New South Wales in February 1849. The line of survey marked out by Henry Wade to
the 36th degree of latitude was extended on the completion of a further survey by
Surveyor E R White in December 1850 to the north as far as the River Murray.
Executive Council
Minute books — Minutes relating to the boundary line
between New South Wales and South Australia, 1846
Relevant minutes in [4/1522] are Minute No.3 of 3 February (page
214) and No.9 of 1 April 1846 (pages 251-53).
CGS 4232,
microfilm copy
SR Reel 2438,
[4/1522]
At the Executive Council meeting on 3 February 1846 the
Governor laid before the Executive Council a Despatch from the
Secretary of State, No.50 of 28 May 1845, together with reports
from the Surveyor General and the Superintendent of Port Phillip
on Governor Grey's proposal respecting the boundary between
New South Wales and South Australia. The matter was stood over
until the Council's meeting on 1 April.
At its meeting on 1 April the Executive Council decided that the
"natural Boundaries recommended by Governor Grey were not
distinct or perfect enough to justify so large a concession of
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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