Page:Handbook of Western Australia.djvu/93

Rh success; £5000 were offered for the discovery of a gold field, and money voted for a Geologist to examine and report on the Colony.

The arrival of Governor Weld, in September, 1869, gave an impulse to further efforts in favour of Representative Institutions, it having been concluded, from words spoken publicly and officially in England, that he was fully prepared to further them with the consent of the Imperial Government; and accordingly in 1870 An Ordinance, No. 13, was issued for the division of the Colony into electoral districts and the election of members to the Legislative Council, under the provisions of 13th and 14th Vic, c. 59, which was accordingly constituted. It consisted of five nominee members, three being official, viz.: the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, and the Surveyor General, and two unofficial; the number of elected members was ten; subsequently two were added and one nominee member. The Council met the same year. It did not, however, realize fully the anticipations which had been formed respecting it, for although the control over the finances, and freedom of voting of nominee members were conceded, the ultimate decision in all cases was still reserved to the Imperial Government. An opposition was accordingly organized, and, the forms of the Imperial Parliament having been adopted, the Colonial Secretary assumed the duties of Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The constitution of elected Town Trusts and Road Boards was another step towards self-government made at this time. By the Education Act all denominational religious teaching was made optional in the Government Schools, and by the transfer of the stipends of Colonial Chaplains from the accounts of the Establishment to the Miscellaneous