Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/132

 106 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Legislators The third son of Colonel Sir Aretas W. Young, and godson of General Edward Henry Fox. brother of the celebrated Whig statesman, Sir Henry Young was possessed of a good colonial training. He was born at Brabourne, near Ashford, Kent, on April 23, 1810. and was educated at Deans' School, Bromley, Middlesex. At first intended for the Bar he chose an official career, and on quitting school was appointed to the Colonial Treiisury at Trinidad. He served as aide-de-camp under Sir Benjamin d'Urban at Demerara, and subsequently at St. Lucia filled such offices as secretary, treasurer, and puisne judge of the Supreme Court. In 1847 he was knighted, and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the eastern districts of the Cape of Good Hope. Owing to a renewal of the Kaffir war, the Imperial Government transferred him to South Australia, believing that a civil Lieutenant-Governor was not required at the former place at such a crisis. Sir Henry Pottinger, the Governor and High Commissioner, recommended that his useful services should be retained at Grahamstown, where Sir Henry Young had been stationed for eight months, but before the despatches could be answered he had left the country. A fortnight before leaving Elngland for this Province, Sir Henry Young, now 38 years old, had married the eldest daughter of Charles Marryat, of Park Field, Potter's Bar, who was a niece of the celebrated novelist. Captain Marryat. No organised welcome was accorded to Governor Young on his arrival in South Australia, but on August 2 he was the recipient of an address, in replying to which he gave expression to the views which seemed to govern his whole administration. He advocated the circulation of scientific information among farmers and pastoralists, and the formation ot " self-supporting voluntary associations to receive, record, and arrange any accounts and specimens transmitted to them of mining operations." He also explained " that the sphere of official government was wisely limited, and that the numerous methods of social advancement in all free countries should derive their origin, maintenance, and progre.ss from the energies and resources of private individuals." In November, when the Legi-slative Council met, he further foreshadowed his policy : " It only remains for me, . . . to give my sincere assurance that whether the laj)se of time that may occur before representative institutions be conceded to South Australia be long or short — and my wish is that it may be brief — I am cordially desirous, as far as my power extends, to join with this Council as now constituted only in such legislation as shall be in unison with the general opinion of the colonists." The inconsiderate, and often antagonistic, policy of Governor Robe — especially in the matters of State aid to religion, and the royalty on minerals — had stimulated in the minds of .South Australians a desire for a representative constitution. In that sense his administration .served a good purpose from a historical point of view, for his successor quickly showed that he was sympathetic in this and other important questions, and earned from Hodder the somewhat extravagant description of "an ideal Governor." On August 17, the Governor proved the sincerity of his desire to serve colonists by boldly suspending the imposition of the obnoxious royalty on minerals until the Queen's pleasure