Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/406

 38o ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Mr.c.F.Angas State aid." He also advocated the following provisions in the proposed colony: — " i. The exclusion of convicts. 2. The concentration of the settlers. 3. The taking out of persons of capital and intelligence, and especially men of piety. 4. The emigration of young couples of good character. 5. Free trade, free government, and freedom in matters of religion." He greatly influenced the work of the committee in drafting the charter. After two years of endeavor, a Bill was carried in the British Parliament in 1834 providing for the administration of the proposed Province by a Board of Colonising Commissioners, and Mr. Angas was by Sir Robert Peel's Government appointed one of the Commissioners, Colonel Torrens, M.P., was President of the Board, and Mr. (afterwards Sir) Rowland Hill Secretary. The Act declared that the Province could not be founded until land to the value of ^35,000 was disposed of and a loan of ^20,000 had been raised. The first Board experienced difficulties and complications, and gave way to a second Board, of which Mr. Angas was also a member. Divers methods were adopted to raise the required ^35,000 to enable the Commissioners to establish the Province, but all failed. It was now that Mr. Angas concentrated his energies on attaining success. He suggested that a Joint .Stock Company should be formed to purchase the land. At first his fellow Commissioners did not agree with him in this plan ; but eventually they came round to his view. The price of the land had been raised from I2s. per acre, the minimum prescribed in the Act, to £1, the maximum. Mr. Angas, with two or three other gentlemen, offered to purchase the whole of the unsold land, and the offer was accepted. The money was forthcoming on September 29, 1835. and Mr. Angas and his supporters at once proceeded to form a company, to which the land was to be handed over at cost price, with interest at 5 per cent. By October 1 5 the company was formed, and Mr. Angas was elected Chairman of Directors. The arrangements were completed with wonderful expedition, and the company sent the first vessel to the Province. It " raised a capital of ^300,000, to be employed, not only in the purchase of land, but also in forwarding settlers to the Colony, establishing whale fisheries, introducing pastoral and agricultural pursuits, and in many other ways providing employment and stimulating production in the new settlement." In all this Mr. Angas was the central and commanding figure. Artisans and producers were introduced into the new Province, and often led the way in establishing industries. Schoolmasters were .sent out under the auspices of the South Australian School Society, of which Mr. Angas was a founder, and educational advantages were given to the colonists, which were greatly appreciated. In 1838 he enabled to emigrate under Pastor Kavel numerous German families who were suffering a religious persecution in Prussia. It was thus that he helped to "stay a religious persecution," to u.se Hodder's words. He co-operated actively with the Aborigines' Protection Society, and in 1838 assisted the Dre.sden Missionary Society to despatch the Revs. Teichelmann and Schurmann to work among the natives. In the same year he assisted Mr. John Stephens in compiling a history of South Australia, and "in refuting certain calumnies which had been published respecting the Colony." He encouraged persons to emigrate by disseminating information concerning the resources of South Australia, delivered lectures through England on the subject, and bore the greater part of the expense of publishing newspapers advocating South Australian interests.