Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/48

 j2 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Architects wrote Mr. John Stephens in his "Rise and Progress of South Australia" (1839), "is the first attempt in the history of colonis;ition to plant a colony upon correct principles —to ensure to the laborer employment and to the capitalist an ample supply of labor." Colonel Torrens, Mr. Gouger, and other authorities, lauded the same policy with judicious enthusiasm. Taking the Act as a whole, however, grave and tedious difficulties were certain to arise before some of its stipulations could be complied with. Three or four explorers had described portions of the new country ; and that was all that was really known of it. The romantic and adventurous might deem these stories quite sufficient, but the cold business man would not be satisfied. It was not likely that he would invest capital in land in a remote country without more specific information, or some assurance that his title would be secured by the actual foundation of the Province. The Act embraced several features of a charter of a Crown colony. The title to public lands was to come from Commissioners, and not direct from the Crown, and no royalty or reservation was made. A Board of Commissioners was appointed, and was composed of J. W. Childers, M.P., W. Clay. M.P.. G. Grote, M.P., G. W. Norman, Colonel Torrens, M.P., and W. W. Whitmore, M.P. (chairman). The historical founder of the Penny Postal System, Mr. I<wland Hill, became secretary to the Board. The members met at intervals, and their discussions centred on the problem of raising the money which had to be invested in land before they could enter upon their powers. It was more than they could manage, and when a change of Ministr)- took place at the end of 1834, they resigned. Lord Glenelg became Secretary of State for the Colonies, and on May 5, 1835 — his first public act on taking office he appointed a new Board: G. F. Angas, E. Barnard, W. Hutt, John Geo. .Shaw Lefevre, W. A. Mackinnon, M.P., S. Mills, Jacob Montefiore, G. Palmer, jun., J.Wright. Colonel R. Torrens, F.R.S. (chairman); Rowland Hill was re-appointed secretary. As was pointed out by Colonel Torrens, South Australia was an unexplored wilderness ; therefore the difficulty experienced in raising the required guarantee can be perceived. The new members entered upon their duties with courage and inflexibility not unlike that of the explorer, confronted by desolate wastes, who determines to surmount every obstacle for the sjike of posterity. They proceeded on methodical lines. Offices had to be obtained, clerks and iigents employed, and the principles and prospects of the new province explained to the public. Regulations for the sale of lands were published in June, 1835, and it was considered advisable to fix the price at 20s. i)er acre rather than at the minimum, 12s. Circulars, majjs, and appeals were issued ; a loan of ^1,000 was raised ; agents of experience were engaged ; but the required acreage of land was not disposed of. " It was at this juncture." writes Mr. Hodder, " that one of the Commissioners, Mr. George Fife Angas, a wealthy merchant, who had for .some years been quietly working in the interests of the pro[)Osed new colony, came forward as leader of the forlorn hope, brought forward and carried into effect a scheme, without which the colonisation of South Australia under the conditions of the Act of Parliament would have been utterly impossible."