Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/65

 The Founders ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 39 resolutions were carried declaring that land owners should be allowed to proceed to their colonising work immediately, and that they were willing to have a portion of their town acres surveyed at the harbor, Mr. John Brown moved, and Mr. John Morphett seconded, "That this meeting considers that the Surveyor-General, William Light, P:.sq., has most ably and judiciously discharged the responsible duty assigned to him by the Commissioners, and is fully entitled to their confidence in every respect." Notwithstanding the previous dissension, this motion was carried, which showed that at least a substantial majority of those present — the most influential of the colonists — were willing to trust Colonel Light. It might be said that, though the result of this public meeting gave offence to some of the officials, it finally settled the question of the site of Adelaide. Governor Hindmarsh, perhaps because he felt that a blow had been struck to the dignity of his Commemoration Day at Glenelg — Looking South power, could not let the question quietly drop, but added to the vexations already put in the way of Colonel Light. He would have shown greater wisdom had he more carefully considered the instructions to the latter, but for an officer to disagree with his superior seemed to be an offence to autocracy. He proposed that the capital should be removed to Encounter Bay, and appealed to the Colonising Commissioners in England to that effect. At the same time he complained to them strongly about Colonel Light. His answer was such as must have caused the flush of anger to rise to his cheeks. He was quiedy told that " when he applied for the office of Governor he was distinctly informed that the right of selecting the capital would be vested solely in the Surveyor-General " ; also that, in pressing the Board to cede this right, he was " seeking for an extension of power inconsistent with the principle of the Colony"; and that "a Governor of South