Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/76

 50 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Bdiders writes:- "Of Colonel Light's zeal and efficiency in the service there can be but one opinion, and his bearing was always that of a most efficient officer and a gentleman." Mr. Gouger. Mr. Stow, Mr. Hodder, besides Mr. H. T. Finniss and other pioneers of South .Australia, who recognised the difficulties uikUt which he labored, agree in their laudatory remarks concerning the unfortunate Surveyor-Cieneral, the founder of the City of Adelaide. Before Colonel Light's death, howe-er, there were other changes in the administnition. The evils of divided authority were quickly apparent, even to the Colonising Commissioners in England. Complaints were made against the Governor and the Resident Commissioner. Those concerning Captain Hindmarsh blamed him for interfering with the Surveyor-General, for assuming some of the powers delegated to the Resident Commissioner, for incurring expenses without authority, and for suspending and discharging public officers without sufficient cause. The Commissioners laid these complaints before the Secretary for the Colonies, Lord Glenelg, and asked that Captain Hindmarsh be recalled. Mr. Ei.sher (who in 1837 was thought to have committed an error of judgment in putting the town lots up for auction before a larger congregation of people had arrived), as an enquiry made some years later pro'ed, was undeserving of blame, but the Commissioners dismissed him from office. At the same time the Board, aware of the anomaly of the situation, advised that the duties of Resident Commissioner should henceforth be confided to the Governor. Lord Glenelg agreed with this view, and the new Governor was gazetted to the two offices. The Secretary for the Colonies wrote to the Province, recalling Captain Hindmarsh, and the news reached Adelaide in June, 1838. After receiving a complimentary address from a number of colonists. Captain Hindmarsh left South Australia on July 14, in H.M.S. Alligator, and Mr. G. M. Stephen, Advocate-General, administered the affairs of the IVovince during the interregnum. Although the retiring Governor's term of office was not satisfactory, it must not be a.ssumed that he was entirely in error. He held a difficult position, and one, like the others, that was extremely unpleasant. Those who permitted decisive administrative authority to be vested in more than one person merit censure, for he would have to be uncommonly tolerant, patient, and modest who, in a Crown colony, could calmly fill such high offices as Governor and Commander-in-Chief, and be surrounded by subordinates in name who were independent in fact. Captain Hindmarsh, while interested in the pro.sperity of South Australia, could not brook, being a naval officer, so unusual and anomalous a situation. With independent judgment he would have been more successful, but he was in the wrong place. He was ajipointed Governor of Heligoland, and died at the age of 78 yeans, or 71 years after entering the service of his country. Mr. Fisher, after being relieved from his appointment, devoted his attention to the law. which he had jiractised in England. He became leader of the local Bar, and 1837, Mr. Gouger, the energetic projector, was suspended from office, and returned to
 * )ursued a distinguished career in the Province until his death in 1875. In November,