Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/78

 52 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Builders Colonel Gawler formally began his work on October 17. He was presented with several addresses, all expressing the hope that he would inaugurate a new era in the life of the colonists, that he would remove all vexatious hindrances, and establish a policy that would lead to prosperity. Above all things, it was for him to effectually dispel the spirit of discortl. His position was a grave one. notwithstanding that the capital city had been fixed, that numbers of people had entered upon their country selections, and that experiences had been gained which were as milestones to judge by. Because of these things, and as he was vested with the authority of Ciovernor and Commissioner ot Crown Lands, there could be no excuse if he quarrelled with his officers. The condition of the finances was critical. The Commissioners gave him enlarged financial powers. They declared South Australia to be in principle a self-supporting Province, but, when the revenue fund was insufficient to pay accounts fully due, they said he could draw upon the Emigration Eund, and when that was insufficient he could draw bills of exchange upon the Commissioners, although no accounts so drawn were to aggregate more than ;/i^2.500 per quarter, or ;/^ 10,000 per )'ear. In a letter written to the Commissioners within a fortnight of his arrival, Colonel Gawler referred to the state of the Province. The constant stream of immigrants had again increased the value of cit)' property, and the profits of capitalists were great. Provisions, wages, and house rent were exceedingly high. Some 21,000 acres of even the preliminary land purchases were unsurveyed, and very many of the subsequent purchases were unprovided for. Though the public officers were much beyond the authorised number, Governor Gawler was convinced that, with the consent of the Council, he must keep, and jjrobably increase, them. To retain the servants of the Government, he must increase their salaries proportionate with those of private individuals. His instructions, he wrote, permitted him to draw on England to the amount of ;^io,ooo per annum, and yet upwards of ^12,000 had already been drawn for the year 1838. "The Tresuiury," he continued, "is absolutely empty, and public debts to a considerable amount have been incurred ; urgent demands are made for payment, and the credit of Government is therefore injuriously low." He was persuaded that the prospects of the colony were most jiromising, and he was confident that a proportionately large revenue might be raised. Hut until care and exertion reduced public expenditure, he concluded, 'T must surpass my instructions, and look to England for considerable unauthorised jjecuniary assistance." Eurther examination proved to Colonel Gawler that the situation was more complicated than he at first supposed. In managing the public departments there had been a lack of system ; records of public accounts and of the issue of stores had been badly kept ; com])lications had arisen in the dispo.sal of land l)ecause the surveys could not keep pace with the demand ; the town was congested with immigrants who were leaving the country districts ; capital was flowing to Sydney and Van Diemen Land for the necessaries of life as rapidly as it arrived from P^ngland ; a gaol, a Government House,