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 1em "The undersigned, being members of the Provisional Committee of the South Australian Association, have the honour to transmit to Mr. Secretary Stanley two interleaved copies of the draft of a charter.

"The papers which were laid before Mr. Secretary Stanley on the 23rd of January last had been drawn up with a view rather to afford information to the public as to the general principles and objects of the Association, than to specify the details of the proposed undertaking. In the accompanying draft, therefore, though it contains nothing contrary to the plan which had been framed for public information, there will be found numerous provisions which did not appear in the other printed statements. The most important o£ these added provisions relate to the control of His Majesty's Government over the acts of the corporation; and some of them have been inserted expressly with a view to meet certain objections which had occurred to Mr. Secretary Stanley, and which were expressed by him to the deputation from the committee. It may be remarked, also, that the powers proposed to be conferred by the present charter are much less extensive and far more under the control of His Majesty's Government than those conferred by any previous charter for similar purposes.

"The substitution of the word 'Commissioners' for that of 'Trustee' is not a merely verbal change; for it indicates, and will draw attention to the fact, that the persons acting under the charter would be servants of the supreme Government, and quite as much subject to its control as the members of any Royal Commission.

"Supposing that the measure in its present shape should have Mr. Secretary Stanley's approbation, the committee would propose that before the introduction of a bill authorising His Majesty to grant the charter, ample security should be given to His Majesty's Govern-