SOUTH AUSTRALIA THE THIRD ORIGINAL COLONY.
This province was originally carved out of that part of the colony of New South Wales lying between the meridians 132° and 141° E. longitude, bounded on the north by the 26° parallel of S. latitude and on the south by the Southern Ocean. This region was never occupied, or settled, by the New South Wales government. On 15 Aug. 1834, the Act 4 and 5 Wm. IV, c. 95, entitled "An Act to empower His Majesty to erect South Aus tralia into a British Possession or Province, and to provide for the Colonization Thereof* was passed. It did not purport to separate the territory from New South Wales; it seemed to contemplate the whole of that part of the con tinent as not being subject to any prior statutory authority. It empowered the King to appoint a governor and colonization commissioners, who were to have the control of the Crown lands, with power to survey and sell the same, and to employ a portion of the money so derived in conducting the immigration of laborers from Great Britain. In the exercise of these powers the province was erected; a governor, a judge, seven commissioners and other officials were appointed. The governor, with the concurrence of the chief justice, the colonial secretary and advocate-general, or two of them, was authorized to make laws and impose taxes. Captain (afterward Sir) John K. Hindmarsh was appointed the first governor.
On 28 Dec. 1836, Governor Hindmarsh ar rived at Glenelg and proclaimed the establish ment of the government. He was succeeded on 12 Oct. 1838, by Governor Gawler, during whose term of office the settlement became in volved in debt to the extent of 1281,842. Gaw ler was recalled (May 1841), and a radical change was made in the government of the colony; the office of Colonization Commission in London was abolished; South Australia was made a Crown colony, the government was vested in the Secretary of States for the Colonies. Captain (afterward Sir) George Grey was appointed governor, and almost abso lute power was entrusted to him.
In 1$42 the Act 5 and 6 Vic., c. 61, entitled °An Act to provide for the better government of South Australia)) was passed. Under it a
nominated Legislative Council, consisting of the governor and seven other persons resident in the colony, was created, having power to make laws for its government. On 25 Oct. 1845, Cap tain Grey was transferred to New Zealand, and Lieutenant-Colonel Robe acted as governor for a short time. His successor was Sir Henry Fox Young, to whom the colony was indebted for an extensive main road system, and the insti tution of local government in the shape of district councils.
A Representative Under the Act 13 and 14 Vic., c. 59 (5 Aug. 1850), the Legisla tive Council then established in South Australia was authorized to establish another Legislative Council consisting of not more than 24 mem bers, one-third of whom were to be appointed by the Crown and the remainder were to be elected by the qualified inhabitants. This new Council was authorized to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the province and to impose rates and taxes. On 21 July 1851, this Council consisting of 24 mem bers was duly constituted.
The New In 1853 the Legis lative Council of South Australia, in pursuance of powers conferred by section 32 of the Act 13 and 14 Vic., c. 59, passed a bill to establish a bicameral legislature for South Australia, consisting of a Legislative Council and a House of Assembly. This bill was reserved for the Queen's assent but it was disallowed. Subse quently a second bill to create a bicameral leg islature was introduced in the Council and passed. It provided for the creation of two elective Houses to take the place of the Council created by the Act 13 and 14 Vic., c. 59. This bill eventually received the Royal assent, and is sometimes called the °Constitution Acts of South Australia. It contained provisions and machinery somewhat similar to the Constitu tion Act of Victoria. The suffrage for the Assembly was manhood coupled with registra tion and residence. Both Houses were chosen by ballot which was adopted on the motion of Francis S. Dutton, afterward Premier.