The full content of this document is only available to subscribing institutions. More information can be found via www.amdigital.co.uk

Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters to the Colonial Office. Australia, 1844-1845
Author Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick; Lefevre, Sir J G S; Wood, C Alexander
Date 23 Apr 1844 - 28 Jul 1845
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/62
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Copies of out-letters, the majority to Sir James Stephen, some for the attention of Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The correspondence largely relates to the sale of land, individual claims upon the government from colonial landowners and colonial governments, the supply of labour, regulating the sale of land (including beyond existing colonial boundaries), surveying, and conditions in the Antipodean colonies. An index is included at the end of the volume.
Series Description This series contains original correspondence, entry books and registers of the Agent General for Emigration, the South Australian Commissioners and the Land and Emigration Commission. Amongst the miscellaneous contents are registers of births and deaths of emigrants at sea 1854-1869, lists of ships chartered 1847-1875, registers of surgeons appointed 1854-1894, and volumes of The Colonial Gazette 1838-1842.
Biographical Note / History A Colonial Land and Emigration Commission was created in 1840 to undertake the duties of two earlier and overlapping authorities which were both under the supervision of the Secretary of State. These were the Colonisation Commissioners for South Australia, established under an Act of 1834, and the Agent General for Emigration, appointed in 1837. The new commission dealt with grants of land, the outward movement of settlers, the administration of the Passengers' Acts of 1855 and 1863 and, from 1846 to 1859, the scrutiny of colonial legislation. In 1855 it became the Emigration Commission. In 1873 the administration of the Passengers' Acts was transferred to the Board of Trade. The commission's powers were gradually given up to the larger colonies as they obtained self-government, and after 1873 its only duties were the control of the importation of Indian indentured labour into sugar-producing colonies and it was abolished in 1878.
Theme(s) Politics, Legislation and Governance; Motives for Emigration; Colonisation Companies and Emigration Societies; Journey Conditions
Country (from) Great Britain
Country (to) Australia
Places London, England; New Zealand; Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, Australia
Ports Port Phillip, Victoria, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Bombay, India; Greenock, Scotland
Nationality English; European
Ships Herald; Agricola; Eleanor; Royal Consort
People Earl of Derby (Smith-Stanley, Sir Edward); Gipps, George; Franklin, Sir John; Grey, Sir George; Arthur, Colonel George; Brisbane, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas; Stirling, Admiral Sir James; Stephen, Sir James
Keywords emigration, agriculture, labour, land sale, land price, money, assisted emigration, quarantine, agent, eligibility, surveying, New Zealand Company, mining, allotments, squatting, claims
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK