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Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters from the South Australian Colonization Office, 1838-1840
Author Barnes, George; Torrens, Robert; Villiers, Sir Edward
Date 12 Jan 1838 - 29 Dec 1840
Document Type Correspondence; Financial Papers
Reference CO 386/15
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Copies of out-letters sent by Robert Torrens, Chairman of the South Australian Association, and accounts compiled by George Barnes, dated 13 July 1838. The vast majority of letters are addressed to Sir James Stephen and for the attention of successive Secretaries of State for War and the Colonies, covering the surveying, settlement, security, finances and administration of the colony, including the recall and replacement of Governor Hindmarsh. An index of correspondents is included at the start 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; Ships and Shipping Lines
Country (from) Great Britain
Country (to) Australia
Places South Australia, Australia; London, England
Ports Plymouth, England; Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Nationality English; European
Ships Rajasthan; HMS Buffalo; Lord Goderich; Canton; Trusty; Pestonjee Bomanjee
People Stephen, Sir James; Marquess of Normanby (Phipps, Constantine Henry); Earl Russell (Russell, Lord John); Gawler, George; Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick; Hindmarsh, John
Keywords emigration, administration, politics, agriculture, land price, money, religion, clergy, accounts, finance, shipping, port, customs, settlement, defence, surveying, tax, expenses, expenditure, agent
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK