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Councillors, who was at the same time the Town Clerk. But the Lieutenant-Governor (Hindmarsh) entered upon his government ander somewhat troubled circumstances. Having had the mis- fortune to fall into the hands of a couple of designing persons, who made booty of his ignorance of everything, he next proceeded to contest the payment of his predecessor's cup of honour from the local chest; and he then entered upon a further contest which ended in his complete discomfiture.

"He is a brave old seaman, &c.; had been Governor of South Australia, and founded its present capital, &c.

"It is singular enough that it should have fallen to the lot of the Midshipman of the Bellerophon' to be cast, as if by shipwreck, on the little island of the North Sea. Hindmarsh was certainly well sequainted with the rules which he had to adminis- ter on a quarter-deck; but of the right and wrong of things in Heligoland, he knew nothing, and fell from one mistake into another. In some proceeding of 1842, he took occasion to characterize sharply opinion of the Councillors which ascribed the suppression of a house-mortgage to some mistaken feeling of honour, as most unworthy of the conser- vators, under myself, of public faith and morals.' A Wardsman, the brother-in-law of the Town Clerk Block, brought this forward at the next meeting of the local representatives. In reporting to the Governor, Block asserted that he was not aware of the case; the Councillors had not been present: bat, this having been disproved, the Governor then proceeded to inquiries which yielded different results. Franz made a statement in favour of his friend Block, which did not agree with other accounts of the affair: Block had just come in when the motion was being read,' &c. Finally, Hindmarsh dismissed the Wardsman and the two Councillors: Block, for a false report in his official capacity; Franz, for an inaccurate statement, and because the commune had the right to expect 'sincerity and truth on the suit of justice.' He rather unnecessarily referred, at the same time, to the old Ordinance, touching Assemblies of the Commme; politely adding that, if they thought proper to write to the Minister, he would be happy

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to forward their application; but still expressing his conviction that the Councillors who had been present at the meeting, and subscribed their names to the Protocol, would long bear in mind the example he had made of their colleagues. This they certainly found occasion for doing, although not exactly in the sense contemplated by the Lieu- tenant-Governor. The dismissed Councillors sent

in complaints against the unlawfulness, the impro- priety, the inconsiderate haste, and the severity of his conduct; they even went personally to London, and, after the lapse of some months, were restored to office. Since that time the seal of the Lieu- tenant-Governor appears to have become completely cooled. His interference is now exercised only when it becomes unavoidable: ' I don't know ;'* I have not power;' 'I will take it into consideration,' &c. And

yet there is so much which might be done, and which might so easily be accomplished, if only properly introduced, witheyt particularly disturbing the

repose of the gentlemen in Downing Street. The Vorsteherschaft has, from time immemorial, with the co-operation of the functionaries of the Sovereign, exercised a sort of right of legislation in local affairs. But in older and in modern times Landesbe. liebungen or Ordinances for the government of pilots and of the fisheries, for the regulation of sporting, and similar subjects, have been carried into effect. The Court of Justice has continually governed itself by these Ordinances.

"The most ancient Landesbeliebung is dated the 12th January, 1587. It contains fourteen Articles in the low German idiom called 'Platt Deutsch,' which were instituted by the Landrogt Richquart Erichsen, with the will and knowledge of the whole people, and, at their request, approved by Duke John Adolphus on the 3rd of May, 1696. professes to be the renewal of an older regulation which had fallen into desuetude, and is styled 'the Hillige (or Heligoland) Beliebung and Law, as they

have expressly been from age to age.'

It

"On the 28th December, 1815, a second Belie- bung was made, with the certain knowledge of the justice men, and, in 1618, on Esto Mihi Sunday, enacted and subscribed by certain persons on the

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference

PETIT CO. 885

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