CO885-(1-2) — Page 120

of this colony has by the energy and firmness of the Governor, Sir Gaspard Le, Marchant, been car- ried through two winters without any other assist- ance than the money subscribed by the public and voted by Parliament on the occasion of the fire in the summer of 1846. More than this, a pernicious system of affording indiscriminate relief to the poorer classes during the winter from the public revenue has been put a stop to; the relief which it has been necessary to grant has been adminis- tered with the most severe economy, and labour has been obtained in return for it, by which roads of the utmost importance to the future progress of the colony have been opened. Notwithstanding the traditionary belief which has been entertained for more than 200 years that the climate of New- foundland was altogether unsuited to the growth of corn, the inhabitants have been induced by the Governor to attempt its cultivation; complete suc- cess has attended the experiment, and for the first time in its history bread has been made from wheat grown in the island. Agriculture is likely to be rapidly extended and the condition of the people to be in consequence greatly improved.

The eastern districts of the Cape of Good Hope when the present Government came into office were suffering the most frightful calamities from the irruption of the Kaffirs. Within a very short time after our appointment, additional troops were dispatched to the colony, and Sir H. Pottinger was sent to assume the Government, and upon his going to Madras he was replaced by Sir H. Smith. The result has been that the savages have been completely subdued and placed under a system of government which affords every reason to hope that security will in future be effectually maintained, partly by the aid of these very Kaffirs themselves, some hundreds of whom have been formed into a very valuable police force. A great part of the large military force assembled at the Cape has been withdrawn, and by allowing a considerable number of the soldiers belonging to the regiments who have been brought home, to obtain their discharge, and by settling them in villages on the frontier, much has been done for the safety of the colony

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

9

Reference:-

PLC.O. 885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

THE-Page 121

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

7

without incurring any expense, as the cost of form. ing these military settlements has actually proved less than that of the return passages of these men would have been had they been brought home in the ordinary manner.

The Emigrant Boers beyond our frontier, instead of being left in their former lawless state have been subjected to a system of government which is to be mainly administered by themselves, and which though rude and simple, will, as I believe, suffice to main- tain a tolerable degree of security for the persons and properties of both the European and native inhabitants of these remote regions.

The rebellion in the course of last year of some of these people, who were discontented at being subjected to any description of authority, was by the energy of the Governor completely subdued within two months, which short space of time was sufficient for him to receive the intelligence of what had occurred about 700 miles from Cape Town, to draw together a sufficient force and proceed himself to the scene of action, to cross the Orange River, and after one sharp skirmish to obtain the entire submission of the insurgents. Nor is it the least remarkable part of this affair that the expense of the military operations which were required have been defrayed by fines levied on the offenders.

Emigration in the meantime has been directed to the Cape, and to the valuable dependent settle- ment of Natal. Inquiries have also been in pro- gress with a view to the creation of a Representative Government for the Cape colony, and the arrange- ments for accomplishing this great object will very soon be completed.

In the Australian colonies the last two years have

also been a period of rapid advance.

In New South Wales the question as to the terms upon which the owners of sheep and cattle should be permitted to occupy for pastoral purposes the vast extent of land not yet required for more permanent settlement, had for some years prior to 1846 given rise to much excitement and discontent; it has now been satisfactorily adjusted by an Order in Council made by Her Majesty in 1847 by virtue of an Act of Parliament which was proposed and