South Australia - A New Colony

New Colony of South Australia
In the year 1829 a society, called the National Colonization Society, was formed, for the purpose of explaining to the public the plan of colonization on which the new province of South Australia is to be founded. The members of the Society were few, but they were ardent and assiduous: they encountered contempt, prejudice, and scorn; but they went on regardless of such opposition, and published to the world a statement of their plan...

In 1830 the plan of the South Australian Land Company was laid before the public. ... it contemplated making provision for the governments of the province, and purchasing a large tract of land of the Government at the price of 5s. per acre.

After some correspondence, in November, 1833, I proposed the formation of the South Australian Association, and was were fortunate enough to secure for it the powerful assistance of Mr. Grote, Mr. Clay, Mr. Ward, and those other gentlemen whose names are so familiar to you as forming the committee of that Association, through whose influence the Bill was brought into Parliament, and carried triumphantly, which has become the charter of South Australia. (Extracts from Robert Gouger's toast September 1835)

After making certain changes to their initial proposal, which was a republic, a Draft of an Act of Parliament was presented to Mr. Lefevre as a private communication by Robert Gouger on the 17th April 1834.

The following was point No. 11 AN ACT to authorize His Majesty to frame Laws and appoint Officers for South Australia, and to appoint Comissioners for managing the Colonization of the said Province with respect to Waste Lands and Emigration; and for raising Funds for the Purposes of Colonial Government.

This Act also specified the boundaries of the proposed Province, the system of local executive government, the appointment of the Board of Commissioners, the land and emigration scheme to be adopted, and the following unique self-government clause.