 |
| View of Frederick Town, King Georges Sound, at the expiration of the first year of its settlement Feby. 7th 1828 / N.D. and I.S.N. |
BY GEORGE FLETCHER MOORE, ESQ.
Written in September 1843.
1835.
February. — Public meeting to memorialise the Home Government touching various grievances.
March. — Valuation of land, houses, and stock — amount of available security £219,739.
Important proceedings in the Legislative Council as to the appropriation of the public funds.
Serious loss of sheep, goats, and cattle, from poison, in transit over the hills.
Morfy and Twine speared by the natives at the Half-way-house; Morfy died of the wounds.
3,000 acres of land sold at 4½d. an acre.
June. — 6th anniversary of the establishment of the colony celebrated at Perth.
Considerable benefit felt to be derived from the institution for natives at Eliza Bay.
Gogali, a native lad, shot accidentally in Perth; the father and other relatives accepted a compensation.
York natives become very daring and commit several aggressions.
July. — Considerable improvements made on the York road.
August. — A Book Society established at Perth.
Captain Daniell died at Perth.
Some very stormy weather.
October. — Annual fair and meeting of the agriculturists at Guildford.
Contract for fresh meat is. 2d. per lb.
Captain Armstrong takes a seat in both Councils as senior officer in command.
November. — Serious loss of cattle experienced by a party crossing from the Hotham River through the Darling Range.
1,360 acres of land on the York road sold at 6d. an acre.
Destructive hail storm at York.
December. — First American vessel arrived in the port.
Very abundant harvest.
Prospects of the colony cheering, and settlers generally in high spirits.
Land under crop was 2,579 acres.
Horses 167, horned cattle 646, sheep 5,138, goats 657, swine 550.
27 ships arrived during the year, bringing 96 passengers; estimated amount of imports £50,727.
50 bales of wool were exported.
Total amount of ships, &c, up to this date from 1829 — Ships, 163; tonnage, 32,000; imports, £394,095.
Passengers landed, 2,281.
1836.
January. — A public meeting at Perth, when a committee was established "for receiving and forwarding communications respecting this colony."
Grand fete at Government house on the occasion of christening the Infant Agnes Stirling.
Contract for fresh meat 2s. 2d. per lb.
A Brewing establishment in Perth.
February. — Specimens of grapes exhibited at the Agricultural Society meeting.
Contract to supply 1,200 bushels of wheat to government at average of 7s. a bushel.
Fruits are now abundant.
Natives peaceable and serviceable.
Contract to erect a Court-house for £698.
March. — General attention directed to establishing farms in the interior.
Property in towns deteriorated in value.
Resources of farmer and grazier steadily, though slowly improving.
Colonial hops grown.
April. — Meeting of inhabitants of Guildford, Middle and Upper Swan, appoint a committee to address the Archbishop of Canterbury on the subject of Clergymen.
Animated discussion in Legislative Council on estimates for 1837.
A board appointed for adjustment of claims upon persons indebted to the crown.
May. — Arrangements for opening a communication overland with King George's Sound.
Boy 7 years old lost in the bush for 28 days and recovered alive, having subsisted on gum.
Moore river and fine pastoral country discovered in its vicinity.
The "Lady Stirling," the first vessel built of colonial timber launched at Perth.
June. — 7th anniversary of the establishment of the colony celebrated at Perth.
Two natives shot near York in the act of carrying off property from a store.
July. — Missionary from the Western Australian Missionary Society (now the Colonial Church Society) arrives.
August. — Sale of merino sheep; average price, £5 per head.
Whale fishing company established at Fremantle.
Eight cwt. of gum brought in by the natives in exchange for flour from the Government.
September. — Foundation-stone of a church for the Western Australian Mission laid at Guildford by Sir James Stirling.
Gratuitous distribution of flour to natives as a reward for continued good conduct in this neighbourhood.
Knott murdered at York by natives, and his house burned.
October. — A second newspaper published in the colony.
Annual fair, ploughing match, and races with, thorough-bred horses, at Guildford.
The Surveyor-General, J. S. Roe, Esq., started on an extensive excursion to the eastward, accompanied by G. F. Moore, Esq., and others.
Contract for building Public Offices taken by several artisans.
November. — The Champion schooner purchased as a colonial Government vessel for £1,500.
9th. — Eclipse of the Sun, nearly total.
Discussion about land regulations, and the propriety of presenting a petition to the Home Government to suspend the regulations for a period, and to give grants on the terms originally promulgated, limiting the quantity to 2,500 acres ; all above which to be purchased at 3s. an acre.
Trepang fishing company projected.
December. — Harvest productive.
Wheat the principal medium of exchange or purchase.
Whales very numerous at King George's Sound Agricultural Society's 6th annual report.
Total acres under crop, 2,000.
Sheep, 8,527.
Goats, 1,289.
Horned cattle, 829.
Horses 216.
Swine 819.
Prices of Ewes from £2 to £4.
Cows from £18 to £20.
Horses from £30 to £100
1837.
January. — Colonial Act passed modifying and adopting the English law relative to the publication of newspapers, &c.
First bank established in the colony; capital £10,000.
Question agitated as to the propriety of exporting agricultural produce to the Mauritius.
February. — Northern Fishery Company established.
Several depredations committed by the natives at York and on the Canning River.
Price of £5 and £2 respectively fixed for allotments in the several towns in the colony, according to their situation.
Discussion of a project for forming a causeway across the flats.
March. — Fremantle Whaling Company established.
Road opened to King George's Sound.
Tender to supply the troops with fresh meat at 11d. per lb.
The new Court-house opened on Good Friday as a place for public worship.
April. — Several thefts committed by the York natives.
Great scarcity of labour felt, many having engaged themselves with the whaling companies.
June. — Eighth anniversary of the founding of the colony kept at Perth.
Opening of the Western Australian Bank for business.
Barbarous murder of Green, a soldier, and wounding of Mr. Sewell, near Beverley, by the natives, who also are very troublesome in the neighbourhood of Northam, where Mr. Heale was severely wounded by a spear driven through his jaws.
Discussions in the Legislative Council as to the amount of provision proposed for maintenance of the police force, and the mode of its expenditure. The Governor differing from the rest of the Council, the estimates were referred to the Secretary of State.
July. — Six men drowned by the upsetting of a boat.
Depredations committed by the natives on the Canning; a flock of sheep and goats driven off by them.
The natives generally, but more particularly in the York district, emboldened by impunity, and by the forbearance or inactivity of the settlers, and the absence of any public measures for their coercion, become exceedingly daring and audacious. Notices on the subject published by Government. The Native Interpreter was sent among them, and in several ways efforts were made to conciliate them, which were attended by no good result. Jones and Chidlow, two industrious settlers who had gone to commence a farm near Northern, were found lying barbarously murdered. The whole affair was involved in mystery, and great uneasiness and insecurity were felt in all the rural districts. After some time, a clue was obtained by the Hon. G. F. Moore which led to the discovery and publication of the names of forty-two individuals who were concerned in the murder. Active measures were taken for their apprehension and punishment, in which Lieut. Bunbury, of the 21st Regt., was particularly zealous. By these means the natives were completely intimidated, and the entire district was soon restored to a state of tranquillity.
August. — Tenders to Government of 1,500 bushels of wheat; average price 9s. a bushel.
Tunnel at Fremantle commenced.
Appointment of Major Irwin as permanent Commandant of this station.
Permission conceded to surrender land, and make fresh purchase by system of remission certificates. This measure, though a boon to individuals, is considered by many persons to be prejudicial to the colony.
September. — Natives universally well conducted towards the settlers, but engaged in feuds among themselves.
Fresh meat by tender 1s. 1½d. per pound.
October. — No case for trial of a European at the Sessions.
Domesticated native boy killed by Murray River natives in the town of Perth.
November. — Great scarcity of all imported articles, soap 2s. 6d. per lb.
Arrival of H. M. S. Beagle on a surveying expedition.
December. — Two shepherd boys, Hokin and Clewlow, desperately wounded by natives on the Canning River and the flock driven away.
The number of ships arriving during the year was 16.
Value of imports about £50,000.
The number of European residents was computed as only 1,830.
Number of acres under crop .... 1,924½
Of Sheep ..... 10,271
Goats ..... 1,090
Horned stock ..... 837
Horses ..... 254
Swine ..... 704
The colonial revenue ..... £4,586 2s. 5d
Colonial expenditure ..... £4,121 12s. 7d.
Parliamentary expenditure for civil services ... £6,945 17s. 11d.
Commissariat military services £11,544 13s 7d
Value of Exports.
Wool ..... £2,400
Oil ...... 3,200
Whalebone ...... 520
Seal skins ..... 500
Miscellaneous articles ..... 100
Total value of exports ..... £6,720
1838.
January. — Discussions on the subject of the erection of a suitable church in Perth.
Sailing of the Beagle on a voyage of discovery on the north and northwest coasts of Australia.
A Temperance Society established.
Benefit Society of the Sons of Australia established.
Loss of cattle at the Williams district from some inflammatory disease.
February. — Discussion as to formation of a causeway across the flats.
Project for establishing a communication between India and Australia by the Bengal Australian Association. Their first vessel, the Gaillardon, arrives with a few passengers and some stock, but this project has not been followed up with spirit.
March. — Perth Whaling Company dissolved.
Wheat 9s. a bushel, fresh meat 1s. 4d. a lb.
Merino sheep sold by auction at £4 10s. per head.
April. — A native woman speared to death by natives in the streets of Perth.
Much discussion about this time as to the cause of the sudden death of cattle, sheep, and goats in certain districts; some attributing the death to poison, and some to other causes. The Lobelia Hypocrateriformis being suspected by many to be poisonous.
Several outrages and depredations committed by the natives on the Canning.
May. — A number of natives voluntarily came overland from King George's Sound, bringing letters and despatches. One of their objects appeared to be to revenge the treacherous murder of Nirapin (a native of their district) on Garden Island by Yedong and Wolgort, when they were left there for one night by the Champion schooner.
Wyapwirt shot in the act of plundering a mill at night on the Upper Swan.
Remains of the French mariner "Vasse" supposed to be discovered near the Vasse River, so named by the French to commemorate his loss there on their expedition in the year 1800.
Commencement of the sitting of the Legislative Council for the year.
Memoir on the subject of introducing labour, and resolution founded upon it, brought forward by the Governor.
June. — Ninth anniversary of the foundation of the colony celebrated by races, sports, and balls, at Perth.
First half-yearly dividend of 14½ per cent, declared by the Western Australian Bank.
Up to this period there were granted in the town of Perth 422 town allotments, and 15 suburban; and the value of improvements in Perth was estimated at £50,000.
In Fremantle the improvements were estimated at £28,000; in Guildford, £5,000; Albany, £5,000.
Return of H.M.S. Beagle from north-west coast, having discovered the Fitzroy and the Adelaide rivers, &c.
Report of the unsuccessful issue of Grey and Lushington's expedition on that coast.
United Service Ball given in the Commissariat Store.
Plan for making, use of Rottnest Island as a place of confinement for native offenders.
Tenders for fresh meat 1s. 6d. a lb.; colonial flour 4½d. per lb., seed wheat from 15s. to 20s. a bushel.
July. — Further depredations committed by the natives on the Canning River. It is estimated that the losses and injuries sustained by a few settlers in this district from the natives up to this time, amount to near £2,000.
Helia tried and convicted of the murder of a native woman in the town of Perth.
New Government Offices occupied.
The native Narral kills his wife, and shortly afterwards kills Nandery, her uncle, in the streets of Perth, and flying, is pursued by Weiang (the father of his wife), and overtaken in the Toodyay district, and left for dead.
No fewer than seven murders, two attempts at murder, and one sentence of death on conviction for murder, are distinctly referrible to this feud, which was commenced by Narral stealing a woman from the Murray River tribe "causa ieterrima belli."
August. — 80 ewes, with lambs by their Bides, sold by auction for £5 a head, and 100 ewes just imported sold for £4 a head. Considerable sums of money ready to be invested in sheep, but few are willing to sell.
Yedong shot at the Murray in attempting to wrest a musket from a soldier on guard. It is supposed that he was labouring under the apprehension of being pursued by other natives at the moment.
Five native prisoners made their escape from Rottnest in the only boat which was at the island.
Helia was drowned in the surf whilst attempting to land. His sons tracked the fugitives and killed one of them in revenge. The others were afterwards retaken.
September. — Vaccine matter first introduced into the colony.
Tenders to supply the troops with fresh meat at 1s. 2d.
Sheep and goats driven off from farms on the Canning River by natives, and other aggressions committed by them in that vicinity. Ineffectual attempts were made to apprehend and punish them.
October. — The Quarter Sessions adjourned, there being no case of any sort for trial.
First regular statistical report of a committee of the Agricultural Society compiled and published by the Hon. G. F. Moore, chairman of the committee.
Two men drowned in Melville Water by the upsetting of a boat.
November. — Mr. Turner, of Augusta, on his way to Perth across the country by the Murray River, was treacherously wounded by a native.
Very full meeting of the Agricultural Society at Guildford, at which His Excellency Sir James Stirling was present for the last time as Patron of the Society and Governor.
Public meeting in Perth to determine upon the presentation of some suitable memorial to Sir James Stirling.
10,000 barrels of oil taken by American and French whaling ships during the season in the neighbourhood of King George's Sound — and not one English or colonial whaler was here to share in the gains, which were estimated at about £28,000.
December. — Farewell ball given by Sir James and Lady Stirling at Government House.
Seventh annual report of the Agriculture Society presented to Sir James Stirling, concluding with allusions to the gratifying progress of the colony since its foundation under his auspices, and expressing regret at his departure, and wishes for the safety and happiness of himself and family. Reply from Sir James responding to these expressions, and tendering his resignation of the honorary office of Patron of the Society.
The number of ships arriving during the year was 22.
Value of imports about £50,000.
" of exports...... £10,000.
The number of settlers computed at about 2,000
Acres under crop ... 2,457
Number of sheep .... 15,590
Goats .... 2,436
Horned cattle ... 1,052
Horses .... 271
Swine .... 970
Asses .... 8
Colonial revenue ..... £5,193 2s. 8d.
Colonial expenditure ..... £5,351 1s. 11d.
Parliamentary civil services £6,945 17s. 11d.
Commissariat military do. £11,344 13s. 7d.
Sources:
- Brief Chronicle of the Principle Events Which Have Occurred, Connected With the Colony of Western Australia (1843, September 27). Inquirer (Perth, WA : 1840 - 1855), p. 4.
- Brief Chronicle of the Principle Events Which Have Occurred, Connected With the Colony of Western Australia (1843, October 18). Inquirer (Perth, WA : 1840 - 1855), p. 3.
- View of Frederick Town, King Georges Sound, at the expiration of the first year of its settlement, Feby 7th 1828 / N.D. and I.S.N. (Attributed to Isaac Scott Nind. Nind wrote 'The general appearance of the country, although of a barren nature, is very picturesque. The hills behind the settlement are studded and capped by immense blocks of granite, and are strewed with a profusion of beautiful shrubs, among which the splendid Banksiae grow to a large size, and the Kingia and Xanthorrhoea or grass-tree are abundant'."); Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
No comments