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81 The answer to this appeal comes from Sir George Grey, February 15th, as directed by Lord Glenelg. It runs thus,—“ The territory is a part of New South Wales, being comprised within the limits laid down in the commission of Governor Sir Richard Bourke.” On the 16th of March, Mr. Mercer tells the government that this nominal extension of the jurisdiction of New South Wales was all well with the fear of French colonization there, as well as to avoid the formation of another expensive penal settlement, but that “ The Association profess their wish to be a free Colony, without pecuniary sacrifice to the mother country.” He then proposed that a Crown grant for the tract should be bestowed, subject to a quit rent sufficient to defray charge of the establishment of a Superintendent and other officers appointed by the Crown. If this grant included 750,000 acres, the petitioners would pay a quit rent of £1,406 5s. They were bound already to pay the natives an annual tribute to the amount of £320, and they were under an engagement for a salary of £180 to Dr. Thomson as surgeon and catechist. The correspondence was peremp torily closed by the government reply on March 30th, in which it is stated that “The disposal of land at a quit rent has been generally abandoned on the most ample experience of the many and insuperable difficulties with which it is attended.” All that could be promised was, that it was the intention to instruct the Governor of New South Wales to appoint magistrates and other officers for the government of the settlement, and to sell the land at a reduced upset price for the advantage of the early settlers. Baffled thus in every way, and placed only upon a level with other settlers, the association were compelled simply to solicit some com pensation for their outlay. Messrs. Swanston and Gellibrand, accom panied by Mr. Dobson, the Hobart Town Solicitor, waited upon Go vernor Bourke at Sydney. Dr. Lang in his “ Colonist” of Oct. 20th, 1836, thus records the visit—“ Messrs. Swanston, Gellibrand and Dobson have arrived here for the purpose, it is said, of laying before Government the claims of the various squatters of Port Phillip ; we are of opinion that the hardy pioneers of our antipodean wilderness deserve some reward for their enterprize, though not the extravagant one they look forward to ; for, if the preposterous claims of the gen tlemen were acceded to by the Government, Sydney would not contain the multitude of squatters and cattle stealers, who would immediately
