Commission set up in 1834 to survey and sell land to fund emigration for poor to the South Australian province
From 1840, the South Australian colonisation commission, responsible for surveying and selling land in the province (see inset) and funding emigration, was based at 6 Adelphi Terrace in London, beside the River Thames.
The South Australian colonisation commission was created in 1834 with authority from the British government to raise funds through land sales and other means to enable the province of South Australia to be set up as a self-supporting venture.
But the South Australia Act 1834 also gave control of the new South Australia to the British colonial office as well as the commissioners, setting up tension between the two and causing problems later. The 13 commissioners, based at 6 Adelphi Terrace, London, from 1840, formed a board that was responsible for
• selling land in the province;
• an emigration fund to cover the cost of taking poor emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland to South Australia; and
• appointing a treasurer, assistant surveyors and other officers to put the South Australia Act into practice.
The British government required the colonisation commission to raise £35,000 in preliminary land sales and secure an emergency fund of £20,000 – a big task – before it would agree to the South Australia project proceeding.
Those first appointed as South Australian colonisation commissioners in May 1835 were colonel Robert Torrens (chairman), Rowland Hill (secretary), G. Barnes (treasurer), George Fife Angas, Edward Barnard, William Hutt, J.G. Shaw-LeFevre, William Alexander MacKinnon MP, Samuel Mills, Jacob Barrow Montefiore, lieutenant colonel George Palmer and John Wright representing the colonial office.
Administration in the province was divided between the governor, a role first filled by John Hindmarsh, who represented the British crown and government, and the resident commissioner who reported to the colonisation commission board and who was responsible for surveying and selling land as well as for organising migration and funding. The first resident commissioner was James Hurtle Fisher. Again, the South Australia Act didn't clarify the powers of the commission in regard to the governor – leading to more discord.
A commissioner of public lands was appointed to act under the orders of the commissioners. All money raised by land sales went to the lord of his majesty’s treasury,and were audited with other public accounts. A report was required to be go to the secretary of state at least once a year. Robert Gouger was colonial secretary to the commission.
William Light was appointed the surveyor general, responsible for land surveying, including choosing the site for the capital city – another major point of early conflict.