Progress with Port Lincoln Special Survey

It is interesting to recall that Stephens reported to John (later Sir John) Morphett, grandfather to Mr. G. M. Morphett who it is hoped will shortly unveil the memorial to Flinders at the head of Proper Bay. Who Morphett represented has not been ascertained. Professor Perkins states that Stephens was acting for Flax-man in the March-April 1839 trip, while Miss Mayo states that Morphett "acting for an association of English capitalists endeavored to secure his (Light's) services in search for a suitable site for a port and maritime town." There seems to be little doubt but that this refers to Eyre Peninsula.

In April 1839, Light wrote to Colonel Palmer, one of the Colonisation Commissioners : — "I have also some reason to be gratified by an associa tion of gentlemen in. London sending out a handsome expression of their desire for me to take charge of a nautical exploration and select and plan a maritime town for them (this was done as soon as they heard I had left the Commissioner's service) I have accepted this, but I very much fear that my health will prevent me."

Another letter dated March 23, 1839, from Light to Palmer is recorded by Miss Mayo and contains the following: — "The grand cry is now for Port Lincoln, and the beauties of that place with all its eligibilities will be blazoned out in the 'South Australian Gazette' in order to set people's minds against this place (Adelaide), but time will yet prove that, although Port Lincoln is a fine port and will perhaps be the Plymouth of South Australia, yet the site of Adelaide is the best for the capital." These two letters are apparently the last reference to any connection between Light and the settlement at Port Lincoln.

The letter regarding Port Lincoln was written a few days after the arrival of the first settlers at Happy Valley, and there is not the slightest doubt that the early proprietors of the Port Lincoln Special Survey Association did their utmost to boost up Port Lincoln. As mentioned before, McLaren after going as far as Point Westall returned to Port Lincoln on his way home, according to Professor Perkins "to re-examine carefully the two Port Lincoln special surveys and felt able to report to his London directors that the activities of the syndicate at Port Lincoln had not hitherto encroached upon what he had had in mind for the South Australian Company. True the water frontage question had not yet been finally settled, but there was little that the syndicate had hitherto selected that he — Mc-Laren — would have chosen ; and as to the country in the interior, the syndicate knew very little about it. It was true, however, that the syndicate shares had already sold at a considerable advance on their face value, but there was certainly 'breakdown' looming ahead. Apart from one or two, none of the members of the syndicate possessed sufficient money to develop their holdings, indeed, their chief anxiety seemed to be to sell out at a premium as soon as possible."

These were McLaren's sentiments on April 9, 1839. Of course what was being sold at the time referred to were, I think, only shares or units, not allotments of land. No land was allotted prior to March 30 and most probable the first ballot only took, place on April 5. It was only on the former date that a plan of water frontages was prepared for approval of the Governor. It is interesting to note that McLaren said that the association (syndicate) had not encroached upon any area he had in mind for the company. Yet within five or six weeks he had bought 400 acres from one of the proprietors and Flaxman on June 11 bought 288 acres from B. Shaen to add to his previous holding.

Mc Laren had hard work to justify his actions at Port Lincoln when reporting to his directors. The leaders of the association were pressing forward all their arrangements for a hasty departure for Port Lincoln, but a point was not quite clear in the minds of the committee. The vexed question of the northern boundary was still vague. Probably it will be as well to bring all the definitions close together. The association's definition in the first claim lodged (27/2/1839) and gazetted March 2 was "From the centre of Boston Bay in Port Lincoln in any direction." This was amended on March 2, and gazetted on March 9 as "From the centre of Boston Bay in Port Lincoln extending generally to the southward and westward." The South Australian Company probably made up their claim on March 2 and formally lodged it on the 4th and it was gazetted on March 9 with a definition of "From the centre of Boston Bay extending generally to the northward and westward including that part of Boston Island which lies to the northward of a line drawn from Kirton Point in a north-easterly direction or thereabouts."

Once having fixed upon the centre of Boston Bay, the divisional line between the two surveys seemed to be quite definite. Above we have seen how McLaren viewed it, and the Governor's interpretation. To get 15,000 acres meant selecting an area of ground about five miles square, but it was not necessary for the block to be square, all that was required was a compact area. From the 15,000 acres the claimants had to select their 4,000 acres. There was no doubt it was an intricate problem requiring solution.

There must have been some verbal understanding between the Governor and the Trustees, and when the latter saw the gazette on March 9 indicating that their northern boundary and the southern boundary of the S.A. Company's claim were one and the same, doubt arose whether the verbal agreement was not being overridden, so Smith and Hawson (trustees approached the Governor on subject and on the same day (March 11) the Governor's Private Secretary advised them "that His Excellency fully understood and admits the terms on which you defined the boundaries of your special survey at Port Lincoln as stated in the Gazette of Saturday 9th instant. The term 'generally to the southward' does not preclude you from extending your survey for a moderately short distance to the northward of the centre point of Boston Bay, if you should desire to do so."

This elastic northern boundary was to cause endless trouble, leaving the association uncertain how far they actually could go and also debarring the S.A. Company from taking any action until their opponents had first say. It was nine months and more before a settlement was arrived at. In McLaren's estimation the proprietors of the Port Lincoln special survey were generally without means. This is possibly so, but they were not without big ideas as regards the township. A thousand blocks of half an acre each and about 3,333 acres laid out as suburban blocks of 20 acres each and 167 one acre blocks on Boston Island. The foreshore a comprehensive emporium — wharves, jetties, docks warehouses and such seaside appurtenances. So a reserve of one chain or more along the water's edge did not fit in with their ideas. A deputation waited upon the Governor on April 11, 1839, and the following day the Private Secretary replied. The letter will be quoted in full as it was the first divergence from the regulations as to the foreshore reserve. At the time, the reply may have been satisfactory, but seeing how Port Lincoln has developed and none of the envisaged structures were erected, the granting of absolute water frontage has proved very disadvantageous.

"I am desired to acquaint you that, although the appropriation of absolute water frontage along the sea coast is contrary to the general directions of the Commissioners, yet as the advantages of it in some cases for commercial purpose have been strongly represented to the Resident Commissioner, His Excellency will authorise it to the extent marked on your plan, that is to say for about one mile and three quarters in about three and one half miles, at intervals of half a mile each. His Excellency, however, does not at present think it right to authorise such appropriation beyond the limits first proposed, so as to include the water frontage of the whole survey of Messrs. Smith and Hawson, considering that such a proceeding would decidedly be an in admissible irregularity. If it be understood that a broad connecting road is to pass immediately behind the section to which absolute frontage is given. His Excellency is quite satisfied with the government and public reserves as marked on your chart."

In a former article doubt was expressed how the expenses of the association were met. It is not yet clear how the association finally raised all the money. But it can be said that Surveyor Winter had two employers ; the Government and the association. Firstly he had to plan and lay out section No. 1, that is the township containing 500 acres exclusive of roads and sufficient 80 acre sections of suburban land to give 167 20-acre blocks and one section of 167 acres on Boston Island. For all this the Government had to pay. Then he had all the subdivisional work for which the association had to pay him. No doubt the two classes of work were, to a great ex teat, carried out simultaneously. The association raised a levy of 10/- per acre per scrip. This scrip was is sued on or about July, 1839, and con sisted of 1,000 township blocks of half an acre each and 167 "country lands" blocks for 21 acres each, the latter would cover the 20-acre subur ban blocks and an acre block on Boston Island. That is a total of 1,167 scrip at 10/- giving the association at least £583 10/-. It may have been a little more. Unfortunately the account books have not yet been discovered.

We are fortunate to have got the "Barnard papers." Among them are papers dealing with the levy, also Surveyor B. Pratt Winter's bill rendered on September 27, 1841, which shows he charged the association £400 for laying out the town of Port Lincoln and country land adjoining ; £100 for surveying and selecting the site of the special survey and £50 for surveying Boston Island and laying out town there. Total £550.

While on the matter of figures, there are a few interesting slips of papers among the "Barnard papers"; for instance on March 13, 1839, John Bentham Neales asked Matthew Smith as secretary pro.tem., to sign a check for Hawson who it was agreed should have £50 allowance. The committee were quite liberal with themselves, thus there is a bill from A. Fordham on December 2, 1839, for five dinners 25/-, liquor 2/-, three bottles wine 18/-, nuts 5/-, total £2 10/-. Another bill from M. Joshua of the Queen's Head Tavern, shows, six dinners £1 1/-, two bottles £1 1/-, two bottles porter 6/-. three bottles wine 15/-, two glasses wine negus 2/-, 13 do. coffee, 23 glasses brandy £1 3/-, cigars 2/-, total £1 5/6, or running into about 14/3 per head. Advertising and printing ran away with a lot of money. R. Thomas & Co's. bill up to 1842 ran into at least £64 12/6. In addition to this there were several small amounts to other printers. So it can be seen the association must have raised other money than that derived from the scrip levy.