Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal (WA : 1833 - 1847), Saturday 19 April 1834, page 271


SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERS

OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

GUILDFORD, TUESDAY, 8th APRIL, 1834.

THIS Meeting was convened pursuant to ad-vertisement. About 12 o'clock thirteen members being present, W. Tanner, Esq, was called to the chair. He opened the proceedings by remark-ing that, as a matter of form, it would be as well first to inquire how far the objects of the pre-sent Meeting were consistent with the rules and regulations of the Society.

The Secretary (Mr. Brockman) here read the Rules and Minutes of the Proceedings of the So-ciety ; but no rule was found to justify the Society in entertaining a question of this nature.

After a desultory conversation it being con-ceived that Precedents were not wanting to sanction the discussion of the question, the business of tlhe day was entered upon.

Mr. W. Trimmer stated that he regretted the task devolved upon him to explain to the Meeting the objects the members who had caused it to be convened had in view, being unpractised in these matters. He would, however, read from a paper he held in his hand, such remarks as had occurred

to him to be applicable to the question under their consideration. The Meeting, he said, was called for a special purpose, " to address the Governor in Council, praying to be furnished with a detailed statement of the Revenue raised in the Colony, and the Expenditure thereof." The manner in which the advertisement of this Meeting had been met by the local Government, called for the strongest indignation, the object the members of this Meet-ing had in view being termed impertient. He knew that such an expression had been made use of, and if called upon, he could prove it. The Colonists had an undoubted right to make every inquiry respecting the disposal of funds collected in the Colony, and he must say that a remark like the one he had alluded to, was, to say the least of it, indecent—when it was well known that a British subject was entitled to approach the throne to pray for even the dismissal of His Majesty's Ministers. The question at issue is, whether we are to submit to the arbitratory taxation, without a Representative in the Council, and to be debarred from a knowledge of the manner in which the funds are disposed of, not seeing them directed to useful purposes. On the Guildford road large sums had been expended, and an appointment given to Lieut. Dale with a salary, to make a road and a few small bridges, which might have been the work of a rough carpenter—and, singularly enough, the improvements on the Perth side terminated at the branch road leading to the private residence of the Honorable the Colonial Secretary. Mr. Trim-mer continued in a general vituperative strain to condemn the public works of the Government, and hoped before long to find that the representatives of the Colonists would be chosen by ballot. (Cheers.) He concluded by moving a resolution " that a Committee of the Members now present be appointed to draw up a Petition to His Honor the Lieutenant Governor in Council, praying for an account of the Receipt and Expenditure of the Colonial Revenue ; and that the said Commit-tee do wait upon the Council for their reply "

[We have merely space for the general heads of Mr. Trimmers remarks.]

Mr. Harris then rose. He observed that being a recent settler, he had not intended to take part in the discussion ; but, objecting to the reception by the Meeting of the expression said by Mr. Trimmer to have been used by an individual mem-ber of the Government, he could not avoid noticing that the Society ought not to entertain the reflection as the feeling of the local Government. He wished in the proceedings of the Society to avoid any thing that could bear the slightest aspect of hostili-ty, and thought it a question for a General Meet-ing of the Inhabitants, who are equally interested, and of whom the Agriculturists formed but a small, although influential portion.

[It was here remarked that there was no Sheriff to call a Meeting. The subject of the obnoxious expression attributed to one of the Members of the Government was canvassed in a general conversa-tion, when the Secretary observed; that it did not form any portion of the business of the day, and

was not entered on the Minutes. A unanimous

opinion was then expressed that all further allusion to the subject should be avoided.]

Mr. Harris continued. He would rather that the present question should be postponed, as the Governor was daily expected, and probably would

bring with him the new act of Parliament for the Colony, with directions to establish a Representa-tive Government. But if it was the determination of a majority of the members to carry the question, he would propose an amendment to Mr. Trimmer's motion, from a conviction that it was a question for the public at large, and more particularly as he thought the Agricultural Society should not constitute themselves a political body. He would move as an amendment, " that a Committee of the Members present should draw up the form of a Petition to be submitted to a Public Meeting of

the Inhabitants.

Mr. Bull—I think this goes further than the original proposition, and will be more likely to produce the effect ; I will therefore second it.

Mr. Yule—It appears to me, that it would be more prudent, and, indeed, modest, to request the Colonists to attend a public Meeting. It would seem as if we, as a society, were taking the affairs of the Colony into our own hands, when there are others generally interested.

Mr. Harris remarked that he would consent to

withdraw his amendment, if the Society would agree that a deputation should wait upon the Go--vernment, to inquire whether it was the intention of Government to publish an account of Receipts

and Expenditure of the Colony : he believed the question had never been asked officially, and it would perhaps be found that there was no disin-clination to comply with the wish of the Colonists, A deputation might do some good by suggesting

to the Government the assistance it would be to

the Settlers, the being allowed to pay the obnoxi-ous tax in wheat or other grain, which, in the present scarcity of money, it could not be denied, would greatly relieve the Agriculturists.

The Chairman put the question for Mr. Harris's amendment, which was negatived. Mr. Trimmer's original proposition was carried.

Messrs. Tanner, Trimmer, and Capt. Meares, were chosen as a deputation to wait upon His Honor the Lieutenant Governor in Council with the Petition.