On Monday a discussion of some interest took place in the House of Commons relative to the affairs of South Australia. Owing to certain defects in its government, that colony has fallen into a state of financial embarassment requiring immediate relief. Lord John Russell traced the history of the settlement from its foundation, and stated that, while its revenue does not exceed t20,000 its expenditure has increased to the enormous sum of t130,000 a year ! At present its affairs are managed by commissioners, the responsible Ministers of the Crown having no direct control over its expenditure. This is manifestly an evil, and must form the subject of future legislation, but in the meantime it is necessary to provide for the payment of certain bills now over-due. Accordingly, Lord John Russell proposed that her Majesty should be authorized to guarantee a loan of t210,000 for this purpose. Lord Stanley concurred generally in the views of the noble Secretary for the Colonies, but though that the Government ought not to demand a loan until they had brought in a bill to explain distinctly the principles on which they proposed that the colony should henceforth be governed. Sir Robert Peel suggested that the Government should ask a vote of credit for the sum required, which, as it met the urgency of the case, was ultimately agreed upon, and the subject was deferred till Friday.
Citation: Scotsman (Edinburgh, United Kingdom), 20 March 1841, available at the Scissors and Paste Database, http://www.scissorsandpaste.net/297.