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| Sydney Gazette, 11 January 1812 |
The front page advised the governor's return and his resumption of local authority, as well as several reports written by his secretary, John Campbell. These expand on the details recorded by Macquarie in his journal. Highlights of Campbell's reports follow.
Government House, Sydney,
Saturday, 11th January, 1812.
"His Excellency the governor, anxious to promote the welfare and prosperity of all the inhabitants of the extensive territory under his government, and deeming it of essential Importance to the effecting those measures that he should be personally acquainted with all the local circumstances of the country, having lately undertaken and effected his tour of inspection through Van Diemen's Land, Newcastle, and the principal harbours to the south and north of Port Jackson, takes the earliest opportunity to convey to the public the observations he has been enabled to make in his progress.
"These observations, when combined with those he made in his tour through this country, as laid before the public in December 1810, may prove documents of importance to refer to at some future period, when by the increasing population, industry, and good moral and religious conduct of the inhabitants, the aspect of the country may be much improved, and the condition of the people themselves proportionately ameliorated."
(The report goes on to describe Macquarie's journey to Hobart and his first days there before his visit to New Norfolk...)
"From Hobart Town the governor made several excursions into the country, where settlements have been formed, and was much pleased in viewing the quantity of ground in a state of cultivation, extending from New Town to the most distant part of the district of New Norfolk; and here, he must declare with gratification, that the advancement made in agriculture in this part of the colony far exceeded his expectations, and does great credit to the people, as well as to those by whom they were directed; and he hopes by continued exertions, that those inhabitants denominated Norfolk Island Settlers will shortly become independent of the support which he has thought fit to extend to them, by continuing them on His Majesty's stores for twelve months longer; which indulgence has been granted in consideration of the promise which had been made to them on the part of government, to allow them government labourers, which the resources of the country have not yet permitted to be carried into effect.
"The governor hopes the settlers will in future pay more attention to the manner of erecting their houses, stock-yards, and the inclosures of their grounds, than they have hitherto done, which will add greatly to the value of their lands, which it is his intention to confirm to the present possessors by regular grants, as soon as the necessary measurements can be made out - and it is also the governor's intention, that all those deserving industrious settlers who have not hitherto been assisted with government cattle shall receive that indulgence on the same terms as those already granted to the settlers on the continent of New South Wales.
"The governor has been induced, from the eligibility of the situation, to fix on the site of a township, to be called Elizabeth Town, in the district of New Norfolk, for the convenience of the inhabitants, by affording them a more ready mart for the disposal of the produce of their farms, and the advantage of education for their children. The situation fixed on for the town is on the south side of the River Derwent, and at the highest part of it, which is navigable, being about a mile below the first fall, it commands every advantage which can be desired, combining beauty of situation with fertility of soil, a fine rivulet of fresh water on the rear, and with water carriage on the front; Here the river forms a very fine reach, at the distance of twenty miles from Hobart Town."
"On Sunday the 5th of January, 1812, the governor departed from Newcastle, on his return to Sydney, and arrived here on the following day, highly gratified with his tour, and with the hope of deriving considerable advantage from the local knowledge he has thus obtained of the different subordinate settlements, since his departure from the seat of government.
By Command of His Excellency the Governor,
JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL, Secretary.
Source: GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS. (1812, January 11). The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), p. 1. Retrieved January 11, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article628393
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