168 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



which he found himself would be adorned with some of the finest 

 mansions of Melbourne's wealthier citizens, blooming with tastefully 

 arranged gardens, and a popular holiday resort of thousands of 

 pleasure- seekers . 



Delighted with what he had seen in his fortnight's excursion, 

 the Governor reached Melbourne again on the 21st of March, and a 

 few days later departed for Sydney, whence, having shortly after- 

 wards handed over his authority to Colonel Snodgrass, who was to 

 hold the reins until the arrival of Sir George Gipps, he passed out 

 of colonial history into an honourable retirement. Before he left, 

 however, he forwarded in official despatches to the Colonial Secre- 

 tary the particulars of his visit and his impressions of the country, 

 together with a sketch-map of the surroundings of Port Phillip 

 prepared by his friend Captain King. With this he modestly sub- 

 mitted for approbation the request of the settlers that his name 

 should be appended to the district he had traversed, under the 

 appellation of the County of Bourke. After relating what he had 

 done in the matter of the proposed land sales, he expressed antici- 

 pation that the provision he had made for the administration of the 

 Government would be found hardly commensurate with the rapidly 

 growing importance of the district, and that in view of the tedious- 

 ness of communication with Sydney, either by sea or land, it would be 

 advisable to appoint a Lieutenant- Governor, with civil and military 

 authority, over all the southern districts of the colony. In the 

 matter of legislation he did not advocate a separate Council, but 

 would accord representation to the settlers in the Legislature sitting 

 in Sydney. With the concurrence of the Attorney- General, he re- 

 commended that a fourth Judge should be added to the Supreme 

 Court of New South Wales, so that one might be spared to visit 

 Port Phillip regularly twice a year to hold assizes. To economise 

 time and expense in travelling, he suggested that a special Govern- 

 ment steamer should be maintained, for taking the representatives 

 of the majesty of the Law and their officials to and fro. He availed 

 himself of the opportunity to bear high testimony to the ability 

 and zeal with which Captain Lonsdale had discharged his onerous 

 duties, and proposed to continue him in office as Police Magistrate 

 under the new regime. While speaking apologetically of the pro- 



