302 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



for a reconsideration of the boundaries of the new colony, with 

 a view to securing for it the lands between the Murray and the 

 Murrumbidgee, as originally outlined in Lord John Eussell's des- 

 patch of May, 1840, but he was hotly opposed by Mr. Wentworth, 

 and the motion was rejected by a large majority. Finally, on the 

 30th of April, the Bill was read a third time and passed, and the 

 Colony of Victoria acquired the legal right of existence. Two days 

 later the last Legislative Council of New South Wales in which 

 Port Phillip had been allowed a voice, albeit a feeble one, was 

 prorogued until the 30th of June, when it was dissolved. On 

 the 1st of July the Governor issued the writs for the election of 

 members to the Victorian Council, this being the point from which, 

 under the Act, absolute independence of New South Wales was to 

 date. 



Although the 1st of July was afterwards observed for nearly 

 fifty years as a public holiday, under the name of " Separation 

 Day," the initial rejoicings did not take place until the 15th of that 

 month. At eleven o'clock on that day, in front of the Government 

 Offices in William Street, in the presence of nearly two thousand 

 people and all the available military display, Mr. Latrobe stood 

 forth, surrounded by the principal officials, and heard read the 

 Queen's commission appointing him Lieutenant-Governor of Vic- 

 toria. Thereafter he subscribed the oath of office in the presence 

 of Judge A 'Beckett. The proceedings were rounded off by a salute 

 of thirteen guns by the military, much cheering by the onlookers, 

 and a vigorous rendering of the national anthem. 



Within the building His Excellency then received the usual 

 loyal and congratulatory addresses, poured in upon him from the 

 City Corporation and half a dozen other organisations, all of which 

 he acknowledged very graciously, having probably forgiven, if he 

 had not forgotten, the bitterness with which the first-named body 

 had opposed him in the past. The large attendance at the levee 

 which followed seemed to indicate that the rancour of a section 

 of the press had not prejudiced the general public against the man 

 whom the Queen had honoured, and whose new dignity seemed 

 to give an added lustre to their surroundings. 



To the malcontents in the City Council, and the men who, two 



