Addresses were presented to him, and he was heartily greeted even by those who disagreed with his administration. The British Government had conferred a knighthood on Captain Stirling, and had raised him from the rank of Lieutenant-Governor to that of Governor of the colony.
For two years Sir James had been absent from the colony, engaged in advocating its interests and subserving its welfare at the seat of government in England. The results obtained were practically those mentioned in the preceding chapter; and, whether the new conditions or the renewed animation and eagerness in colonial enterprise caused the uprising, from that year, for an extended period, a more progressive spirit was distinctly apparent. The public expenditure was placed on a different footing in regard to the Civil and Military Establishments. Revenue derived from the duty on spirits and the sales of Crown lands, a Colonial Fund, or Grant in aid, assigned by His Majesty's Treasury, was deemed sufficient to meet existing exigencies. This last would be allocated locally; and as it was provided the members could be nominated to the Legislative Council from among settlers who should be independent of Government and acquainted with the wants and resources of the colony, a judicious application of the money was confidently anticipated. It was some years before these members were admitted. The land laws were liberalised so far as to allow the occupants of land to sell any part of their holdings previous to the conditions of improvement being fulfilled. The Colonial Store was closed but for official purposes, and to ensure colonists against famine the Government intended to keep in the Commissariat Stores sufficient of the necessaries of life to meet pressing demands. These supplies were obtained from local sources or from outside the colony as circumstances permitted. The military was increased.
On the 26th August, 1834, Governor Stirling issued a notice giving the list of members of the Civil Establishment of Western Australia, with their respective salaries; and a set of instructions for the regulation and management of public business in the various departments. The Civil Establishment was made more comprehensive than previously. First on the list appears the name of Sir James Stirling, who was designated the Governor, Commander-in-Chief, and Vice-Admiral, with a salary of £800 a year. He was allowed a confidential clerk at £150. Mr. P. Brown, or Broun, received £500 for titling the offices of Colonial Secretary, Colonial Registrar, and Clerk of Council. His first clerk received £25, and two others had £50 each. The salary of Mr. J. S. Roe, the Surveyor-General, was £400; and those of the Rev. J. B. Wittenoom, Colonial Chaplain, £250; Dr. Collie, Colonial Surgeon, £273 15s.; Mr. H. Sutherland, Collector of Revenue, who was stationed at Fremantle, £200; of the Government residents—at King George's Sound, Sir Richard Spencer, £100; Fremantle, G. Leake, £100; Augusta, J. Molloy, £100; Guildford, F. Whitfield, £100; the Advocate-General, Mr. G. F. Moore, £200; Chairman of Quarter Sessions and Commissioner of Civil Court, W. H. Mackie, £300; Clerk of Peace, A. Stone, £100; Sheriff, H. Donaldson, £100; Gaoler, H. Pinson, Fremantle, £100; Harbour Masters—King George's Sound, P. Belches, £100; Fremantle, B. Scott, £100; and Schoolmasters at Perth, Fremantle, King George's Sound, Guildford, and Augusta were provided for at £50 each. These comprised the total number of civil officers employed in Western Australia in 1834.
The Secretary for the Colonies decided that Mr. W. H. Mackie should be the Chairman of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and also the Commissioner of the Civil Court. On 22nd August, 1834, Sir James Stirling appointed Mr. G. F. Moore to the position of Advocate-General, with several subsidiary offices, principally that of Commissioner of Roads and Bridges, with Mr. J. S. Roe as his coadjutor. Captain Mark J. Currie had previously resigned his office of harbour master at Fremantle, and had left the colony. On 22nd November, Mr. R. H. Bland was gazetted Government Resident at York, and Mr. R. McBride Brown succeeded Mr. George Leake (resigned) at Fremantle. Messrs. P. Belches and Alex. Cheyne were gazetted Justices of the Peace on December 13; and on the 28th January, 1835, Mr. William Nairn, of Maddington Park, Canning River, was appointed to a similar position.
Late in 1834 an act was passed providing for the establishment and regulation of a Post Office; and on 31st January, 1835, Mr. Charles Macfaull was appointed principal postmaster in the colony, at Perth; Mr. John Bateman, postmaster at Fremantle; and Sarah Lyttleton, at Albany. The rates of postage were published at the same time. A charge of 3d. was made for every single letter or package received in the colony from beyond the seas for delivery in Albany, Fremantle, or Augusta. Letters or packets exceeding one ounce in weight cost 6d., with 6d. for every additional ounce. For letters entering the Fremantle Post Office from beyond the seas for delivery in Perth, the fee for one ounce was 6d., and 10d. for every additional ounce.
Among the first decisions of Sir James Stirling after his return was to permit the presence of strangers at the sittings of the Legislative Council. It was required that members of this pioneer political body should attend the Council in full dress. In the remote and struggling settlement, containing only a few hundred inhabitants and having matters of comparatively small importance to deal with, a remarkable dignity was thus imported into the proceedings. The Governor sat in naval uniform; Captain Daniels, who succeeded Captain Irwin as commander of the Military Establishment, appeared in his military uniform; and the officers of the Civil Establishment were dressed in blue coats with red collars, on which were large buttons containing an impression of the Crown.
Several bills occupied the attention of this august assembly during the next few months. In March the Budget proposals of Sir James Stirling were laid before the Legislative Council. This document embodied proposals of importance; was the first of its kind, and contained plans for revising the revenue and adjusting the expenditure of the colony, which had been decided upon during his Excellency's visit to England. People were anxious to know how the proposals would be treated, for they did not seem to think them either judicious or useful. One member of the Council said the Governor himself had misgivings, and feared the Council would not agree. He read a long address to the House, and the Council was resolved into a committee to consider the Estimates. The members asserted their independence, and dissented generally from his proposals, and suggested the substitution of others. The principal difference in opinion was on the subject of the expense laid upon the shoulders of taxpayers to maintain the police corps, and in the end the item was reduced and others were increased which in the eyes of the members met the more urgent wants of the colony.
The public had largely spurred on the members to take this firm stand at an influentially attended meeting of settlers held a few weeks previously. The intentions of the Government
