ld
make an offer to the Government, which they might accept or not as they
liked. We have the good fortune to have in our colony a Governor--who, I
am sorry to say, is leaving shortly--who takes a great interest in
exploration. He had been an explorer himself, having, as he has often
told me, travelled across New Zealand with his swag on his back.
(Cheers.) He has always been a great supporter of mine, and done all he
could to forward exploration; and about two years ago I laid before him,
through the Commissioner of Crown Lands, a project which I was willing to
accomplish if he would recommend the granting of the necessary funds. In
a very complimentary reply he quite acquiesced with what I suggested, and
promised to lay it before the Legislative Council with the support of the
Government; and in 1873 the matter was brought before the Council. All I
asked was that the Government of West Australia would grant me some 400
pounds, and I would from my own private purse, and those of others who
had agreed to assist me, stand the remainder of the cost. (Cheers.) If
they granted me that sum, I was willing to undertake an exploration from
Champion Bay up to the Murchison, the head of which we did not know, and
strike the telegraph line for Port Darwin, it being left to my discretion
which course should be pursued. Four hundred pounds seems a paltry sum,
but there was some bitter opposition to its being granted, although by
the aid of the Government and other members it was voted. Last year was
the year when I should have undertaken the exploration, and I was, of
course, quite prepared to do so; but in the meantime a whole host of
expeditions from South Australia had come into the field. Mr. Giles, I
saw, had started from some part of the telegraph line westward, and I
heard afterwards that he had through some misunderstanding--I do not know
what it was; I only know by what I read in the papers--returned to
Adelaide. Then we heard that the South Australian Government had
despatched Mr. Gosse, and that the Honourable Thomas Elder--whom I have
the pleasure of meeting to-day--had despatched Colonel Warburton
(cheers)--to explore towards the same direction--as we judged from the
despatches and newspapers--that I intended to start from. I belong to the
Survey Department of West Australia, and was requested by the
Commissioner of Crown Lands and Surveyor-General, the Honourable Malcolm
Fraser, to superintend some surveys he specially w