Chapters in Tasmanian constitutional and administrative history, 1842-1856

The following work lays no claim to be either a complete or a continuous history of Van Diemen's Land between 1842 and 1856, but consists rather of a number of separate studies of the constitutional life of the Colony prior to the establishment of responsible government. The years 1842-1856 have no exact implication. The dismissal of Montagu seemed a convenient point of departure and the introduction of a bicameral legislature obviously marked the end of a period. However, the first three chapters are more analytic than historical, and it would have been impossible to talk of the functions of the Lieut. Governor without some reference to Colonel Arthur, or to treat of the Old Council without some recognition of the influence of Franklin's character upon it. But it was never the author's intention to traverse again the course so ably covered by West, Fenton, Giblin and, more recently, by Professor Kathleen Fitzpatrick. What is extraordinary about this period is that within the space of a dozen years almost every conceivable major constitutional conflict arose, - between the Executive and the Legislature, between the Executive and the Judiciary, and indeed between the Legislature and the Judiciary. Unfortunately time has not permitted so far an examination of either the attempt of the Lieut. Governor to "tamper with" the Supreme Court, or the notorious Hampton Case. But a chapter on the administrative system has been included. Since the researches of Professor Tout, students of institutions have had less excuse for neglecting this important field. The third chapter was little more than a preliminary canter over this field, but sufficient was seen in passing to encourage longer and more detailed investigation. It can be fairly said that there is hardly one department of the administration that could not form the subject of an interesting and instructive monograph