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Westgarth, William, 1815-1889

"Personal Recollections of Early Melbourne and Victoria"

But we found our mistake when he
took occasion to allude to "our dear Roman Catholic brethren." We then
adjudged him to be a broad-minded Anglican, which was correct, for, as
he afterwards told us, he was an ex-navy chaplain.

THE GERMAN IMMIGRATION.
"Go then forth, and fortune play upon
Thy prosperous helm."
--2nd part Henry IV.
When I made my first Home trip, in 1847, I resolved to open, if I
possibly could, German emigration to Port Phillip. Quite a number had
already been settled, some from the earliest years, in South Australia,
where their industry, frugality, sobriety, and general good conduct had
made them excellent colonists. This favourable testimony was confirmed
to me by correspondence on the subject with my late much-lamented
friend, Alexander L. Elder, one of South Australia's earliest, most
esteemed, and most successful colonists. My first step on arrival was to
write to the "Commissioners of Emigration," an officiate since dispensed
with, pointing out this South Australian success, and suggesting that a
certain charge upon the Colonial Land Fund, authorized in special cases
of emigrants--an aid of 18 pounds a head, I think--might be made
applicable to German vinedressers emigrating to Port Phillip.


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