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Norfolk Island - |
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Norfolk Island - |
Time passes .........
And the Pitcairn Island community outgrows its rocky outcrop - physically and intellectually - a community which had grown from 28 in 1790 to 187 in 1855. More land was needed. Greater food resources were essential. Better educational opportunities were a espoused.
And so a new homeland for the Pitcairners was founded -
Norfolk Isle...
8 October, 1774. Captain James Cook wrote in his journal after landing on Norfolk's rugged shores:
"I took possession of this isle as I had done of all the others we have discovered and named it Norfolk Isle, in honour of that noble family."
So impressed was Captain Cook with Norfolk's great endemic pines and its wild flax plants, that he further wrote:
"Here then is another Isle where Masts for the largest ships may be had."
Regrettably for Captain Cook, neither the
pines nor the flax proved of use. But as history has proved his discovery
of Norfolk Isle, and his taking possession of it in the name of the British
Crown, was indeed fortuitous for those of us who live on this beautiful isle
today - the descendants of the Bounty Mutineers - and those who have followed to
share Norfolk's bounty with us.
8 June, 1856... what a historic year in Norfolk's
history... the day the Pitcairners landed on Cook's "Norfolk Isle."
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Norfolk Island family dressed in period costumes for Bounty Day. |
The Pitcairners sailed to Norfolk Isle in their entirety. Their journey was long. Their ship was the "Morayshire" - a merchant vessel commissioned by the British authorities. They brought with them their community spirit; they brought with them their laws; they brought with them their system of government - their culture - their traditions - their music - their language. They were the same community as they were on Pitcairn. There was only one difference - the Pitcairners had moved from one British possession to another.
On 8th June each year we remember the
journey of the Pitcairners. We call the celebration "Bounty
Day."
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The Great Seal of Norfolk Island |
It is said by Island elders that "Queen Victoria gave Norfolk Isle to the
Pitcairners"...
But the history books do not make the same claim. The Australian Wastelands Act of 1855 (an Act of the Imperial Parliament) empowered Queen Victoria to separate Norfolk Island from Van Dieman's, by Order in Council, and to make separate arrangements for the government of Norfolk Island. This Her Majesty did when the Pitcairners arrived on Norfolk Island.
The history books record...
Norfolk Island was created a separate and distinct settlement with provisions for its own Governor. He had wide powers. He could make and amend the laws.
The Island's first Governor was the Governor of New South Wales - Sir William Dennison who immediately set about making a new set of 39 laws for the Pitcairners. Those laws were to guide them in their new homeland - Norfolk Isle.
Governor Dennison retained much of
the Pitcairner's earlier laws, but as time passed, the number of laws governing
the island has grown and the freedom and simplicity of life the Pitcairners
knew was somewhat eroded away...
Changes came ... A loss of sovereignty
Much governmental change came in 1897. The Governor of the Colony of New South Wales abolished the locally-elected magistracy which was replaced with a Crown appointment responsible to the Governor. Daily executive government and judicial powers were removed from the local inhabitants and placed in the hands of an external official appointed from afar.
Council of Elders - 1897 Courtesy of the Alice Buffett Collection
Not all continuity was lost and groups of varying titles were elected over the years - The Council of Elders (1897); the Advisory Council (1935) and the Norfolk Island Council (1960). All had mainly advisory functions; none regained majority authority.
1901 saw the Federation of the Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australia...This brought no immediate legislative change to Norfolk Island but nevertheless it came...
1911 to 1914 brought the change and Imperial Orders and Commonwealth legislation passed government control and legislative ability to the newly created Commonwealth of Australia.
A Commonwealth-appointed administrator replaced the Governor who took over the powers and functions that the Chief Magistrate had earlier enjoyed.
The 39 laws of 1856 continued to grow and 1965 saw the number at 111.
Peaceful Agitation and Protest...
A Royal Commission came in 1976 under the chairmanship of Sir John Nimmo to make recommendations on the long-term future of Norfolk Island...
He made recommendations... recommendations which were not acceptable to the majority of Norfolk Island residents who rejected the suggestion of substantial integration with Australia.
Much discussion, much negotiation ... back and forth... between the Island's Advisory Council and the Commonwealth of Australia... and self-government was devised.
