Extract from - The Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser (NSW : 1838 – 1841) - Monday 18 February 1839
William Hampden Dutton's Opinion of South Australia
Mr Dutton is of opinion, that South Australia is a colony similar to New South Wales, that is to say, a pastoral and not an agricultural colony; a sheep and wine country, and not a country to produce grain and huxtery. It appears to possess a droughty climate. The Plain, on which Adelaide is situated, is of six miles extent, and so level, that in rainy years it may require some large drains to carry off the water, though now it is as parched up and as bare of grass, as any part of New South Wales. It has a rotten limestone bottom in some parts, and there is no doubt, but that for gardens and orchards, being a light red loam, it is an excellent soil.
Mr Dutton, Captain Finnis, and Mr McFarlane, have bought 4000 acres of picked land within 18 miles of Adelaide, as the crow flies, and twenty five by the present road. They engaged as settlers or tenants on their new purchase, the whole of the German Emigrants who arrived at Adelaide in one of the several German loaded ships lately arrived there. They consisted of 39 families, or about 180 souls, men, women, youths, and children. These people emigrated from Germany through a persecution raised against them on account of their religion (Lutheran Protestant). They are accompanied by their pastor, a gentleman about five and thirty, and who is a scholar and an eloquent preacher. Mr Dutton heard him preach under a tree at his new purchase, on which they are now all settled, and pursuing their labours as farmers and gardeners. Next year they will supply Adelaide with potatoes &c, butter, and cheese.
In ten days after Messrs Dutton & Co. had deposited the sum of £1,000 in the treasury at Adelaide; for their 4,000 picked acres, six other gentlemen or firms deposited their several sums of £4,000 (in all £24,000), to produce like ''special surveys;" and like special picked estates, according to act of Parliament. And as Adelaide now abounds with tradesmen and labourers of divers trades and calling, not in request, these broken down people will have to learn farming occupations, and set to work, and thus rid Adelaide of their present idle presence.
The population of Adelaide consists chiefly of Londoners; broken-down shop- men and tradesmen of habits, feelings, views, and knowledge, just the reverse of what are calculated to make them thriving colonists. Necessity, the mother of invention, and we will add change, if not reformation, will compel these people to go to work in the country, in some shape or another. When they do so, they will be able to get a living; and not before. Many of them no doubt will be thriving settlers in ten years time, but more (probably) will be a dissatisfied ne'er-do-well class as long as they live.
Mr. Dutton astonished the people of Adelaide, by taking Mrs. Dutton with him to see his new purchase. Even the men at Adelaide, (we speak generally, of course) have a horror of "the Bush." As for the women, they think all who go ten miles out of the town, will be murdered by the blacks.
