Conditions of Forced Labour formerly. 77 



Those consigned to private individuals were taken into tlie 

 interior in charge of a constable or overseer, where they were 

 required to build a slielter for themselves, which, owing to the 

 mildness of the climate, could be very speedily accomplished. 

 The hours of work were from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m., and the main 

 feature was that the convict durst not leave his employer, 

 whether kind and good-tempered, or harsh and cruel. When 

 there was no further occasion for their services they were re- 

 mitted to Government, who found another employer for them. 



All landholders in the colony were entitled, on preferring a 

 request to the Governor to that effect, to have assigned them, 

 according to the current quantity of disposable laljour, in the 

 proportion of one workman to every 320 acres of land; but 

 no settler, no matter how extensive his holding, could " take 

 on" more than 75 convicts. Each employer had to engage 

 to keep the convict assigned him one month at least, and 

 provide, at his own cost, food and clothing according to 

 a scale fixed by Government. 



The weekly rations consisted of nine lbs. wheaten flour, or 

 at the option of the employer, three lbs. Indian corn, and 

 seven lbs. of wheat flour, seven lbs. of beef or mutton, four 

 lbs. salt pork, two oz. salt, two oz. soap. The clothing'^ con- 

 sisted of two jackets annually, three shirts of canvas or 

 cotton, two pairs of drawers, three pairs of shoes of stout 

 leather, and a hat or cap. Each labourer was also allowed 

 the use of a counterpane and mattress, which however re- 

 mained the property of the employer. These legal privileges 



