MISCELLANIES. 



529 



yo«jr committee have heard no 

 evidence but in commendation of 

 their treatment, and of its effects 

 upon their morals and comfort. 

 Indeed it is most manifest that 

 where two or three convicts are 

 domiciled in a family removed 

 from their former companions, and 

 forced into habits of industry and 

 regularity, the chance of reforma- 

 tion must be infinitely greater than 

 when they are worked in gangs, 

 living with each other amidst all 

 the inducements to vice which 

 such a town as Sydney must afford 

 to them ; and such, by all the evi» 

 dence, appears to be the effect of 

 this system of distributing them 

 amongst the settlers. Nor is it 

 to be lost sight of, that in the 

 service of settlers they are hkely 

 to acquire some knowledge of 

 farming ; and thai if, from con- 

 victs, they become well-behaved 

 and industrious servants, a further 

 possibility is opened to them of 

 becoming prosperous and respect- 

 able settlers. On these grounds 

 your committee recommend as 

 much as possible their distribution 

 as servants and labourers to in- 

 dividuals ; and they have observed 

 with much satisfaction, that such 

 appears to be the system at pre- 

 sent pursued by governor Mac- 

 quarrie : nor will such an arrange- 

 ment materblly increase the ex- 

 pense to government, or impede 

 the progress of its works. It is 

 to be found in the evidence of Mr. 

 Coreimissary Palmer, that the ex- 

 pense of each convict in the ser- 

 vice of government was about 

 40/. a year, and that a free labourer 

 at Sydney could be hired for 70/. 

 but that he would do nearly 

 twice as much work. Mr. Camp- 

 bell states tlie annual expense of a 

 Vol. LV. 



convict at 30/. ; but in the other 

 point he agrees with Mr. Palmer. 

 Some of the benefits of this system 

 must be lost where too many con- 

 victs are given to one master, and 

 in some instances forty have been 

 put under the control of a single 

 settler; but from the extent of 

 some of the farms, 'such a distribu- 

 tion appears to be unavoidable. In 

 the distribution of female convicts 

 great abuses have formerly pre- 

 vailed; they were indiscriminately 

 given to such of the inhabitants as 

 demanded them, and were in ge- 

 neral received rather as prostitutes 

 than as servants ; and so far from 

 being induced to reform them- 

 selves, the disgraceful manner in 

 which they were disposed of ope- 

 rated as an encouragement to ge- 

 neral depravity of manners. Upon 

 the arrival of governor Bligh two- 

 thirds of the children annually born 

 within the colony were illegiti- 

 mate. Marriages have latterly be- 

 come more fre(iuent, consequently 

 prostitution is slated to have been 

 less prevalent ; and governor Mac- 

 quarrie is directing his endeavours, 

 under orders from the govern- 

 ment here, •' to keep the female 

 convicts separate till they can pro- 

 perly be distributed among the in- 

 habitants, in such manner as they 

 may best derive the advantages of 

 industry and good character." He 

 further stales in his dispatch, dated 

 April 30, 1810, that the situation of 

 the colony requires that as many 

 male convicts as possible should be 

 sent thither, the prosperity of the 

 country deperiling on their num- 

 bers ; whilst, on the contrary, fe- 

 male convicts are as great a draw- 

 back as the others are beneficial. 

 To this observation your com- 

 mittee feel they cannot accede ; 

 2M 



