THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 353 



and that unanticipated conditions had rendered the carrying out 

 of its intentions almost impossible. On the other hand, he was 

 honestly desirous of meeting the wishes of the thousands of immi- 

 grants who desired to invest their rapidly acquired wealth in some 

 permanent form that would attach them to the colony. But his 

 conscientious hesitation offended both parties. In the Legislative 

 Council the views of the squatters predominated, and the Executive, 

 backed by a majority of two to one, urged Latrobe to push on with 

 the leases, and to resist the public demand. The dominant person- 

 ality of the Attorney-General was too much for him, but while he 

 hesitated to do anything that would strengthen the position of the 

 squatters, he found himself grossly assailed by the press as the 

 subservient tool of the pastoral interest. For the papers generally, 

 and the Argus in particular, took up the cry of what they deemed 

 the unrepresented public, though no Legislature could have half 

 so fiercely championed their cause. Day after day the harassed 

 Governor, who had officially declared that the public requirements 

 were sought to be made subservient to the private interests of 

 individuals, was plainly accused of corruptly conspiring with the 

 squatters to deprive the people of their rights. It was doubtless 

 unpleasant enough to bear the complainings of the members of the 

 Legislature, and to have to dissent from the views of the Executive ; 

 but it was degrading to the position he occupied to be made the 

 target of unmerited abuse and coarse ridicule, because he would 

 not take an extreme step, which he was formally advised would be 

 in defiance of the laws he had been appointed to carry out. Need- 

 less to say that the landless claimants and their press supporters 

 suggested a score of ways by which the Governor could drive the 

 proverbial coach and four through the Acts and Orders. It was 

 pointed out with tedious iteration that the regulations were mostly 

 permissive, not mandatory, and that much was left to the Governor's 

 own discretion. He could extend the boundaries of the settled 

 districts so as to take in three-fourths of the colony, leaving only 

 the remotest fringe subject to fourteen-year leases. He was not 

 compelled to give leases for that term, it was only named as the 

 limit, there was nothing to prevent him making them fourteen 



days. The claims of the squatter to pre-emption could only be 

 VOL. i. 23 



