THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE. 13 



in all cases before receiving their land. A free settler had, 

 however, the right to receive convict servants if the Governor 

 could spare them from the public services, and if he undertook 

 to feed and clothe them satisfactorily. 1 Although nothing was 

 said in the Governor's Instructions about victualling these 

 settlers, they were usually placed on the store for the same 

 time as the emancipists. This was one of the indulgences 

 held forth to encourage emigration and settlement. While the 

 giving of the grant, the extent of the indulgences, the number 

 of servants, the situation, extent and quality of the land (apart 

 from the general proviso that good and bad was to be equally 

 distributed 2 ) depended, in the absence of special orders from 

 the Secretary of State, wholly upon the will of the Governor, 

 the settler had on his side unfettered power to deal with his 

 land in whatever way he pleased. He might or might not 

 reside there, he might or might not clear or cultivate it, and 

 finally he could sell it on the very day he took possession. 

 The only restraint upon him was his expectation of favours to 

 come, and his knowledge of each Governor's principles and 

 prejudices. 



These instructions suggest a multiplication of small holdings 

 of thirty to two hundred acres each and that such was the in- 

 tention of the Government is borne out by the clauses regulating 

 the reservation of land for the Crown and public services. 3 The 

 " planters " were to be settled in townships in order that as near 

 neighbours they might better help and defend themselves and 

 each other, and in each township was to be established a town 

 in which special areas would be reserved for definite public 

 purposes. 4 Further, between every 10,000 acres granted to 

 settlers, the Governor was to set aside 500 acres for the Crown 

 which might be leased for any term up to fourteen years. With 

 the progress of the settlement the Crown would thus retain 

 between every cluster of farms a tract of land of which the value 

 would steadily increase. But the irregularity resulting from 

 special grants of large areas, and the dangers and inconveniences 

 in a new country of leaving broad belts of uncleared land between 



1 See Instructions to Macquarie, par. 14. 

 -Ibid., par. 16. 3 Ibid., pars. 17, 18, 19, 20. 



4 e.g. Fortifications, churches, markets, etc. 



