CHAPTER III. 



THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEM. 



AUTHORITIES. Despatches, etc. (See Bibliography) in Record and Colonial 

 Offices. Sydney Gazette. P.P., H.C., 1812, II.; 1816, XVIII.; 1819, VII.; 

 1822, XX. ; 1823 X. Historical Records of New South Wales. Rusden, 

 History of Australia. 



As Governor-in-Chief of New South Wales and its dependen- 

 cies, Macquarie ruled over an extensive area. New South Wales 

 alone, by the words of his commission, included the Eastern 

 half of the continent, then known as New Holland, from Cape 

 York in the north to South Cape, the southernmost point of Van 

 Diemen's Land. Although Bass Straits, which separated Van 

 Diemen's Land from the mainland, were discovered in 1/98, no 

 alteration had been made in the terms of the Governor's 

 commission, which were identical with those of Phillip's, and 

 described the whole as one continuous stretch of country. 



But beyond New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, the 

 Governor's rule reached over all the islands adjacent in the 

 Pacific Ocean, and in the same latitude. At Norfolk Island l 

 only had any settlement been made, and at the beginning of 

 Macquarie's period of office its abandonment had been decided 

 upon. Over the remaining islands the Governor's control was 

 a mere shadow. A considerable trade was carried on by English 

 and colonial vessels with New Zealand and the South Sea Islands, 

 and several missionary stations also had been established. 2 

 Moved by the missionaries' accounts of the violence and lawless- 

 ness of the traders, Macquarie made attempts to control their 

 conduct. In January, 1814, he issued regulations for the masters 

 of colonial vessels trading thither, and appointed one of the 

 missionaries at Otaheite on the Commission of the Peace. At 



1 See Chapter II., p. 35. 



2 Chiefly by Church Missionary Society. Some were Methodist missionaries. 



(47) 



