94 A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



" Public morals " were affected in several ways. There was 

 in the first place the impropriety of permitting an officer of the 

 Government already filling so many important posts as D'Arcy 

 Wentworth, to become a party to such a contract. There was 

 sufficient evidence to show that he reaped to the full the ad- 

 vantage placed in his hands. As Superintendent of Police his 

 influence was great both in regard to the licensing and conduct 

 of public houses. The four years during which the contract 

 lasted were generally regarded as those in which the licensed 

 houses were most disorderly. Wentworth would not agree that 

 their number was too great, replying to remonstrances that it 

 was good for trade and good for the Police Fund. 1 Thirty-one 

 annual licenses were issued in 1 8 10, but in the following four years 

 the numbers were sixty, one hundred and seventeen, ninety-three 

 and one hundred and ten, numbers which were not reached again 

 in Macquarie's time.- 



The amount of spirit which the contractors were allowed to 

 import was placed at 45,000 gallons or 15,000 gallons a year. 

 When the time of the contract was extended to four years the 

 amount was increased proportionately. It was only in 1812 that 

 any spirit but that assigned to the contractors was landed, and 

 the amount of this extra importation was 10,000 gallons. Leav- 

 ing this out, the total number of gallons imported during the 

 four years was 144,000 gallons. 3 One- third of this was probably 

 on Government account, 4 but even allowing for that the con- 

 tractors imported at least 40,000 gallons more than was allowed 

 to them in the original covenant. Macquarie seems to have 

 thought that because the Government received a greater sum in 

 duties by this means, the violation of the terms of the contract 

 was of no account. The profits of the monopoly were immense, 

 for spirit sold during its currency at 303. the gallon was in 1815 

 selling at i/s. 5 



So soon as the hospital contract expired Macquarie issued 



1 Evidence of Dr. Harris. See Appendix to Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. See 

 also evidence of H. Macarthur and others. 



2 Return in Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. 



3 This is calculated on the returns of 1819 and 1820. In previous years there 

 is no separation made. 



4 See Return, Appendix to Bigge's Reports, R.O., MS. 



8 Evidence of Lara. Appendix to Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. 



