THE LIQUOR TRADE. 97 



A month later the Governor adopted their recommendation 

 and issued a General Order in which he explained what he 

 meant to do and why he meant to do it. 1 It had, he said, been 

 represented to him " that it would be a great accommodation to 

 the labouring people, and to the lower classes of the inhabitants 

 in general, to have plenty of good wholesome beer brewed for 

 their drinking and permitted to be retailed to them at a moder- 

 ate price ; his Excellency the Governor in view to their con- 

 venience as well as to encourage the settlers ... to grow 

 barley for this and other purposes, has been pleased to direct 

 licenses to be granted to fifty persons at Sydney to vend and 

 retail beer. . . ." The licensee was to pay 5 and give security 

 in 25 for himself and produce one surety in like sum, promise 

 to keep an orderly house and not to sell wine or spirits. 



But there was an illicit trade in beer as well as spirits of 

 which the suppression had to be attempted. In December an 

 Order was issued imposing a fine of 20 on unlicensed vendors, 

 half to go to the informer. 2 Applications were at the same 

 time invited for four licenses in the country districts in order 

 that the advantages of "good wholesome beer" might be 

 enjoyed in all parts of the settlement. 



In the following year a Proclamation dealt at large with the 

 retail liquor trade. 3 The process for levying fines for unlicensed 

 vending was strengthened, but the magistrate was given power 

 to mitigate the penalty in any sum not less than $.* The 

 sworn testimony of one trustworthy witness was declared 

 sufficient evidence for a conviction, and the proceedings might 

 take place before a single magistrate. The prosecution must 

 be initiated within three months of the offence, and a 

 conviction disqualified a publican from receiving a license at 

 any future time. To sell in quantities of less than two gallons 

 was to retail, and any one therefore selling in such quantities 

 must have a license. 5 Payments by pawn or pledge were for- 

 bidden, and no sum of less than 2OS. contracted at one time 

 would be recovered in the Courts. 



1 G.G.O., 23rd June, 1810. *Ibid., 22nd December, 1810. 



3 Proclamation, 3oth March, 1811. 



4 In 1816 the penalty was reduced from 20 to 10 with an additional 5' 

 for every fresh offence. G.G.O., 27th January, 1816. 



5 In 1817 the limit was raised to five gallons. 



7 



