ii 4 A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



ness of the voyage returned whenever they found their private 

 business required it without suffering any severe hardship. On 

 rare occasions passengers were still permitted to make the voyage 

 on transport vessels, but they had to pay for their own provisions, 

 which was then no small item of expense. 1 In 1815 emigrants 

 were openly discouraged, doubtless owing to Macquarie's re- 

 presentations, and emigration to the North American Colonies 

 suggested in place of New South Wales. In 1816 the Govern- 

 ment removed all restrictions on emigration, allowing any persons 

 to go to New South Wales on private vessels without further ques- 

 tion, but did not in all cases give them letters to the Governor 

 supporting their requests for land. 2 The consequence was that 

 in 1816 many settlers arrived in New South Wales without 

 letters to the Governor, who was in some doubt what to do with 

 them. Several had no means of maintaining themselves, and 

 one was a Methodist preacher, or, as Macquarie said, a sectary, 

 and, the Governor thought, unsuitable to such a Colony. 3 



He therefore proposed " that instructions should forthwith be 

 given by His Majesty's Government to the Commissioners of the 

 Customs (more particularly at all the out-ports) never to permit 

 any person whatever, whether male or female, to embark or sail 

 in any private trading-ships or vessels bound for this Colony, un- 

 less they produce properly authenticated passports from your 

 Lordship's office, authorising them to come to this Colony and 

 specifying in what capacity." 4 



This step was not taken, for emigration, which had during 

 the war been anxiously restrained, was now eagerly desired. 5 



In 1818 Macquarie again urged that no poor settlers, but 

 only monied men of respectability, should be sent out. The 

 Colony did not need " decayed adventurers " who as soon as 

 they took possession of their farms sought to sell them and en- 

 gaged in objectionable pursuits, keeping public houses, hawking 



1 See C.O. Domes. Corresp., 1814. MS. 



8 C.O. Domes. Corresp., 2ist August. 1816. MS. 



8 " We require regular and pious clergymen of the Church of England, and 

 not sectaries, for a new and rising Colony like this." D. 7, 1816. R.O., MS. 



D. 7, 1816. R.O., MS. 



8 Becket, e.g., Under-Secretary at the Home Office, wrote to Goulburn in 

 1820 : " Can you not tempt some of our superabundant population to go to New 

 South Wales ?" and an official at the Treasury wrote : " Is there no way for a man 

 to get there but by stealing ? " R.O., MS., 1820. There are numbers of letters in 

 which the need of emigration is taken for granted and the means discussed. 



