234 A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



certainly just and reasonable. It was probably very seldom that 

 the Governor of a remote colony described with exact accuracy 

 the working of any Government department. Approval was 

 sought for the course which was to be pursued, and approval 

 once obtained, the Governor felt under no obligation to report 

 the many divergences into which practical administration might 

 lead. Thus the three Road Trustees were reduced to two, and 

 of these two D'Arcy Wentworth alone conducted the business. 

 Bent stated in 1815 that Wentworth was the only trustee, and 

 in the same year Macquarie claimed that there were three ; but 

 two, and two only, appeared in any record. 1 This uncertainty 

 was not very important, for the only duty of the trustee or 

 trustees was to farm the tolls to the highest bidder. This was 

 done annually, and the sum realised paid straight into the 

 Police Fund. All further control belonged to the Governor. 

 It was constant matter for complaint in the Colony that the 

 roads and bridges were neglected and repairs urgently needed ; 

 but the Road Trustees were in no way responsible, nor was any 

 part of the Police Fund ear-marked for such purposes. The 

 revenue benefited yearly by about 400 from the farming of the 

 tolls, but this amount was not set aside to pay for repairs, nor 

 was it used to repay the charge for construction, but simply went 

 into the general fund. Thus in practice Macquarie disregarded 

 the principles he had laid down for Lord Liverpool's approval. 2 

 To one section of the Proclamation of 1811 the Governor 

 strictly adhered. That was the section which relieved the 

 Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, with their families and 

 suites, from the payment of toll, since their duties required that 

 they should from " time to time pass into the interior ". He 

 offered a similar favour to the Judge-Advocate, " rather, how- 

 ever, as a courtesy and acknowledgment for his having oblig- 

 ingly framed the Proclamation and antecedently rendered me 

 other legal assistance and advice, than from his having any 

 public duties to perform which could warrant such exemption." 

 Ellis Bent refused the offer, thinking with Macquarie that his 



1 See D. i, zoth February, 1816, and Enclosure, Bent to M., 25th August, 

 1851. R.O., MS. Bent said that in the " General Almanac, published by authority 

 and submitted to your Excellency's inspection " there was only one Trustee named. 



8 See Wentworth's Evidence, Appendix, Bigge's Reports, R.O., MS. for duties- 

 of a Road Trustee. 



