1813.] New South JVales. - 4? 



liquors will not give that encouragement to idleness and ine- 

 briety which, at tiie first view of the subject, naturally presents 

 itself as an objection to the extended importation : it has been 

 stated before them repeatedly in evidence, that the scarcity of 

 spirits has had no other effect tlian to stimulate the avidity with 

 which they were souglit ; and that in tio7T3s when the supply 

 has been most regular and abundant, drunkenness has been the 

 least prevalent. But they are of opinion, that an unlimited sup- 

 ply of spirits may be furnished to the colony in a manner much 

 more conducive to its interests than by permitting a free impor- 

 tation. The w^ant of an extended corn-market, Vv'here the prices 

 are regulated by a fair and liberal competition, is Vnuch felt in 

 the colony. Of 10,452 inhabitants, 4,277 are v.diolly, or in 

 great part, victualled from the public store ; and three-fifths of 

 the corn brought to market are purchased by the Governor, at a 

 price, over which, from the largeness of his demand, he has 

 always a power of controul, and which many governors have 

 taken upon themselves absolutely to limit, so as scarcely to 

 afford to the farmers a fair profit Ibr their produce ; and in the 

 distant parts of the settlement, tliey have been known to feed 

 their pigs with the corn for which they could not obtain a suf- 

 ficient price. From the occasional overflowing of the Hawkes- 

 bury, and consequent scarcities, a larger cultivation of corn than 

 is necessary for the mere annual subsistence of the colony, is ex^ 

 tremely desirable : and your committee are of opinion, that an 

 enlarged market, great encouragement to agriculture, and a 

 free supply of spirits, may be afforded to the colony, without 

 losing the revenue which would be produced by the duties on 

 importation, if distillation within the colony were permitted 

 under proper duties and regulations ; and they confidently sug- 

 gest, that this is a measure which ought to be substituted for 

 that proposed by Governor Macquarie : it would extend agri- 

 cultural speculation, — it would be a resource in times of scarcity, 

 and, with proper attention, would afford a better spirit than has 

 been hitherto imported ; for the importations have, for the most 

 part, been of Bengal and American rum. But your committee 

 must at the same time regret, that an impediment has arisen to 

 the immediate alteration of the present system, from a contract 

 entered into by Governor Macquarie, under which certain mer- 

 chants have agreed to build an hospital for the settlement, on 

 being allowed, during the ensuing three years, exclusively to 

 purchase spirits at the government price, no other spirits being 

 permitted, within that time, to be imported into the colony by 

 private individuals. 



The courts of judicature are instituted by commission ; the 

 civil court is called the Court of Civil Jurisdiction, and consists 

 ©f the Judge Advocate^ and two respectable inhabitants of the 



