50 



British Settlement at 



adapted to the male population of that colony, would not be 

 great. The comKiission and instractions under which the Go- 

 vernor acts, are given at length in the appendix. He is made 

 Governor and Captain General, with the most enlarged powers^ 

 uncontrolled by any council, with authority to pardon all of- 

 fences (treason and murder excepted), to impose duties, to grant 

 lands, and to issue colonial regulations. It is in evidence from 

 Governor Bligh, that to the breach of some of these regulations^ 

 issued at the sole v/ill of the Governor, a punishment of 500 

 lashes is annexed, and to others a fine of lOOZ. The manner ia 

 which these extensive powers have been used, has not always 

 been such as to give satisfaction to the colony; nor can it 

 be expected where so much authority and responsibility are 

 thrown into the hands of one man, that his will however just^ 

 and his administration however wise, will not at times create op- 

 position and discontent amongst men unused, in their own coun- 

 try, to see so great a monopoly of power. Under this impression^ 

 your committee think it right to recommend, that a council be 

 given to the Governor, for the purpose of sharing with him ia 

 the responsibility of the measures which they may think neces- 

 sary for the security or prosperity of the colony. It mayperhapa 

 be doubted liow far it will be wise to limit the authority of the 

 Governor over a colony in which, more than any other, the go- 

 vernment ought to be strorig and unfettered 5 but the views of 

 your committee would to some degree be obtained, even though 

 the council appointed had no other power than that of protesting 

 against any measures of the Governor of which they might dis- 

 approve; and of transmitting their protests to the Secretary of 

 State. The acquiescence of the council would give popularity 

 to the measures of which it approved, and its expressed disap^ 

 probation might have the elFect of checking such as were evi-* 

 dently inexpedient. 



The Governor has the power of making grants of land; and 

 your committee have heard with surpiise, that this power has, 

 in one instance at least, been used in a manner, to say the least 

 of it, liable to much observation. It has been stated in evidence, 

 that a grant of land, to the amount of 1,000 acres, was made by 

 a Governor to the person appointed to succeed him, who, im- 

 mediately on assuming the government, made a similar grant tQ 

 his predecessor. Upon this your committee must suggest, that 

 no Governor ought on his own account to enter into farming 

 speculations; his salary ought to be sufficient to support him; 

 he ought never to look to other and indirect means of enriching 

 himself. 



For many years the Governor was restrained from granting 

 longer leases within the town of Sydney, than for the period of 

 14 years. This impolitic regulation^ which caused much dis- 



