g the efforts which he might otherwise be
induced to make for the improvement of his land, in order to save
himself from the burden of supporting his servants; and thus a
spirit of indolence is promoted, and the original intention of
the measure is totally perverted. The continuance of this
pernicious system, previous to the administration of Governor
Hunter, had induced the settlers to look upon it as a right,
rather than an indulgence. Numbers of useful mechanics, whose
services might have been turned to advantage, in the exercise of
their different professions for the public benefit, were thus
given to those who cultivated lands, until their term was
expired; and no sooner did they recover their freedom, than they
quitted the service of government for more lucrative employments;
the consequence was, artificers at a high price were to be hired
by the governor, to build those store-houses which might have
been erected before, and to repair the towns of Parramatta and
Toongabbee, which were falling into ruins, on account of the
necessary repairs having been neglected at a proper season: This
was a new expense entailed upon government, and many thousands
were expended, which foresight and prudent policy might have
saved.

A 4th cause of superfluous expense to the crown, was to be
found in the employment of the convicts to perform the public
service by task-work, which was completed by nine or ten o'clock
in the morning, and thus left the hands free to assist in the
cultivation of those tracts of land which had been granted to
different descriptions of persons. Thus was the government labour
protracted in a most shameful degree; the labour of little more
than a week requiring the lapse of a month to complete it; and
thus, also, several were induced, by their attention to their
individual interests, to neglect the service of the colony. The
consequence of this innovation was, the rapid clearing and
cultivation of such persons' estates, and the erection of
comfortable residences and the acquisition of further
accommodations, which they must otherwise have waited some time
to obtain; while the buildings which were required to be raised
for the security of the stores, and for other purposes of equal
necessity, were greatly retarded. I am confident also that this
conduct tended to relax the discipline which ought to have been
rigidly preserved amongst the convicts, and produced a general
carelessness of the general interes