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