were not prisoners, and who, with their families, were victualled
from the public stores; but some of these have been subsequently
done away with, being considered by Governor King as a
superfluous addition to the already excessive expenses of the
colony. There are also many other occasional duties, the persons
employed in which would be entitled to the extra allowances, from
a sense of their indispensable necessity, since it is
sufficiently evident that men who are called upon and expected to
perform services of more than common exertion, must receive
additional means of increasing their physical strength, and of
enabling them to execute the task assigned to them.

A 10th cause of loss to the crown, and of the expenses of the
colony, resulted from the abuses formerly practised in the
medical department of the colony; amongst which it was customary
to screen the convalescent labourers in the Hospital, and to
employ them for individual benefit, so that the patients were
thus kept under the hands of medical men longer than was
requisite for the establishment of their health: An imposition of
this nature called for immediate steps on the part of the
governor, but unfortunately his excellency Governor Hunter did
not receive information of this iniquitous practice until he had
delivered up his executive power and was embarked, or otherwise
he expressed his determination to have put a stop to the
disgraceful proceeding; it has, however, subsequently been done
away with. At one time, it was ascertained, there were forty or
fifty convicts who were thus kept in the Hospital, and were
employed by a medical man in the furtherance of his private
interests, and such other occupations as he marked out for them,
to the loss of eleven pounds five shillings a day to the crown.