Star.
London, England, 1831-06-24 00:00:00

ON THE CONVICT SYSTEM AT NEW SOUTH

WALES.
By R. S. HALL, Editor of the Sidney Monitor.

The great source of prosperity as regards the agri-
culture of New South Wales (and indeed its trade and
comfort every way) is the convict labourers. This
is the chief source of all our prosperity, in the
absence of slave labour.

Sir R. Peel, during the last session of parlia-
ment, seemed to think this colony was getting too
enlarged to answer the end of the British govern-
ment as a penal colony. I looked earnestly to
ascertain his reasons for so extraordinary an opi-
nion, but my curiosity, though very earnest on so
all-important a subject, was not gratified, and I
may say truly, every man in this colony was
thereby left in a state of painful suspense.
The greatest inconvenience, not to say distress,
would follow the withdrawal from New South
Wales of convict transportation from the United
Kingdom.

Sir R. Peel is a gentleman of too profound and
extensive information, both general and local, not
to have plausible reasons for the opinion be has
formed. To guess at them, and to discuss thorn
one by one here, would require a pamphlet, I will
however suppose one.
I suppose Mr. Peel thinks, first, that convicts
are too well treated by a colony which is now large
enough to domesticate them ; which domestication,
while it tends to reform the convict, promotes his
comfort too much to render his punishment a war-
ning to criminals at home.
The official journal here, (the Sydney Ga-
zette), on the 18th, 20th, 25th, and 27th of
November, 1830, drew a picture of the discipline
adopted by General Darling towards the
convict population. It was a correct picture.—
And if the sufferings these men endure ac-
cording to that official sketch, do not satisfy
Sir R. Peel as to the quantum of discipline in this
penal Colony, I do not know any system that shall
exclude slow or quiet torture, or that shall secure
the health and limbs of convicts, which can be in-
vented as a substitute. The grade of severity, it
appears to me, which rises higher than the one
described in the Official Journal, must necessarily
affect life and limb, at least slowly. But 1 cannot
suppose that Sir Robert Peel would insist on
British criminals being kept in a state of
gradual torture or starvation, so as to shorten
life. Yet, abating this hypothesis, I know
of no way More effectual to unite reformation with
example, than the one adopted in New South
Wales by Sir Thomas Brisbane. Governor Mac-
quarrie was too mild—his policy went neither to
reform nor to punish for example. Gen. Darling's
policy, in my opinion, by its severity goes to
render transportation a dreadful example, but not
to reform. For the system of discipline he has es-
tablished goes to render one quality of mind alone
capable of being rewarded, namely, abject obedi-
ence—a quality which mean cunning informers ac-
quire, but which all the better sort of convicts can-
not attain to. Hence there have been more bush-
ranging and robberies, and murders, since General
Darling arrived, than under any former Governor.
Gen. Darling having failed in many of his plans
of Government, I suspect that in his endeavours to
I justify his measures, he has looked at the colony
with a jaundiced eye, and represented it in a point
of view which will tend to measures at home, that
will ultimately ruin this colony. I feel confidence
in the opinion expressed by many hors, that in the
General's despatches will be found the grounds of
Sir R. Peel's singular and alarming opinion,
namelv, that New South Wales is no longer cal-
culated for a penal colony. The older it grows,
however, the greater demand there is for convict
labour; and the more the convicts are scattered,
1. e. the less they are herded together
in gangs (all the consequences of the
growtn •of the colony,) the more moral the
convicts become, and more useful New South
Wiles should be considered by the mother' country,
as a reservoir for her transported criminals-rand
for' her redundant population to, employ them ae
farming and domaame servant*
If a committee of enquiry be instiOed. te ext
milts into this subject faiily, I feel confiaiint 'thy
the result•will be, that Sir IL Peel'aill change his
opinions„and.beeonfe an advocate fOr continuing
.to
send offenders here. I feel 'this con ffdence, becaui4