Star. — 1831-06-24 (London, England)

THE CONVICT SYSTEM AT NEW SOUTH  WALES. By R. S. HALL, Editor of the Sidney Monitor.  The great source of prosperity as regards the agriculture 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 parliament, seemed to think this colony was getting too enlarged to answer the end of the British government as a penal colony. I looked earnestly to ascertain his reasons for so extraordinary an opinion, 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 warning to criminals at home. The official journal here, (the Sydney Gazette), 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 according 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 invented 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 Macquarrie 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 established goes to render one quality of mind alone capable of being rewarded, namely, abject obedience—a quality which mean cunning informers acquire, but which all the better sort of convicts cannot attain to. Hence there have been more bushranging 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 calculated 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