and there was no probability, under existing circumstances, of capital and labour being attracted in the future. The memorialists entreated that "the importance of this colony to the British Empire" should be considered, for, from its geographical position, inexhaustible store of ship timber, desirable position in time of war, it "should become a populous and powerful settlement." Unless "Her Majesty's Government will reduce the price of land to its original standard, and resume the principle upon which this colony was founded, and act upon that principle judiciously and not lavishly as was the case formerly, or will devise some other expedient as shall cause the reintroduction of capital and labour, your memorialists conceive that this colony must become absolutely useless to the British Crown, an encumbrance on the Empire, and ruinous to those individuals who have been led to embark in it the whole of their fortunes," understanding that the original principles of colonisation would be adhered to. Should they not accede to any of these suggestions, there only remained the "hope that Her Majesty's Government will be induced to convert the colony into a penal settlement on an extensive scale." They recognised that the formation of good roads was most necessary and expensive, and, "perhaps, only to be accomplished by convict labour; that it is only by convict labour that the ports and harbours can be improved—bridges, jetties, lighthouses, wharves, and other public works be constructed—facilities for the advantageous establishment of a timber trade secured and an inland market guaranteed for agricultural and pastoral productions."
A temporary awakening seemed to take place. Convictism was no longer an abstract theory to be debated on. There was the strong possibility that the English Government would accede to the desire of the memorialists, not so much, perhaps, to benefit the colony as to obtain, now that other stations were being closed, a new outlet for their felons. The benefits to be derived from forced labour were believed to be many, and a comparison of present distress with possible future prosperity convinced people of its expediency. Both the newspapers had emphatically decried the suggestions, but now even they gave the proposal a qualified support. The Perth Gazette, after deploring the necessity for public works, proposed that convicts should be imported to make roads, bridges, &c., but when these were completed they should be returned to England again, and while they were at the colony they should be confined to hulks and prisons, and not be allowed to mix with other people. Such a system, it was believed, would obtain the support of the colonists and be productive of prosperity. In April and May the Gazette published favourable leaders, and the Inquirer also advocated the advantages which would accrue from having cheap labour and a progressive public works policy.
But Lieuteuant-Colonel Irwin, then Governor of the colony, when he opened the Legislative Council on 5th June, 1847, strenuously opposed the agitation. He regretted that the "dearth of labour or the desire to accumulate wealth on the part of a portion of the community" caused them to support so objectionable proposal in "opposition to the wish of a majority of settlers." He referred to the report of a committee of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, of 30th April, 1846, as a convincing proof of evils of the system. This committee was appointed as a result of a despatch from the Secretary for the Colonies respecting the renewal of transportation thither. It stated that "if the proposed renewal of transportation were any longer practically and substantially an open question; if it rested with the colonists themselves to decide whether the deportation of convicts to this hemisphere could cease or continue; if it were thus placed at their option whether they would at once and for ever free themselves and their posterity from the further taint of the convict system, doubtless a large majority, especially of the operative classes, would give the proposal for renewed transportation an unhesitating veto." Nor did the committee doubt that the majority of the middle and upper classes of society would agree with a committee appointed in 1846, when it reported that "the moral and social influences of the convict system—the contamination and vice which are inseparable from it—are evils from which no mere pecuniary benefits could serve as a counterpoise." The report concluded with unequivocally asserting that no further introduction of convicts would be conducive to the interests of Australia and Australians. Lieutenant-Colonel Irwin concluded by saying that "with the experience of other colonies before us, which we now witness struggling to free themselves from this system, as from a pestilence, I would strongly urge all who are favourable to the measure (except those who are bent on acquiring wealth at any risk) to consider whether the injury likely to be entailed on the community, and particularly on their own families, may not convince them, when too late, that they have obtained their object at dreadful sacrifice."
During the remainder of 1847 and in 1848 few public references were made to the question. Governor Fitzgerald, soon after his arrival, mentioned privately that it might be advisable to send for (say) 300 convicts from Pentonville, who should be accompanied by their wives and families. The expense incurred by the Government in passage money should be recovered by gradual reductions from their wages; the amount collected in this way to be applied to introducing a corresponding number of free labourers. At Pentonville the best convicts were kept, men who had been convicted for offences of a trivial nature under extenuating circumstances. It was suggested that upon their arrival in the colony a free pardon should be extended to them. Only a half-hearted support was given to this proposal, and for a time agitators for a penal settlement lacked vitality. Some weeks later the Gazette, under new management, published an editorial objecting to convicts without exception.
A deputation of gentlemen interested in Western Australia interviewed Mr. Hawes, the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, with reference to emigration. Mr. Hawes, before he dismissed them, asked those present whether they would favour the introduction of convicts of a superior type, mentioning the Pentonville exiles. The majority of them agreed as to its advisability, and Mr. Louis Samson, one of the number, wrote to the colony asking for an expression of opinion.
On 18th November a meeting was held in York, apparently the stronghold of the adherents for making the colony a convict settlement, at which it was announced that a memorial to the Secretary for the Colonies was in course of signature, advocating the introduction of convicts. Thus the matter stood at the end of 1848.
