Public works were conducted with as much rapidity as the limited number of convicts directly under the control of the Establishment could manage them. Numbers of new arrivals were almost immediately sent from the prison on tickets of leave, the remainder were being released every week; hence, comparatively few were employed on public works. Governor Fitzgerald, in his address at the opening of the Legislative Council in December, adverted to this point, stating that out of 1469 convicts landed in Western Australia, only the small number of 156 was at the complete disposal of the Government. The ticket-of-leave men in private service numbered 845. In referring to these men a few weeks earlier, the committee of the York Agrieultural Society "felt bound" to state that many of them had proved excellent farm servants. Similar compliments came from different parts of the colony. As was to be expected, a proportion of them proved troublesome and lazy, and were constantly being thrown back on the Establishment.
A further instance of the free and easy style of guarding convicts was deduced in January, 1852. It was at once a serious breach of the restrictive law, and an amusing contretemps. Thirty ticket-of-leave men at York desiring to once more disport themselves on a racecourse, proceeded in a body to the local races. This was a direct defiance to prohibition, and, to make the matter worse, one report alleges that the convicts carried bludgeons. The settlers were astounded, and the magistrates present suspended the races. Moreover, the latter proceeded to swear in special constables to arrest the offenders, and gained the no doubt willing and anxious support of fifty or sixty aborigines, armed with native weapons. The convicts evidently recognised that they were to see no races that day and wisely retired. This action so pleased the magistrates that they pressed the Governor to pardon the offenders. Such a serious contravention of propriety was not to be passed over. The Perth Police Magistrate journeyed to York to make enquiries, and he sent six of the ringleaders back to the depot at Fremantle.
In January, 1852, three convicts escaped from Fremantle; two, who were heavily ironed, managed to break their cell doors and get away without the knowledge of the sentry on guard. The escapees seized a ticket-of-leave man, and under threat of murder compelled him to conduct them to a hut at North Lake where they obtained two guns. About two months afterwards the felons were re-captured in the south, and were sentenced to three years in irons.
The barracks for pensioners at Fremantle was now occupied. The gaol in Bunbury was completed in 1852, and those at York, Toodyay, and Albany were nearly finished. Pensioners' villages, containing rows of cottages, and small plots of land adjoining each house, were commenced or in immediate contemplation at North Fremantle, York, and Toodyay. Cottages were built and occupied by pensioners at Bunbury. The work of lengthening the Perth jetty, of building a Lunatic Asylum and a new Colonial Hospital was begun in Perth. The hospital, which was completed early in 1853, had accommodation for forty persons, and was temporarily used as a Lunatic Asylum, until the completion of a building for that purpose. Additions were made to numerous public buildings, churches, and gaols. A Roman Catholic school and two new parsonages at York and Bunbury were under construction.
The roads begun in 1851 were pushed on with in 1852. Before the end of the year a new line was cut by convict labour from York to Toodyay, as also was the track from Perth to Fremantle. Omnibus traffic was projected on the latter. Several roads were begun; such as from York to Northam, Toodyay towards Perth, Toodyay up the valley towards Culham, and from Bunbury towards Perth. A road was begun from Albany to Perth, but owing to the want of men was temporarily discontinued in 1852. The preliminary work on this highway was done by runaway sailors and native prisoners. Preparations were also made to construct bridges over the Swan at Guildford, and across the Capal River, in the S.W., to complete the communication between Perth and Busselton.
The position in 1853 was not much altered. The number of convicts was considerably augmented, but the convict system was not established in its entirety until later on. In previous years people were to some extent dissatisfied that there was not more activity in pushing on permanent roads, but with so many men out on tickets of leave and so few in the Establishment, this could not be done. With the additional arrivals in 1853 there were more men available. Public works were proceeded with briskly before the end of the year. Several important roads were in course of construction. With the accession of more men the size and the number of road parties were added to, until, over hundreds of miles, bands of these men were come upon among the trees. Work on the Albany Road, a highway of great importance, was renewed, and before 1854 all the rivers or creeks along the line were bridged, while a small portion of it was macadamised. Five bridges were constructed wholly by prison labour, an arrangement which Governor Fitzgerald estimated would save the colony £2,000. Bridges totalling 500 yards in length were completed on the Gordon Road, a work which was begun in June, 1853, and though never more than 70 convicts were engaged upon it, the clearing was completed within the year. Portions of the road to Clarence were macadamised, the large Guildford bridge was nearly finished, and was opened to traffic early in 1854. Throughout York, Toodyay, and Bunbury stray parties of convicts were engaged. Nearly the whole expense of these extensive works was met by the Convict Establishment, so that their completion was of paramount advantage to Western Australia. The influence of British capital was insinuating itself broadcast, and smiles began to take the place of frowns on the countenances of the colonists. Two colonial schools, at Perth and Fremantle, and a bridge over the Avon, at York, were among the works in which the Government was engaged. A depot was established at Mount Eliza in 1853.
The Imperial authorities were considering the wisdom of altering the law concerning transportation. Lord John Russell made a speech upon a measure subsequently introduced to Parliament in 1853, which was construed by colonists as an indication that the Government intended to discontinue deportation. Without waiting to obtain confirmatory evidence, residents of Perth held a public meeting in May, 1853, to protest against the improbable innovation. A memorial was drawn up protesting that the introduction of convicts was advantageous to both settlers and felons, and urging that the introduction should be continued. A few days later a letter from England was published which relieved unduly anxious minds; it declared that convicts would undoubtedly be despatched to Western Australia for as long as colonists chose to receive them.
The arrivals of convict ships in 1853 were the Dudbrook, on 10th February, with 229 felons; the Pyrenees (second voyage),
