with pensioners, their wives and families, to the number of 1476, made a total of 3,786 free people sent out by British funds. The whole number of convicts transported within the same period was 3,661, so that free emigration exceeded convict. But he believed that colonists could justly ask that convicts should serve a portion of their sentences on public works in the colony, yet it was almost impossible to get sufficient of this class to satisfy the demand. Since the commencement of the service in 1850 to December, 1855, the grants of Parliament (exclusive of transport and guards during the voyage, and free emigrants) amounted to £322,500, or nearly £90 for every convict transported. It was, therefore, "the bounden duty of Her Majesty's Government to discountenance any needless outlay, and to enforce the observance of every economy compatible with the efficiency of the establishment and of the just claims of the colony."
The Imperial Treasury only paid £6,000 as their share, and the subject was dropped for some years. The people were not yet satisfied that they were getting a fair proportion of free emigrants. In March, 1854, the barque Victory arrived with 65 males and 103 females, and, excepting pensioners and their families, colonists waited long before another batch arrived. So concerned were they that late in 1855 overtures were made to South Australia for 120 Irish girls who were maintained there in idleness. Voluntary free immigration of capitalists or labourers was almost unknown. Governor Fitzgerald explained to the Lords Committee that this was due to prejudice against the colony from its presumed natural disadvantages and its character as a penal settlement. Representations were made to the British Government, and on 25th January, 1856, Sir George Grey assented to the view that the Imperial Government ought to send out free emigrants in proportion to the convicts so long as the colony could provide for them. He reminded Governor Kennedy that many of this class were unable to obtain a living in the colony and became a charge on English funds, but whenever the Governor reported that free emigrants would have a prospect of thriving, the Imperial Government would equip another ship. A few more hands were sent out, and among them the emigrant girls.
Another subject for complaint was removed. Employers held that in order to carry out the original intention to deduct from the wages of ticket-of-leave men sufficient to pay their passage money to Western Australia, the prices of labour were greatly increased. The provision was not a success, and up to 1857 only £400 was received out of £7,000 due. The convict did not relish having to pay money for a sea voyage which he was literally forced to make. The employer did not enjoy having to pay the convict higher wages in order to enable him to refund his passage-money. The employer aired his grievance. Mr. G. F. Moore and others pointed out to the Lords Committee that the expense ultimately fell upon the settlers, and the committee in its report advised the reconsideration of the subject. Captain Wray, when Acting Comptroller-General, recommended that the amounts due be wholly or partly remitted, asserting that the abolition of this payment would "remove a widespread and very natural discontent among the ticket-of-leave men, and relieve the colonists from a heavy tax by enabling them to reduce wages." Governor Kennedy supported this view, and the Secretary of State approved of the suggestion. Probably to convince the convicts that the Government was not unmindful of their interests, the £400 was returned to those who had paid in full or part.
Governor Kennedy apparently held strong views on the drink question, and lamented that the vice of drunkenness should exist in Western Australia. He proceeded to put his views into practice with such boldness that complicated difficulties arose which led colonists to once more appeal for Representative Government. In January, 1856, he was openly accused of interfering with the Licensing Board, an act which called forth censure and severe comment from a section of the community. A few months previously he reprimanded magistrates at Guildford for discharging an accused person. The Inquirer considered he was taking undue advantage of his position. On 23rd May, 1856, at the opening of the Legislative Council, Governor Kennedy expressed the opinion that hotels were increasing out of all proportion to the population. He spoke strongly, and with justification. In 1850, he said, there were thirty publichouses in the colony; in 1855 there were fifty-two. For every 73 adult males in Perth there was a publichouse; in Fremantle the average was higher. In the latter town licensed houses approached almost to the gates of the Convict Establishment; in Albany there were six licensed publichouses and grog shops within 700 yards of the gates of the Convict Hiring Depot. He believed that such conditions were dangerous and impolitic. The houses encouraged drunkenness among ticket-of-leave men—persons whose original crimes or offences against society originated or were consummated in 99 cases out of 100 in drunkenness.
Since the opening of the Legislative Council numerous measures had been before it dealing with licensing and drink matters. A bill was introduced and passed in 1855 enforcing stringent regulations. It provided that conditional-pardon men could not obtain a license; that no licensed house should have ingress or egress except from and to a street. Mr. Samson and other gentlemen strongly opposed the measure, and a numerous body of people considered that the restrictions on conditional-pardon men were unjust, and out of spirit with the convict system. Several of these men held licenses, and it was deemed unfair to attack vested interests. The detractors stated that the provisions were against the views of Earl Grey and Mr. Labouchere, who distinctly affirmed that when convicts obtained conditional pardons they were placed on an equal footing with the rest of their fellow subjects. These opponents counselled the Government in respect of convicts to let by-gones be by-gones.
Excitement was worked up, and advocates for Representative Government took advantage of the agitation to further their views. Several meetings were held; one at Toodyay proposed a memorial embodying the view that free Englishmen should have the power of electing their representatives. The other colonies were now possessed of some form of Representative Government, and Western Australians claimed equal rights with them. The Sheriff was asked to convene a meeting by Messrs. L. Samson, R. M. Habgood, G. W. Leake, F. Lochee, E. Stirling, C. A. Manning, T. Helms, L. S. Leake, R. J. Sholl, G. Shenton, A. Shenton, G. Skinner, O. Lodge, H. Saw, C. J. Clinch, and many others. On 6th August, 1856, over 400 persons assembled in the Perth Court House. Mr. F. D. Wittenoom, the new sheriff, was in the chair. The meeting was the largest ever held in the colony up to that time.
The constitution of the Legislative Council was attacked, and it was affirmed that the number of non-official members
