the condcts» It had heen found that persons arriving with goods of which there was a scarcity in Sydney, demanded exorbitant prices for their wares. He had represented the matter to the Secretary of State, and the Bellona con- sequently carried wme, spirits, and other articles to he distributed to officers, civil and military, at prime cost."'^ The rough method of fixing; the price at which importers might sell their goods was for many years the only method hy which the ** shameful impositions'* of which officers com- plained were resisted. It naturally created antagonism between the importer and the Governor who regulated the price, Phillip was often consulted by the Secretary of State after his return to England, and the government 6tore which Governor Iving, in concert with the Enghsh authorities, established in after years may not unfairly be ascribed in part to the counsels of Phillip, as to whose retirement it is necessary to say a few words. From the iirst he received the hearty thanks of the government- In June 1789 they informed him of Hk Majesty's approval of his *' conduct in the arduous and important service committed to his care/' of his success in encouraging marriages, and promoting the welfare of his abnormal subject b. The despatches to him were friendly and conlidential. In 17110 his liealth was seriou.sly affected. In Juno 1791 he requested permission to return to England.
- A complaint in his side," afflicting for more than two
years, ** at times puts it out of my power to attend to | the chai'ge (of governing) in the manner I wish, and the state of the colony ret|iiire8.*' He ** would wish to return" if he should recover his health, and therefore only sought for '* leave of absence/' But in Nov. 1791 he asked '* permission to resign the government,*' that he might gc* to England for the relief from his ailment s» In March 1792 his application was repeated , The Secretary of State was loth to lose his services* The Colonial Office knew what did not meet the public eye, and what Collins, the Judge-Advocate, abstained from publish- xng in 1798, although well ac(|uainted with the facts. The obstructions thrown in the (rovernor's way by Major Robb anA some of the officers as to the control of convicts and
- CollmB» V* -Q2*
