Services were held at Sydney, in front of Government
House, Parramatta, Castle Hill, and Hawkesbury, “at
which places all persons not prevented by sickness are
expected to attend.” Three volleys were fired after the
service, and the battery at Dawes' Point fired a salute.
The general powers of the Governor were freely resorted to by King, though it must be remembered to his credit that at Norfolk Island he stoutly contended that no freed man should be flogged. In July 1804 “a general muster of all the male prisoners on and off the stores; also freemen of all descriptions (except those who hold ground by grant, lease, or rental) on or off the stores” was ordered to be held. Women were to attend on a different day. “All persons who do not appear at these musters will be taken up as vagrants, and punished to the utmost extent of the law, if free.” Prisoners failing to attend were to be sent to the gaol gang for twelve months. On the 4th Aug. 1804 it was ordered that no {{smaller| “prisoner or freeman who is not a settler, is to leave the place he resides in without a pass from the magistrate or officer in command of the district.
If a freeman offends he will, on conviction, labour three months for the public; a prisoner to receive a corporal punishment, at the discretion of the magistrates, not exceeding 100 lashes. Persons employing or harbouring any prisoner or freeman without seeing his certificate or permission, will on conviction be fined £5, and 2s. 6d. for each day such freeman or prisoner has been harboured or employed; and £20, with 2s. 6d. each day any prisoner has been harboured or employed until he is regularly indented for, according to the Orders of 6th Jan. 1804.” These orders were promulgated shortly after the rebellion, and rigid as they were, they did not shake the public confidence in him whose vigilance had contributed to the prevention of general massacre. The Orders of Jan. 1801 furnished a complete form of indenture which employers were to subscribe on receiving convicts as “Indented Servants.” Some special difficulties with regard to convicts may be mentioned under the head of arbitrary Orders, for the whole of the prisoner class was subject to them without appeal. The following paragraph in a despatch[1] shows the weapons with which the wilier convicts contended against their keepers.
- ↑ King to Duke of Portland, 21st Aug. 1801. An original indent in King's possession aided in detection of the frauds described.
