they must make their social relations legitimate. Those who shrank from the last act of justice within their power, found that the hand of Arthur could fall heavily upon them. He made no distinctions, and not even slander dared to asperse his own character. He speedily encountered opposition from the press. The Hobart Town Gazette had been officially established, and was once subject to the censorship of the government; but Sir Thomas Brisbane had released the press in both colonies from any other restraint than that of the ordinary law. Arthur was discontented with the management of the Gazette, and after disputes with Bent, its conductor, established another newspaper, to which the title of Gazette was given, and the irritated, if not injured, Bent saw his own adventure decay.
The Act 4 Geo. IV. cap. 96 created a Supreme Court in Van Diemen's Land as well as in New South Wales, and in 1824 Mr. J. L. Pedder arrived as Chief Justice, with the charter of the Supreme Court. Mr. J. T. Gellibrand was Attorney-General, and Mr. Joseph Hone (brother of the author of the Day Book) was "Master" of the Supreme Court. In the following year the direct dependence of the younger colony upon New South Wales came to an end. The 44th section of the Act (4 Geo. IV. cap. 96) enabled the Crown to establish Van Diemen's Land as a separate colony. General Darling visited Hobart Town on his way from England to assume office as Governor of New South Wales, and the separation of the local government from that of Sydney was formally announced. Up to that time the dependent settlement had been ruled by those who were addressed as "His Honour." After Darling's visit Arthur became "His Excellency." Local Executive and Legislative Councils were duly appointed. The first contained Mr. Percival, the Colonial Secretary; Mr. Pedder, Chief Justice; Messrs. Humphrey and Thomas. The Legislative Council was composed of Messrs. Pedder, Percival, Abbott, Hamilton, Humphrey, and Curr. All the appointments were made by the English Government, but correspondence with Colonel Arthur preceded them. Mr. Curr had gone to Van Diemen's Land as secretary to the Van Diemen's Land Company. Like the Australian Agricultural Company, it was founded after the resources of Australia were becoming
