Page:A colonial autocracy, New South Wales under Governor Macquarie, 1810-1821.djvu/140

 in answer to his application for permission to proceed to New South Wales, that no persons are allowed to go out as free settlers to that Colony, unless they can prove themselves to be possessed of sufficient property to establish themselves there without the assistance of Government, and who can produce the most satisfactory testimonials and recommendations from persons of known respectability."

Free passages on convict transports were granted to suitable emigrants.

In 1813 there were twenty-nine applications for permission to go to New South Wales. Ten of these were accepted, sixteen refused, and to the remaining three no answers appear to have been given. From the correspondence in this and other years one or other out of four qualifications seem to have always been necessary. They were (1) a capital of at least £400; (2) references as to character; (3) friends or relatives in the Colony who could provide the applicants with a home or with employment; (4) influential friends in England. There was not much patronage to dispense in regard to offices in New South Wales, but a gift of land was valuable, and there were many applications from political allies urging the claims of relations or dependents. Such men were not usually the best of emigrants and occasionally the Colonial Office refused to pass them altogether. But Macquarie had already reason to complain in 1812 that it was "becoming almost a constant practice for persons who wish to get rid of some troublesome connections, to obtain permission from the Secretary of State's Office for their being allowed to come out here".