Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/264

 236 EXCISE LAWS. ILLICIT STILLS. vessel sailed with her cargo tm return to India without ttiiy lotiniiiir on the occasion/" *- Another form of the evil it was difficult to arrest. Unlaw- ful stillH had long heen resorted to.^^ Kin^ told the Secre- tary of State (15tli March IBOG) that lie had from time to time caused several to be destrojed, '*and the workers and such proprietors as the facts could he provedlon were sent from the €olony, agreeahle to a colonial rej^ulation on that head/' *'Some of the most determined United Irishmen'* thus fell into his hands. **Some ahove the lahoiiring class" w^ere concerned in the crime. Jt lias oeciuied to me that the excise laws, as far is respects the finets Dd penalties for using private Btills^ might he ailopte<l here with a good feffect, hilt on conanltiug with the Judge- Advocate on that auhjeot, he thinks the introdiitliou of those laws ought to he sanctioned by His Majesty^ government. However iiincli I differ from him, considering this colony and tfie generality of ita inhahitants, and that such regidatious would not be repugnant to the laws of England, yet I have forhorne that measure until an inatruetion and opinion may ho received thereon. I thei^fore respectfully reiiuest your Lonlship's com si deration how t&r the excise laws may he adopted within this territory to remedy those evils which I think cannot he entirely cheeke<l without such nieasurea l*eing enforced." Governor Hunter in 1799 isBued a General Order for- bidding unlawful distilling, and declaring that from free people olfeiiding, '* every indulgence they may have hitherto received from Governnient shall he immediately withdrawn, and they shall he ordered to quit the colony by the earliest opportmiity." As was his custom, Hunter shrank from giving etfect to his order. In lh05 King peremptorily directed the Provost-Marshal to seek for and destroy stills. Two free-men had heen sent out of the colony for infringing the order. The niagis* trates, with concurrence of Atkins, grew circumspect. In ''It has heen necessary to narrate the matter of this petition at some length, in oriler that tlie reader may observe how prepoHteroiia has been the sLatement that with such an adviser ob Croaaley, liligh provoked reekistance hy aiUagoni^tui to spirit-traliic. '• Governor Hunter wn>te (ITtHi): *'Maiiy of the settlers and others hiive fallen ui>on a niethud of erecting stillt*, and di»tilliiig a most noxious and unwholesome spirit. ., . It will cost me nome time and mnch Ironhle to get the better of this dangerous practice, and no doubt a little unpopularity amongst that description of people. I have, howe^'e^, issued public orders,. . . This 1 think will be effectual, aaverat stills having idready been seized and broken/'