Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/384

 not been obedient *'in reducing the price of laboiu- among the freemen/* and he was *' sorry to observe that idleness and dissipation among the settlers, which must ever keep them in a state of abject poverty and dependence : he means their destructive propensity to the use of apkituoiis liquors, to obtain a taste of which many of them have Bacrificed the fi'uits of their whole year's labour and maintenance." He hoped that the success of the whale tishery and the efforts of the Government to supply the settlers with articles at a low price would excite a ** general spirit of exertion ; " he had postponed the meeting of the Court till after the sowing of wheat was finished, but it would be a flagrant breach of his duty to impede the due course of the law, though he hoped the creditors would not be needlessly oppressive. The Orders to restrain traffic in spirits have been spoken of. With regard to general traffic it was announced (1st Oct. 1800) by General Order aimed against monopoly and extortion— whole or any part, aiitl tiolice publislied of the rates at which such arfciclea. ] win be tleliv^ered to the inhBbitanta from the publie stores uuder pray>er I and eqiml restrictions; and shonld the tlovernor decline piirchaaing. on the publiu acLrcmnt, measures Mali be taken to ascertain the value of the articles^ and in no case will piivale retailers be alloTved to charge more , than 211 per uent. on the purchase from the ship." . ., "And aa it I has Ijcen the euatoni of dealers and tlieir ageuts in this colony, in order to 1 recover the rninouei chargcB they have made on individuals, to procure ' their notes of hand for payment, without specifying how those debts have ' l>een incurred, the (lovernor, considering himself authorized by his iimtructioos, and the local situation of the colony and its inhabitants, hereby directs the members of the Civil Courts of Judicature not to take cognizance of any suit, action or demand for the recovery of any alleged debts, unless the plaintifl' produces a bill (and on oath if required), apecifyin^ the consideration and the price for which the defendant 1»ccomes indebted to him." The Bailor borrowed a leaf from the book of Edward the First, when some of the clergy, dishonourably servile to a foreign yoke, would liave rejected their duty to the State. He denied them in return the benefit of his comts, and the | insults and rapine to which they were exposed brought them back to obedience. Promissory notes of all kinds, and forgeries, gave trouble. In ISOO written promissory notes wem forbidden (after 30th Nov.), and ''that th'a
 * thai the inhalntants vrU be iDforniefl whether government purchaaea the 1