Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/428

 order to that effect, the a^^jeiit, who also aeted for Mac* arthnr, pot on board for him also a sLiU, There was no attempt to conceal the importation, and when the ship's manifest was seen, Bhgh directed tbat the two stiHs should ho retained in the King's stores in order that they might be sent back to England. The heads and worms were 60 m retained, but as tlie coppern had been filled with imported ^ drogft, they were allowed to be taken to the stores of the consignees. When a vessel was ready to carr}^ the ^ obnoxioas stills to England, JMigh demanded the delivery ■ of the coppers. Maearthur said he iiad nothing to do with Abbott's still; **he intended to dispose of his own to some ship going to India or China, but if this were objected to, the head and worms might be disposed of as His Excellency thought fit, and he would apply the copper to some domestic use/' Bligh repeated his order, sending an officer with a receipt **for two stills with heads and worms com- plete/' Maearthur, resolved not to admit (what indeed was untrue) that he had ever had such things in his possession, declined to take any such receipt. The officer, after consulting Bligh, refused to give a receipt in any other form. Maiuirthur showed him the copper, telling ■ liiDi he could take it at his own risk if he chose. He took * it. Maearthur i>rosecnted him for illegal seizure of pro- perty, and stated his own case tlms : ^'It wouiil tliercfort^ appear that a Britbh aiibject, in a nntish Bettle- ment, in which the Britiah laws aro estabiishea by the Royal Patent|J has had his property wreated from liiiii by a uoD'aocredited individual^] without auy authority ]>eiiig produced, or any other reason being assigaed, I than that it was the < iovernor'« order. It is therefore for you, gentlemen, I ti) deteniiine whether this be the tenure by which Englishmen hold their propel ty m New Smith Wales."'" There wats also a dispute ahoiit a lease of laud to Maearthur (Jan. 1806) hy King. Maearthur was about to^ huild, and (Jan. 1806) the Surveyor-General, Grimea^B carried a verhal message from Bligh to prevent Macarthiir's^ occupation of the land, and to inform him that he might select an equal area elsewhere. Grimes, when requested, committed the message to writing, Maearthur selected sue-
 * ® Bli^h told the Secretary of 8tate thiit Macartlinv's speech sIiq
 * Hhe immicjihtlily of his mind to Uovernmeot,'* i