Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/501

 I calling unlawful meetings in their houses would tliereby forfeit their licenses. If any person (after 8th Dec. 1813) should agree, or confederate, or entice, or persuade others " to refuse to take in payment the promissory note of any person or persons whatsoever, such person shall he deemed guilty of an unlawful combination and confederacy*" Macquarie had again to intervene by proclamation. After the 18th Dec. it was to be unlawful to make notes ''directly or indirectly expressing the rate of exchange or relative value between the sum payable by the same note and sterling money, or any government or public bills or notes whatsoever," To assist in negotiating such notes was made unlawful, and offenders were to ** forfeit and pay, to any ' person informing of the same, treble the nominal sum Becured or made payable by unlawful notes, with costs." The export of wool proved its importance during Mac- 1 quarie*s term of office. The imposition of an import duty in England would have strangled it, if the product of the colony had been of coarse or inferior nature. The cost of freight amounted to four pence halfpenny per lb. in 1818> while land carriage, commission, and other charges raised the expense to nearly tenpence on every pound of wool taken to London. Only the finest quality could leave a profit to the grower. For one bale, John Macarfclim- obtained in London (Aug, 1821) as much as ten shillings and fourpence per lb., but for the bulk which reached England not more than two shillings per lb. was received. Wool sent by those who devoted no attention to its quality was sold at prices ranging from two shillings to one shilling. Living in comparative retirement, Macarthur groaned in spirit din-ing Macquarie's reign. Writing to England (1818) he deplored the obstacles to proper control of convicts. Of woobgrowing he said: **My feeble attempt to introduce Merino sheep still creeps on almost unheeded, and altogether unassisted. Few of the settlers can be in- duced to take the trouble requisite to improve their flocks.'* Mr, Bigge asked for Macarthur*s opinions on the state of the colony, and management of convicts. Macarthur (1820) advocated the growth of exportable articles : wool, tobacco, bark, hemp, flax, oil. Convlctft ^v^^^ V^ employed in pastoral and agricultural pm:m^i'e>. ^^^^^x^^^i