INTRODUCTION OF EXILES AND FREE IMMIGRANTS.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 209, 31 May 1848, Page 3

INTRODUCTION OF EXILES AND FREE IMMIGRANTS.

Copy of a T)i Tm'iifiom the Right, lion llic Si ntv> tary oi Si ail, to J I is Excellency Govcinoi hii CIIAHI.Kb A. I'll/ IlO'j. No, 213.

Downing stiocl, ScpUmbei .'5, 1817. Sir, — I have to ackuou lodge I lie lureipt ol jour despatch of the ftih Novembci, 181G, No. s(j, ti.msmilting amcmoii.il iiom gentlemen lesidenl in Sidney, togollin v.ilh copies of pel il ions picsrnLed to (lie legislative council of New boulli Wales against Hie levival of Uanspoi ration to the colony, and also the Repoit ol a Committee oi the Legislative Council upon (he same subject. I have to inform you, that those documents having leeched the attentive coiibiilei.it ion of hci Majesty's sci v.mtSj we hay not been able to assent to the vi-ws which have been adopted by the Committee ol the Legislative Council, oi to the gic.itci put ot the piopos.ils which aie founded upon them , but lliallhciet.uk oi theii in([iiiry suggests a coiu'sc of proceeding which I Li list \\ ill pio\e of gicat benefit, both to the colony and the mothci countiy. Tlic system of assignment, though no doubt of »;icat pccuniaiy advantage to those oi the settlers in New South Wales and Van Dicmen's Land to whom it was die means of a/lbidnig a supply of giaUulous, oi, it all events, of vciy cheap labour, is one which has been condemned on giounds so conclusive, that [ cannot anticipate the possibility of its evci being icsumed. Jhnrc, it is mmcccssaiy th.it 1 should onioi into any examination of the extensive Hungc-i which aie pro* posed on the supposition that it might be so. On the other hand, I eoncm with the committee in consulting it to be inexpedient that tianspoitalion to l\ r ew South "Wales, should be lcvived, with the view to tlie infliction ol that colony of punishment upon convicts by placing them in ptnal gangs. To whatever extent it in i> he found advisiblc tliat penal laboui should be inflicted upon convicts, the cxpeiiencc of the last few jcais demoustiatcs the nnpoitance of its being so wheie its eJl'eet can be moie chisel} watched by hei Majesty's Government, and such improvements, as fiom tune to time may be found to be neccssaiy in thr •system undii which it is cnfoiced, moic piomptlj intiodueed. J also conciu with the Committee in thinking that convicts, holding Tickets ol Leave, oi conditional p.udons, may be suit to A'istiali.i witli gieal advaiil.igc (0 themselves, the mothci counliy. and to the colony. To coiivirts themselves, theirieniov.il to Aiihttalia, allei liaving undei^onc a leloimatoiy couise ol punishment at^liomc, would be the best means of allbiding a prospect of once moie liocoming honest and useful membeis of society. To the mothci countiy theic v/ouhl be the advantage of being relieved horn the presence of a class of prisons who, if Dry lemain at home, are almost iiie&isiibly forced back by the cncuiru.toucos iv which Uicy a;e placed, into a Ulc of tiiuic — while

to (ho colonies there would vii c the fldtanUi;^ 1 <>' v"» taininf, without chaise, a supply of l.iliom , ".it'itlv needed ; nmi thii, as I behove, without t< i >• il.ui'v i (sn^|)O'-iiif piojMi jircc .'ulions to b° a.!<> > u of ciit.nlii)^ upon culuuial society ountci vaiHm, uoi i cv.ls Ol the^c precautions, Hie must essential is, H.t 1 • I fendeis thus st nt into exile blioultl li.ive been prevt.,- ' subji-eicil io ft rilormatory pumyhmuit at lioi Though e\ile h, no doubt, in itself a pumslimo) 1 , ,„ ' n some cases a Beve.o one, s.tilt ub ixpoiMiee , .. - . tli.it many thousands of honest and indushicu-i ,'i >~ -i , of th« liilnuiuiir (l,i«saio annually eonttnt L> t i i_ to the pain of le.ivmi; llu X native (ountiy (or tlu i' •■ of t'jf! higher uagis Tvlnch they can (am in ih - , pj., liies, it n> imposnblu to irgard mt j ic ran v: ii, I, Australian colonicn, vvit'i tickets of Icaie oi c nili,.'; \ ' pai dons, jj, a sulhcicnt punishment foi pe< »i> >■<< htve been »uilty of factious ollinns. Tl-ov, u!i "i •( conditional pjuloiib aic, on their ainv.U in Ay !>, 'i in pieoisely the same condition as fi-e cmi, , v"s > . the wo kiiifr class, excppL u. the singular p.ulici !ar ut not bem^ at liberty to return to their o«n lurwf country; and the situation of the holders of UcW's o leave is practir al'y but little different, since— a h,t • they remain in tlie dibtiicis appointed lor (!um, awf in.iintain thenibclvcs by honest industry, conloruuny to ccitiiin mlos, bj no mc.inb ol a uevcie. chniactuji— ihuy are not iiiL'ilcml iviih. Hence, f;r ihu aids of justicr, if ir, absol.ilcly nccjsary tl at olleiuleis should be uibjtelcd to coim* serit\,T punibhmcnt at home, l)e(bie they aie thus s-iit out t-» i he colonies, ai.tl the experience of the l.i.ti ivyiai". justili s the hope that, by adopting an lmpiova! sv . c n of impugnment, if m iy lie pn.ilicaMo to l mi i Mi ; previous punishment both an o!>jerl of sJu'diy i\ o<\ to those disposed to the commission of crime, and ie« formatory as regards offenders who are subjectel to ifI am happy to find tlint this conclusion is supporle(i by the Repoit no« before me of the Commitue of th« Legislative Council of JNevv South Wales, and that from the evidence they had had or tin; good conduct of the exiles sent to Port Phillip, this Committee adopted (he opinion that convicts who have undcigcnc a iv.foimatoiy punishment at home, might be icic\,^d with advantage in the colony ; the ica'-ons, h)«cvc. which they hive pointed out for sending od'jik'eii to Aubtialit afcer thcii preliminary pum .hincnt nt I.diii rather with tickets of leave than with conditio lal i -i, ■ dons, gecm to be just, and they ore also, iv J fin,; hj • Despatch I have recnived, suppoitcd by the t ]•> nicu 1 r ,l Mr. Li 'I'robe, the Acting Lieutenant-Govoinor at Van Diemcn'b LanJ, and of Dr, Hampton, tlie Comptroller of the Convict Department in tint, eo'onShould it oppenr, thc-icforc, from the pioi coi in,s ol the Legislative Council, on itj reasccmbhng, tli.it i\ af body concurs in the opinion expressed by Hi c mm tico on thifi subject, aw airangcment will piol>ably be m.ide in cdnformity with the vii'Wß 1 have now stak'J, for tending convicts, aftci having undergone soaae- purlieu of their puni-dnnent, to New South Wales, as holders uf tickets of lca\c or conditional pardons, — in sjciuml, for the icasons 1 ha\c stated, wi-h the iuinur, bu'» in cases, in which greater indulgrncc would cc -ra to be proper, with the lattei. Her Mujcsfy's Go.' mincnt would oi cuur-o reserve to thcmnelve the c"i£c-t . lion of deciding in (ach individual case in v/Lich o: these conditions convicts Ehould he s?nt out. I have to add, that it would be a necessary p-ut o? the arrangement, that wl'cncvei the conduct of nuuiieii eoinii Is so sent to Aubtnilia r.'ioii d be Mich as to •■• - till" ihi'in to the indulgence, her I\r.jci>tji'»ijo,oj.i f: u would be prepared to alFoid fadlifus to then v,.'.c> ar ! families to join then, und that slill fuithci » r Li <ri ugamst the bicuxi ivih which hay; Ivrotoior') r. oil U-' (torn tlie sjsteni of tianbpoitatioi), means no-}l i t\i*be provided in aceot dance with the iccommctulu i^ i <„ the Committee ot the Legislative Council, ioi lo Australia, at tho cobt of the JJrilish TieJ ,-',_-, \ nunil cr of /ice ciuigiaiiis equal to that of the OikiJu. who may go tbeio. Such arc ilio conclusions to which her Maj"!,%'s seiViinti have been led, after very mature consideia lion of this most important subject, ai d whLb I hoj i ; will bo received aa not unsatiifactory !o the uiuiont/ of both of thosa of the inhabitants who have p< uuoiiod the Council against the icncwJ of transput l.iti >n, zvA of those who concur in the views of the committee oi lint body by which the subject was investigated. Tlu; former will find theie is no intention of uMimur, transportation to New South Wa'c? r.b it fo.meily e\i ted, to wliiih they entertain what I uy.ird ,is avi> jubt objuclioiib ; the latter, that it is conicm, dated ((l( (l the fuithcr advice to be expected fuun the C/Uuiy shouM show the Legislative Council to agree in tii , views of tlitJi committee) in some dearer, a ( Ica^t, ti, adopt their suggestions for lendcring tlr 'ybteni of becond,iiy punishment in this ccuntiy 'ubrcu'ent lj tlie obj.tt of increasing tha sujpl) oi lab.'in in lliu colony. I have the honour to be, S,r, Yoiu mabt obedient humble seiv.ifil,