certain right to a grant[1] and the settlers from England had the support of the Secretary of State, while the native-born had only their own unaided merits. Bigge thought that these young people had been treated with neglect, especially those who were the children of convicts. He suggested that the same capital need not be required from them as from immigrants, and that they might receive small grants of land with greater generosity.[2] In general, land was given to any one who asked for it and who had the means of cultivating and stocking it. But the Governor had complete, unfettered and unquestioned power to refuse such a request without further explanation.[3] Under these circumstances some obtained land very easily while others had to wait for it. Occasionally old settlers received new grants and with them the indulgences of new settlers; but though, on the face of it, this seemed a corrupt practice, Bigge, who inquired into it, decided that it had only been permitted in cases of hardship where the settler had suffered some unexpected or overwhelming misfortune.[4]
The failure to increase in any great degree the agricultural output of the Colony is obvious from the figures alone. While Macquarie was writing vague but favourable accounts of progress, the returns of the General Musters were telling a tale of agricultural stagnation. In 1810, 21,000 acres had been cleared, and 7,500 acres had been under cultivation. In the five years which followed some progress was made, for in 1815, 36,700 acres were returned as cleared and 19,000 under cultivation; and the progress is the greater because the population had altered very little.[5] But between 1815 and 1820 the popula-
- ↑ See Governor's Instructions, H.R., VII. The "right" was, of course, not a legal right, but it was a kind of moral one.
- ↑ Bigge's Report, III. Bigge also suggested the foundation of a school of agriculture where youths of this class especially might learn practical farming at Government expense. Macquarie refused altogether to give grants to single women. A Miss Walker, a woman of some fortune, asked for one and received the answer that, "according to the regulations laid down," the Governor could not give grants to ladies. See Correspondence with Bigge, 19th January, 1821. R.O., MS. Appendix to Bigge's Reports.
- ↑ This was recognised by the Colonial Office, who seldom took up any settler's complaint.
- ↑ Bigge, Report III.
- ↑ The figures are given in round numbers. In 1810 the population was 10,452, in 1815 it was 12,911.
