(with the exception of the iron-work, glass and paint) being made and procured by these Government men—and as such a vast number of male convicts at present unavoidably remain in the hands of Government, who must be clothed and fed at all events, the expenses of erecting these public edifices are comparatively small, whilst they afford employment for the prisoners who could not be distributed amongst the settlers".[1] This statement of the case is disingenuous, for the iron, glass and paint could not amount to £14,000. Much of the labour indeed was paid for, being done either by free or freed men or in overtime by prisoners, and much of the raw material was bought from private individuals who supplied the Government by tender. The expense too of superintending the work was often heavy, and occasionally the whole undertaking was carried out by contract.[2] Bigge considered many of Macquarie's public buildings unnecessary, all of them too ornate and most of them jerry-built, and the section of his first report which deals with the subject is admirably scathing.[3]
Until 1819 the Government servants were not housed in barracks but left to find their own lodgings. In order that they might have money for this purpose they were allowed to work for themselves—"to be on their own hands"—after three o'clock each day. On the whole, the men thus left at liberty found it easier to rob and plunder for this money than to work for it. Indeed for the ordinary workman there was not much employment to be found, though a man with a trade had no difficulty.[4]
But in 1819 a new convict barrack was opened at Sydney, and at the end of the year there were 688 men lodged within it. This left 1,252 prisoners outside who regarded it as a special favour that they were allowed to find their own lodgings. The men in barracks having no longer any need to work for themselves, the hours were extended to six o'clock, and somewhat unreasonably the longer hours were required of the men outside as well as inside. But all the convicts were allowed to "be on their own hands," on Saturday and Sunday, although on the
