latter day they still had to muster for church-parade, "shaved and in clean clothes". At the same time an increase in rations which brought them up to 1 lb. of meat and 1 lb. of wheat a day was expected to compensate them for the increase in the hours of labour.[1] Those within barracks enjoyed also a liberal supply of vegetables, and they were, on the whole, the only men who greatly benefited by the change. In the summer Government gangs commenced work at six o'clock, had one hour off for breakfast and one for dinner, and thus had a ten hours' day and a fifty hours' week. In the winter they commenced work after breakfast at nine o'clock and continued until six, with an hour's intermission for dinner, thus doing eight hours' work or forty hours in the week.
The Saturday holiday was necessary for the men out of barracks that they might make their lodging money, to the men in barracks that the overseers might bring their men's rations from the Government store. But this freedom on Saturday and Sunday to a great extent undid the wholesome effects of the restraint throughout the week. Wentworth found that Monday was his heaviest court-day and that most of the Government servants spent their free time in drinking, fighting, gambling and committing petty larcenies.[2]
When Macquarie wrote to Lord Bathurst about the new barracks, the latter was rather troubled by the account of its advantages given by the enthusiastic founder. He feared that Macquarie's attention to the convict's comforts rendered transportation an ineffective punishment.[3] The rations were too liberal and the week's work too easy.[4]
This opinion was shared by most of the colonists, especially those who were not themselves in Government service. As interested spectators they quickly saw that discipline in the Government gangs was very slack,[5] and that the work was done in a leisurely and slovenly manner. Much was to be accounted
- ↑ There was nearly a mutiny among the sawyers at Penmant Hills on account of the longer hours. See Evidence of Major Druitt, Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS.
- ↑ Wentworth's Evidence, Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS.
- ↑ D. 5, 27th March, 1820. CO., MS.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Discipline in the Government service naturally affected the men in the settlers' service.
