the late lieutenant-governor, had instructed Denison to make fresh appointments, selecting six from the six who had resigned and from the six members recently appointed. The legality of this arrangement was questioned by the judges of the supreme court, and the sittings of the council had to be adjourned until the appointments of the new members had been formally ratified by the crown. Soon after Denison's arrival he was obliged to suspend the puisne judge of the supreme court for taking advantage of his judicial office to repudiate a debt. He also came into collision with the chief justice on the subject of certain colonial legislative enactments, which the judges had pronounced to be illegal, after having previously certified that there was no objection to them. His action in this last matter was disapproved by the secretary of state. The censure was, however, accompanied by an expression of confidence in his zeal and ability. Denison's attention had been drawn before he left England to the introduction of a system of representative government. The inherent difficulties of the question were not diminished by the publication in London of a confidential despatch written by Denison regarding the establishment of a second chamber, portions of which were held to convey reflections upon the colonists. The unfavourable impression thus produced was speedily removed by his tact and frankness. The factious conduct of some of the members of the council entailed considerable difficulty in passing the necessary acts; but on 1 Jan. 1852 the first session of the new representative assembly was formally opened by the lieutenant-governor.
The establishment of an effective system of popular education, public works, the question of making more adequate provision for religious services among the scattered colonists, and other cognate questions, occupied much of Denison's time. His views upon education were extremely liberal, although he objected to a purely secular system, and thought that the system which he found in operation had given undue advantages to the presbyterians and protestant dissenters, who formed only one-sixth of the population. He advocated the establishment of local rates and of local governing bodies for the support and management of the schools, and in church matters he was strongly in favour of a more extensive use of lay agency. He was not only the real director of his own public works department, but his advice was often sought on questions relating to public works by the authorities in the neighbouring colonies. When the Crimean war broke out he constructed some batteries for the defence of the harbour of Hobart Town, and trained the police to act as gunners.
Towards the close of 1854 Denison was appointed governor of New South Wales, with the title of governor-general of Australia. This title was nothing more than a name. Denison was himself opposed to the retention of the title, which was abolished after his retirement. He was also opposed to any attempt to establish a federal system in Australia. He left Van Diemen's Land much regretted by the colonists, who had learnt to value his manliness, zeal, and ability.
Denison retained the government of New South Wales until 1861. Many of the questions which occupied him were very similar to those which had engaged his attention in Van Diemen's Land. Shortly after his arrival he was called upon to introduce constitutional government into New South Wales, where in 1855 a parliament was established composed of two houses, an upper house nominated by the governor, with the advice of his responsible ministers, and a lower house elected. It is evident from Denison's letters that he was by no means enamoured of the new system. He complained that during three years and a half he had had five sets of ministers, by whom ‘not one measure of social improvement had been passed, and the only acts of importance that had stood the ordeal were those of very questionable advantage.’ He thought that some of the evils of a low qualification might be diminished by the division of the country into large electoral districts, each returning several members, combined with the limitation of the right of voting to one vote. By this means more scope would be given for the representation of various interests and of property under a low electoral qualification than by any other plan. He emphatically deprecated the disposition to regard the colonies rather as an encumbrance than as a benefit to the empire. He was opposed to the formation of a colonial military force as likely to be expensive and ill disciplined. Denison entirely disapproved of the ticket-of-leave system. Holding that the prevention of crime was the main object of punishment, he considered that sentences should be fully and strictly enforced, and that imprisonment should invariably, even in the case of prisoners awaiting trial, be accompanied by labour. Denison's views on this subject were adopted by the government of New South Wales. During his government the Pitcairn Islanders, the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty, were removed to Norfolk Island, a measure in which he took much personal interest, twice visiting Norfolk Island and investigating various matters con-
