fail to keep pace with the declining standard ; and the consefinencBB of Grose's incompetency were visited upon the community in the days of Jiis successors. When Mr, l)undaB» iii response to Phillip's despatches, authorized (lUh July 170*2) the granting of lands to superior officers, he attached conditions to which Grose had not resolution to adhere. The grants ^vere to he made with a view, ^* not to temporary, l)nt to an estahlislied settlement thereon/* and to comprehend *' such portions of land, aiul in such situations as would he suitable for a bf/nd tide settler, should it ever come into the bands of such a person." There was always a wide distinction drawn at the Colonial Office between the advantages as to land and labour offered to free settlers and those offered to the public officers, civil or mihtary ; and as it was in the power of the latter to become ordinary settlers, no advantage was with- held from them in such a capacity. Mr, Ihmdas (June L79S), having then conferred with Phillip personally, wrote ^to Grose : — "AUthe civU and mOitfiry officers mB.y an each be allowtnl two convicts each, to be mftiutaineLl out of the pubUc stores for two years longer, but after that they should themselves maintain such as they are desire y* of keepiug. Eut where grnuts of land are made to s^ieh oftiL era aa at the time continue to receive their payi it la but rtiasonai>lc that they should maintaiu 3uch couvicts as are gi-aiitcil for the ciiUiviition of their land, exclutiive of the two allowed to them as officers in the manner I imve meiitioned/' Sale of spirits to convicts was to he carefully guarded against, especially on arrival of vessels. These injunctions were disregarded by Grose. He wrote (April 1794) : —
- The order rt'spectiug the servants of officers who have got gardens* ttill
not be put in exetuitioii until such time as 1 am honoured with your further io struct ions. Wheu the j-eatlenieu were lirafc indulged with grants, I gave them ten servants each, leas thau that numlier not hieing equal to tbecnUi* Viition of the grounds allotted theuL The public lalwur is very Uttle iuterrupted by their aecoinmodatioti/' The answer (of the Duke of Portland) to Grose's despatch was not written until June 17l*p"), when Governor Htmler was informed that Mr. Dundas' letter, of June 179U, **did not admit of aiiy discretionary construction on the part of the Governor/' Meanwhile Grose's misconduct had in this and other matters given the reins to the disorderly inipuhes Bwand him.
