124 THE DISPOSAL OF 1^^ the notice of the British Government in his despatch of the 4th October, 1792 :— " Experience has also pointed out many inconveniences attend- ing the receiving men as settlers who only look to the convenience of the present moment. With some the sole object in becoming settlers is that of being their own masters, and with others the object is to raise as much money as will pay their passage to England, and then assign their lands to those who take them with the same view." Phillip went on to say that there were many settlers of this class at Norfolk Island. According to a report from Lieutenant-Governor King, forwarded by Phillip to Dundas^ many of the settlers at Norfolk Island actually applied to the master of the Pitt to take them off the island, whereupon dtuation ^^^7 Were called together and informed that if any of them ai^ttrfoik endeavoured to leave before or soon after the expiration of the twelve months for which they were to be victualled from the public stores they would be detained until the quantity of provisions issued to them had been made good. This was a rough-and-ready way of dealing with the situation, but it was effective ; and as no grants had yet been issued, Phillip was able to prevent what he described as an " imposition '* ^S^ ^y ordering the removal of some of the convicts from the land, and giving to others leases for five or ten years, instead of free grants.* Grose noticed a similar disposition on the part of the settlers at Sydney and Parramatta, but in their cases, unfor- tunately, grants had been issued. In his first despatch to the Home Department, 9th January, 1793, the Lieutenant- Governor reported that he was "much plagued with the people who become settlers, who have evidently no other view than the purpose of raising a sufficient supply to pay their passages to England." He also complained that the live stock settlers persisted in selling their live stock. Some sheep which Governor Phillip on his departure had divided among
- Historical Becords, vol. i, part 2, p. 654.
