Colonial Secretary, Letter Received, 34/?80—20th January 1834
Police Office
Port Macquarie
15th January 1834
No. 34/4
Sir
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 33/88 communicating The Governor’s commands not to assign nor even lend any Special prisoners without receiving his directions in the first instance thereon, a measure that will be seriously felt by the respectable part of the Settlers in this isolated District, hitherto I have assigned until his Excellency’s pleasure was made known, whether confirmed or disapproved, and on the condition that such were not to be sent out of the District under any pretext whatever. Of that priviledge [sic] they are now deprived. His Excellency is no doubt aware that from the great distance this place is from the Capital, detached as it were from the rest of the Colony the Settlers must necessarily require the fostering assistance of the Government in the supply of Servants, particularly as the most of them are only Young Farmers.
In September 1832 I was directed to hand over all Mechanics and effective Labourers to the Department of Works. Since then, only Specials and Invalids have been sent to this Settlement the Settlers therefore were shut out from procuring the supply they formerly enjoyed, and could only look for Servants among the Specials or Invalids unless upon an extraordinary case for an effective Labourer when such happened to be dispensed with by the Department of Works. They will now be forced to seek Servants from the Assignment Board in Sydney when from the great delay that will necessarily attend it, many will be prevented from turning their Farms to advantage, which a facility in procuring Servants might otherwise insure them.
I have the honour to be
Sir
Your most obedient Servant
Benjamin Sullivan
Resident Magistrate
[Annotated: “See subsequent [ColSec] letter [sent] No. 33/484”]
