It should seem that some favourable ideas of the settlement had obtained in India; for by the same conveyance three gentlemen of respectability addressed the governor, stating to him their desire of embarking their families and property, and becoming settlers; but as they required a ship to be sent for them, to be furnished with a certain number of convicts for a limited time, and a quantity of live stock, all of which must be attended with a considerable expense to the crown, the governor, though well aware of the advantages which the colony would derive from having such persons resident among them, found himself compelled to lay their proposals before the secretary of state.

To put a stop, if possible, to the encouragement which was given by settlers and others to the vagrants who infested the different districts; it was ordered, that when any one wished to travel from one place to another, he was to apply to a magistrate for a pass, in which the business he was going on was to be inserted; and all persons found without this written permission were to be taken before a magistrate to answer for their wilful disobedience of the regulations of the settlement.’

Application having been made to the commissary to receive fresh pork into the public stores, he was directed to comply therewith; but there was reason to believe that such compliance would be attended with the indiscriminate destruction of breeding and young sows.  It was therefore ordered, that if any person should be known to offer any meat of that description to the store, it was not to be received; and the owner was to be informed against, as being no longer deserving of encouragement or any indulgence whatever.

The criminal court of judicature was assembled on the 26th of the month, and continued sitting by adjournment for three days; whereat six prisoners were capitally convicted, two of whom were condemned for sheep-stealing.  As it was absolutely necessary to make some examples, these men were ordered for execution; the others were pardoned, upon condition of being transported for life to Norfolk island.

In the course of this month died Mr. John Livingstone, the master carpenter at Parramatta.  This person came out from England in the Sirius with Governor Phillip, and had rendered much essential service to the colony in the line of his profession.  He had long been of a consumptive habit.

The principal labour of the month consisted in preparing for wheat the ground that the inundation had devastated.

June.] The month opened with the execution of one of the prisoners condemned for sheep-stealing.  He suffered on the 2nd, and on the 8th his companion in iniquity and wretchedness underwent the same punishment.  At the moment of his execution he gave information of a daring gang of villains with whom he had been connected.

His Majesty’s birthday was observed by a discharge of all the artillery in the settlement, and three vollies from the regiment upon their parade.