and who, being too lazy to grind for themfelves, had formerly been
obliged to pay one third o f their whole allowance o f wheat, to have
the remainder ground for them by handmills, an expence that was
faved to them by bringing their corn to the public mill.
Twice during this month it became neceffary to affemble the
court o f criminal judicature : at one o f which, a man named
Mobbs was capitally convicted o f robbing the public {lores, upon
the evidence o f an accomplice, who was admitted on the part o f the
crown. They had ftolen at different times an incredible quantity o f
clothing, provifions, and various other articles, and ought to have
been much fooner detected. Mobbs fuffered death, and exhibited
himfelf at the gallows as a wicked and hardened offender.
For offenders not deferving o f capital.punifhment, Norfolk-Ifland
had been for fome time a place o f baniihment; and the convicts in
general felt this fecond tranfportation more feverely than the firft:
notwithftanding which, they continued to commit offences that
they knew muft end in that punifhment. Four prifóners, one o f
them a foldier, -were at this time fenlenced to feven years exile to
that ifland, for different offences i and when viewed in this light,
as a place o f confinement for fome o f her word: members, Norfolk-
Ifland might be confidered as an ufeful appendage to the principal
fettlement.
In purfuance o f the order which was iffued in January lad,
recommending the fettlers to appoint meetings, at which they fhould
fix the rate o f wages that it might be proper to pay for the different
kinds of labour which their farms fhould require, the fettlers
had'met, and fubmitted to the governor the feveral resolutions that
they had entered into ; by which he was enabled to fix a rate that
he conceived to be fair and equitable between the farmer and the
labourer. 7
The
The following prices o f labour were now edablifhed, viz.
S. D.
Falling fored timber, per acre - - o
Do. in brufh ground, do. - - o
Burning off open ground, do. - - t
Do. brufh ground, do. - - 1
Breaking up new ground, do. i
Chipping frefh ground, do. o
Chipping in wheat, do. - - o
Breaking up dubble or corn ground, 1 Id. per
rod, or do. - o
Planting Indian Corn, do. - _ - o
Hilling, do. do. - o
Reaping wheat, do. - - o
Threfhing do. per bufhel, do. - - o
Pulling and hufking Indian corn, per bufhel, o
Splitting paling o f feven feet long, per hundred, o
Do. o f five feet long, do. o
Sawing plank, do. o
Ditching per rod, three feet wide and three
feet deep, - - - o
Carriage o f wheat, per bufhel, per mile, o
Do. Indian corn, neat, -V _ '0
Yearly wages for labour, with board, - 10
Wages per week, with provifions, confifting of
4 lib. o f fait pork or 6 lib. o f frefh, and 21
lib. o f wheat, with vegetables, - o
A day’ s wages, with board, - - o
Do. without board, - - o
A government man allowed to officers or fettlers
in their own time, - - o