urer. Dr. Bromley, the surgeon of the first fleet,
subsequently made seven voyages to the colonies, when he obtained the
appointment. The infrequent examination of the accounts, exposed the
treasury to undetected pilfering, and the colony to loss: in 1824, a
large defalcation was discovered, which, ascertained by a jury of
merchants, amounted to L8,269. They recommended the defaulter to the
lenient consideration of the government, as the victim of others. Dr.
Bromley had been subject to the daily peculation of servants, and robbed
of cash and plate, to the value of L500, at once. His integrity was not
impeached: the public business, however, had been conducted without
check. The per centage was abolished, and the offices of treasurer and
collector separated, and confided to Mr. Jocelyn Thomas and Mr.
Hamilton.

The admission of goods liable to customs had been lax. The new settler
landed his rum duty free, when intended for his own use; but smuggling
was carried on to a large extent, and the protection of the revenue
required a more severe supervision. The rigour was not always exercised
with courtesy; and the vallise of Mr. Edward Lord, formerly
acting-governor, was detained by the naval officer, with some
expressions of indignity.

The merchants were deeply offended by the imposition of a duty at Hobart
Town, higher than was fixed by Brisbane at Port Jackson, as injurious to
their trade; and that duties levied prior to landing, were sometimes
imposed on wines never actually delivered. They requested that the
charges might be equalised with the other port, and that the excess
already taken should be restored. In reply, Arthur not only refused to
entertain the petition, but vindicated with great ardour the conduct of
Hamilton, as a traduced and excellent public officer. Such was the
answer to the merchants who complained of excessive and unequal imposts.
Dissatisfied with the reply, they required the sheriff to call a public
meeting, to address the governor-in-chief, the colony being still a
dependency. This the sheriff, Mr. Dudley Fereday, declined, complaining
that his honor Colonel Arthur was not mentioned in the requisition, and
the object of the meeting not sufficiently defined. A meeting was
therefore called to reprobate the ignorance and presumption of the
sheriff; but the dispute ended without any other practical consequences
than a wide impression that the government was despotic and
contemptuous.

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