ued until the close of
Macquarie's administration, when Commissioner Bigge recommended that no
grant should be less than 320 acres.

Instructions under the sign manual, given to the Governor of New South
Wales, dated April, 1787, were amplified by others in 1789. To detain
the convict population, and to provide them a future home, were the
chief ends proposed. The governor was empowered to shorten their
sentences, and convey to each man, if single, 30 acres; if married, 50;
and 10 for every child. The marines who accompanied the first expedition
were encouraged to settle. The non-commissioned officers received 130;
if married, 150; and 10 acres for each child. Private soldiers 100, or
130 acres. These grants were subject to 2s. per 100 acres, deferred for
five years. The minister, anxious to raise the value of crown land,
directed reserves to be made between the allotments, of equal extent;
but the settlers persuaded the governor, or the secretary of state, that
the intervals favored the assaults of the natives, and the scheme was
defeated.

The king's instructions made no reference to the superior officers; but
it was deemed absurd to grant the "greatest gifts of the crown to
persons who had forfeited their lives," and deny them to gentlemen
bearing commissions in the army.[162] Ensign Cummings accordingly
received 25 acres! The subsequent donations of governors compensated for
this modest beginning, and the officers obtained large and valuable
portions. One governor conferred a considerable grant on his expected
successor, and was rewarded, when he surrendered the government, with a
similar boon.[163] Macquarie gave Lieutenant-colonel O'Connel and his
lady 4,555 acres; to John Blaxland, 6,700 acres.[164] Sir Thomas
Brisbane obtained 20,000 acres: 15,000 were given to Mr. Hart Davis.
These were exceptions to the general rule. Official holders of land were
interested in preventing extravagant grants, which lessened the
marketable value of their own.

The survey department, always in arrear, neglected to measure off the
land, and an order, verbal or written, was deemed a sufficient title.
Not unfrequently, the applicant changed his choice, and migrated from
one spot to another. The governor often permitted the issue of rations
and implements a second time, to enable indolent or insolvent settlers
to till a second heritage.[165] Trade was, however, more agreeable to
many emancipists than agriculture. The officers locat