this gives the average number of effectives as nearly 98 per
month; so that some idea may be formed of their individual earnings.
In the month of November, the total number of effectives was 154; and
they earned the large sum of L.823, 17s. 6d. During the following
month of December, task-work was adopted, and the effectives, 143 in
number, earned L.665, 19s. 10d. We are informed that task-work has
been contrived to allow each man to do 1-1/4 to 1-1/2-days' work per
diem, and to obtain credit for the extra amount earned. Were we,
however, to take the above figures as a criterion, we should conclude
that less, rather than more, was proportionately earned during the
month of task-work; yet this conclusion would not be fair, for
doubtless many modifying circumstances require to be taken into
consideration--such as the state of the weather, the number of
artisans as compared with the labourers, &c.; besides which, it must
be borne in mind, that although task-work has been specially designed
to benefit the convicts themselves, yet, while some would work with a
will, others, and perhaps many, would prefer unremunerative idleness.

To every breach of discipline, certain punishments are allotted; some,
indeed, appear very severe; and for many misdemeanours, corporal
punishment is not merely held out _in terrorem_, but inflicted.
Attempts at escape are liable to be punished by labour in chains, or
flogging up to 100 lashes, or to a renewed sentence of transportation;
and the recaptured convict has to work out the expenses of his
capture, and the reward paid for the same. In the list of offences and
punishments for the month of December, we see some very curious items;
and, not knowing anything of the peculiar circumstances of each case,
they are apt to strike one as being somewhat arbitrary. For instance,
'for refusing to work,' a man had 'bread and water for three days;' a
second, 'for insubordinate conduct'--much the same thing, we should
suppose, as 'refusing to work'--had the very severe punishment of
'bread and water, and twenty-eight days' solitary confinement;' a
third, for 'talking to a female,' was 'admonished;' a fourth, for
being 'drunk at work,' had 'bread and water for three days, and
fourteen days' solitary confinement;' a fifth, 'for threatening
language,' had his '_tobacco stopped for three days_!' On the subject
of the 'pernicious Indian weed,' there is the following passage in the
Report of the comptroller-gen