Governor Hunter, who left Sydney in the year 1800, was succeeded by Captain King, the young officer who had already been mentioned as the founder of the settlement at Norfolk Island. He was a man of much ability and was both active and industrious, yet so overwhelming at this time were the difficulties of Governorship in New South Wales, that his term of office was little more than a distressing failure.
Hardened Convicts
The colony consisted mainly of convicts, which many of them were the most depraved and hardened villains ever to be met in the history of crime. To keep them in check and to maintain order was no easy task. So understandably to make them into industrious and well-behaved members of the community was far beyond any governor’s powers.
No Support From Subordinates
King, however, did make an effort to achieve the very best but after a time he grew disheartened and in his disappointment he complained that how was he expected to make farmers out of pickpockets. His chances of success would have been increased if he had been properly backed by his subordinates. But, unfortunately, circumstances had arisen which caused the officers and soldiers, not only to render him no assistance what so ever, but to thwart and frustrate his most careful plans.
(continues … News South Wales Corps)