Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/428

order to that effect, the agent, who also acted for Macarthur, put on board for him also a still. There was no attempt to conceal the importation, and when the ship's manifest was seen, Bligh directed that the two stills should be retained in the King's stores in order that they might be sent back to England. The heads and worms were so retained, but as the coppers had been filled with imported drugs, they were allowed to be taken to the stores of the consignees. When a vessel was ready to carry the obnoxious stills to England, Bligh demanded the delivery of the coppers. Macarthur said he had nothing to do with Abbott's still; "he intended to dispose of his own to some ship going to India or China, but if this were objected to, the head and worms might be disposed of as His Excellency thought fit, and he would apply the copper to some domestic use." Bligh repeated his order, sending an officer with a receipt for two stills with heads and worms complete. Macarthur, resolved not to admit (what indeed was untrue) that he had ever had such things in his possession, declined to take any such receipt. The officer, after consulting Bligh, refused to give a receipt in any other form. Macarthur showed him the copper, telling him he could take it at his own risk if he chose. He took it. Macarthur prosecuted him for illegal seizure of property, and stated his own case thus:

"It would therefore appear that a British subject, in a British settlement, in which the British laws are established by the Royal Patent, has had his property wrested from him by a non-accredited individual, without any authority being produced, or any other reason being assigned, than that it was the Governor's order. It is therefore for you, gentlemen, to determine whether this be the tenure by which Englishmen hold their property in New South Wales."^[1]

There was also a dispute about a lease of land to Macarthur (Jan. 1806) by King. Macarthur was about to build, and (Jan. 1806) the Surveyor-General, Grimes, carried a verbal message from Bligh to prevent Macarthur's occupation of the land, and to inform him that he might select an equal area elsewhere. Grimes, when requested, committed the message to writing. Macarthur selected suc-