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14
the Church of England, the Wesleyans , the Presbyterians , the Independents
and the Catholics provided services for their members .
A public school for
poor ch ildren was conducted by the Government , while several private
seminaries catered for the more affluent class.
By this time, too , some
social responsibility towards orphan and destitute chi ldren was apparent :
these were housed in temporary accommodation while a lrge orphan asylum
was beng built at New Town , two miles from Hobart Town .
An Infant School
Society, a Temperance Society, a Benevolent Society and some church
missionary societies were also meetng specific needs.
occasions there were races , balls and picnics .
comfortable town accommodation for country dwellers.
Politically, however, all was not wel l.
For more frivolous
Hotels and inns provided
There was much dissens ion
between Arthur and some of the free settlers who were divided into two
factions , those who supported the Governor and those who opposed.
latter disagreed with Arthur 's opinion that the colony existed only for the
control and reform of the prisoners and that the s-ettl ement of free men was
subsidiary to this.
The
Arthur was hostile to liberal ideas and resisted the
liberty of the press , trial by jury and open discussion of egislative
measures.
Although supported by an executive of fifteen members , he was
not required to take its advice unless he wished:
The settlers were expected to stay at home , to keep their servants
in custody, to denounce their infractions of penal rules , and as ,
'the material of prison discipline ' (so they were denominated) , to
carry out a judicial sentence. They knew before they came they
must sacrifice British rights , and with the political or social
influences of transportation beyond their own fences , they had no
concern. 11
Altho_ugh Arthur 's attitudes and intentions were correct and praiseworthy
accordng to the terms of his appointment , many co lonists were unable to
see them in this ight .
There were many other reasons , too , for discontent
in a small island where, for want of suitable comparisons , petty gri evances
and misfortunes became agnified into disasters . Accordingly , exaggeration ,
melodrama and controversy were often the tone and spirit of the day both
in social intercourse and in the publications of the press .
The spirit of contention was promoted by the peculiar fabric of
society. The great maj ority of the colonists were below the
period of human life, when the temper becomes cautious and the
11
J. West, History of Tasmania, (Launceston, 1852) , Vol . 1, p. 179 .