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60
employed as a Medical Attendant , a Dispenser in a hospital , a Medical Clerk
and so on . 1 6
On May 26, 1841, his suggestion was adopted and instructions
were issued by the Colonial Secretary :
I am directed to acquaint you that His Excellency considers
that the practice of appointing men of this class to such
situations , is , as regards its effect upon convict
discipline , very obj ectionable. I have therefore to convey
to you His Excellency 's request that you will use every
exertion to procure the services of competent individuals
who will be free from the obj ection alluded to , to supp ly
the places of those now so employed and it is further
His Excellency 's desir that none but respectable persons
may in future be recommended for the offices in question . 1 7
Emancipists , particularly , were affected by the new regulation .
Clarke, its proposer, found that it was not altogether satisfactory .
Even
less than a month , on June 22, he advised the Governor that , though he was
insisting on strict obedience to the orders.
rigid adherence to this rul e has already caused much
embarrassment and is likely to increase it until I can
obtain from England individuals not belonging to the
·
above obj ectionab le class .
He asked that in certain specified cases , men of known good character,
freed by servitude , might still be employed .
He mentioned particularly
W. Coleman whom he wished to emp loy as Dispenser in the Hobart Town
Hospital at a salary of 2/6 per day to fill the vacancy created by a
resignation.
But both the Colonial Secretary and the Governor were
adamant that the regulation should be strictly observed in every case.
Finally Clarke proposed that suitable, qualified persons should be sought
in England to fill any vacancies , to which the Governor agreed . 18
Meanwhile, the regulation caused cons iderable inconvenience and increased
work to medical staff.
No doubt , it also caused distress and bad feeling
amo . ngst the Emancipists· themselves , and initiated other attacks upon them
by the press and the fublic.
During the first six months of 1841, Hal l still found the time to
prepare lectures carefully for the Bothwell Literary Society. On July 29 ,
under the chairmanship of W. Clarke of the "Hunting Ground", he delivered
the opening lecture of the season to a crowded audience in the new
schoolroom, his subj ect "The Structure and Functions of the Organs of
In
1 6
1 7
18
c.s.o. 5/243/6353 .
c.s.o. 5/287/7566 .
Ibid.