No. V.
An Act for t h e Transportation of Offenders to
Penal Settlements and for t h e more effec­
tual P u n i s h m e n t and Security of t h e same.
[16th August,
W
1826.]
H E R E A S b y a n A c t of P a r l i a m e n t passed i n t h e s i x t h y e a r of
t h e r e i g n of H i s p r e s e n t M a j e s t y i n t i t u l e d " An Act for
" punishing
offences committed by Transports
kept to labor in the
" Colonies and better regulating the poivers of Justices of the Peace in
" New South Wales " H i s M a j e s t y is e m p o w e r e d t o issue a n O r d e r in
Council t o a u t h o r i s e t h e G o v e r n o r s for t h e t i m e - b e i n g a d m i n i s t e r i n g
t h e G o v e r n m e n t of a n y of H i s M a j e s t y ' s F o r e i g n Possessions Colonies
or P l a n t a t i o n s t o a p p o i n t t h e place or places w i t h i n H i s Majesty's
D o m i n i o n s t o w h i c h a n y offender convicted i n s u c h F o r e i g n Possessions
Colonies
Colonies or P l a n t a t i o n s a n d b e i n g u n d e r sentence or order of t r a n s p o r ­
t a t i o n shall b e sent or t r a n s p o r t e d A n d w h e r e a s in p u r s u a n c e of t h e
said A c t of P a r l i a m e n t b y a n O r d e r of H i s Majesty i n Council b e a r i n g
d a t e a t C a r l t o n H o u s e t h e eleventh day of N o v e m b e r one t h o u s a n d
e i g h t h u n d r e d a n d twenty-five i t is ordered t h a t t h e " G o v e r n o r s or
" o t h e r persons for t h e t i m e - b e i n g a d m i n i s t e r i n g t h e G o v e r n m e n t of a n y
" of H i s M a j e s t y ' s Foreign Possessions Colonies or P l a n t a t i o n s s h a l l
" from t i m e t o t i m e b y P r o c l a m a t i o n s t o b e b y t h e m respectively for
" t h a t p u r p o s e issued a p p o i n t t h e place or places w i t h i n H i s M a j e s t y ' s
" D o m i n i o n s t o w h i c h a n y offender convicted i n a n y s u c h P o r e i g n
" Possessions Colonies or P l a n t a t i o n s as aforesaid a n d b e i n g u n d e r
" sentence or order of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n shall b e sent or t r a n s p o r t e d "
A n d w h e r e a s i n p u r s u a n c e of t h e said Order i n Council a n d i n exercise
of t h e powers t h e r e b y vested i n t h e G o v e r n o r of N e w S o u t h W a l e s
H i s E x c e l l e n c y t h e said G o v e r n o r issued h i s P r o c l a m a t i o n b e a r i n g d a t e
t h e fifteenth day of A u g u s t i n s t a n t a n d t h e r e b y a p p o i n t e d P o r t M a c q u a r i e M o r e t o n Bay a n d Norfolk I s l a n d t o b e t h e places t o w h i c h
offenders convicted i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s shall b e sent or t r a n s p o r t e d .
A n d w h e r e a s it is expedient t h a t n o ship or t r a d i n g vessel s h o u l d
be p e r m i t t e d t o e n t e r or t o u c h a t or hold i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h a n y s u c h
place or places so a p p o i n t e d b y t h e said G o v e r n o r for t h e t r a n s ­
p o r t a t i o n of offenders i n p u r s u a n c e of t h e said O r d e r i n Council B e
it therefore e n a c t e d b y H i s E x c e l l e n c y t h e G o v e r n o r of N e w S o u t h
wales w i t h t h e advice of t h e Legislative Council T h a t i t shall n o t b e
lawful for a n y m a s t e r m a r i n e r or o t h e r p e r s o n c o m m a n d i n g n a v i g a t i n g
or sailing in a n y s h i p vessel or b o a t t o e n t e r t o u c h a t or c o m m u n i c a t e
w i t h a n y s u c h place or places so a p p o i n t e d b y t h e said G o v e r n o r for
t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n of a n y offender or offenders u n d e r sentence or order
of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n m a d e or t o b e m a d e b y a n y C o u r t or c o m p e t e n t
a u t h o r i t y i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s w i t h o u t t h e license or p e r m i s s i o n i n
w r i t i n g of t h e said G o v e r n o r b e i n g first h a d a n d o b t a i n e d for s u c h
p u r p o s e a n d a n y p e r s o n or persons w h o shall e n t e r t o u c h a t or com­
m u n i c a t e w i t h a n y such place or places as aforesaid shall b e g u i l t y of
a m i s d e m e a n o r a n d u p o n b e i n g thereof d u l y convicted before t h e
S u p r e m e C o u r t of N e w S o u t h W a l e s shall for every s u c h offence i n c u r
a n d b e liable t o a tine n o t exceeding O n e H u n d r e d P o u n d s or t o
i m p r i s o n m e n t for a n y t i m e n o t exceeding one y e a r or t o b o t h a t t h e
discretion of t h e said C o u r t .
2. A n d b e i t f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t all p e r s o n s w h o h a v e h e r e t o ­
fore been t r a n s p o r t e d or sent t o a n y place i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s or t h e
Dependencies thereof respectively u n d e r or i n p u r s u a n c e or i n e x e c u t i o n
of a n y sentence or order of a n y C o u r t or c o m p e t e n t a u t h o r i t y i n N e w
S o u t h W a l e s shall henceforth b e subject a n d liable t o all s u c h laws
r u l e s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s as a r e or shall b e i n force i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s
or t h e D e p e n d e n c i e s thereof w i t h respect t o Convicts hereafter t r a n s ­
p o r t e d t o a n y s u c h place as aforesaid a n d all officers .Justices of t h e
Peace a n d o t h e r persons whatsoever s h a l l b e a n d t h e y a r e h e r e b y
absolutely indemnified of from a n d a g a i n s t a l l i n d i c t m e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n s
suits actions a n d d e m a n d s whatsoever w h i c h shall or m a y b e b r o u g h t
or m a i n t a i n e d a g a i n s t t h e m or a n y of t h e m i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s or
t h e D e p e n d e n c i e s thereof for or i n respect of a n y act m a t t e r or t h i n g
by t h e m or a n y of t h e m done or performed i n enforcing a g a i n s t a n y
such persons so t r a n s p o r t e d or sent t o a n y place i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s
or V a n D i e m e n ' s L a n d or a n y of t h e Dependencies thereof respectively
a n y of t h e said laws rules a n d r e g u l a t i o n s and i t shall a n d m a y b e
lawful for t h e defendants i n a n y such i n d i c t m e n t s informations suits
or actions t o plead t h e general issue and t o give t h i s A c t a n d t h e
special matter in evidence u p o n t h e trial of a n y such issue a n d if a
v e r d i c t shall b e given for a n y s u c h defendant or defendants in a n y
such
s u c h i n d i c t m e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n s s u i t s or actions s u c h defendant or
defendants shall t h e r e u p o n h e e n t i t l e d t o e n t e r u p j u d g m e n t w i t h
double costs of suit.
3. A n d b e it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t every sentence of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n
or r e m o v a l passed or t o b e passed on a n y offender i n a n y C o u r t of
c o m p e t e n t j u r i s d i c t i o n i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s a n d every order for t r a n s ­
p o r t a t i o n m a d e or t o b e m a d e b y t h e G o v e r n o r of N e w S o u t h W a l e s
for t h e t i m e - b e i n g as a c o m m u t a t i o n for or instead of c a p i t a l p u n i s h ­
m e n t s h a l l subject t h e offender t o b e conveyed t o s u c h of t h e said
places as t h e said G o v e r n o r for t h e t i m e - b e i n g shall direct a n d a p p o i n t
a n d t h a t it s h a l l b e lawful for t h e said G o v e r n o r to cause every s u c h
sentence or order of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n or r e m o v a l as aforesaid t o b e
carried i n t o effect a t s u c h t i m e a n d i n s u c h m a n n e r as t h e said G o v e r n o r
for t h e t i m e - b e i n g b y a n y O r d e r or O r d e r s i n s u c h case m a d e s h a l l
direct.
4. A n d be it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d w i t h t h e a u t h o r i t y aforesaid T h a t
i n all cases i n w h i c h t h e C o u r t s of K i n g ' s B e n c h Assize a n d Gaol
Delivery or of Q u a r t e r Sessions i n E n g l a n d are a u t h o r i s e d t o p u n i s h
offenders b y i m p r i s o n m e n t a n d h a r d l a b o r it shall b e lawful for t h e
J u d g e s or a n y one J u d g e of t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t a n d for t h e J u s t i c e s
in Q u a r t e r Sessions i n t h e said Colony t o c o n d e m n offenders of t h e
s a m e degree t o serve t h e G o v e r n o r or A c t i n g G o v e r n o r for t h e t i m e b e i n g or h i s assigns in N e w S o u t h W a l e s for t h e s a m e t i m e a n d u n d e r
t h e s a m e r u l e s as if s u c h offenders h a d been t r a n s p o r t e d from E n g l a n d
or t o i m p r i s o n m e n t a n d h a r d l a b o r or t o h a r d l a b o r i n i r o n s o n t h e
h i g h r o a d s or o n o t h e r p u b l i c w o r k s i n t h e said Colony a n d t h e said
G o v e r n o r or A c t i n g G o v e r n o r s h a l l order t h e said sentences respec­
tively t o b e carried i n t o effect u p o n r e p o r t s thereof b e i n g m a d e i n t h e
u s u a l m a n n e r b y t h e J u d g e s or a n y J u d g e of t h e said S u p r e m e C o u r t
or b y t h e C h a i r m a n of t h e Sessions respectively.
5. P r o v i d e d t h a t all persons b o r n i n t h e said Colony or w h o
h a v e come i n t o t h e same free shall for t h e i r first offence b e i n g of t h e
degree as aforesaid b e liable t o i m p r i s o n m e n t a n d h a r d l a b o r w i t h i n
p r i s o n walls only or t o b e k e p t i n t h e o r d i n a r y e m p l o y m e n t of t h e
C r o w n or of t h e assignee or assignees of t h e G o v e r n o r or A c t i n g
G o v e r n o r a n d t o be subject t o t h e s u m m a r y j u r i s d i c t i o n of J u s t i c e s of
t h e P e a c e in like m a n n e r as if s u c h persons as last aforesaid h a d b e e n
t r a n s p o r t e d from E n g l a n d .
6. A n d b e i t f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t it shall b e lawful for t h e said
G o v e r n o r or A c t i n g G o v e r n o r b y a n O r d e r i n w r i t i n g registered i n t h e
Office of t h e S e c r e t a r y of t h e said Colony t o w i t h d r a w a n y p e r s o n or
p e r s o n s n o w or hereafter t o b e t r a n s p o r t e d or sent t o a n y P e n a l
S e t t l e m e n t or p l a c e as aforesaid a n d t o employ h i m h e r or t h e m e i t h e r
i n i r o n s o n t h e p u b l i c r o a d s or w o r k s or i n t h e o r d i n a r y service of
t h e C r o w n or t o assign h i m h e r or t h e m t o settlers or o t h e r s t o b e
dealt w i t h in all r e s p e c t s as if h e she or t h e y were u n d e r s e n t e n c e of
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n from E n g l a n d .
ANNO