Govern ment House, 1860.

quently had rough endings. Not all the settlers were law- abiding citizens, and assault and robbery were common. Penalties for crime were stiff. The death sentence was occa— sionally carried out for robbery on “Gallows Hill” on what is now Euston Street. Later theft was punishable by lashes at a whipping—post in Market Square, or at the tail of a cart drawn slowly through the streets. Criminals were made to do hard labour. When the Colonial building was constructed in the 1840’s, for instance, it is recorded that “the ground was levelled off by a gang of criminals brought from the jail and chained to the cart they hauled along”. The development of more humanitarian treatment, the building of an adequate jail, and emphasis on the prevention rather than the punish— ment of crime meant the disappearance of many of the old practices. And much improvement followed the coming of the policeman with his long frock coat, high beaver hat with black leather band, and the red “billie” or club hanging from a strap round his wrist.

The town pump was one of the most popular rendez— vous, for here people would meet with their buckets and exchange their gossip. Actually there were several town pumps, one in Queen Square and one or two on each of the principal streets. Occasionally it was feared that the wells

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