Report from the Select Committee on Transportation. Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be printed, 10 July 1812

A rare and important British Blue Paper, illustrating Governor Macquarie's early years. The report published in 1812 was the result of a report by a Parliamentary Select Committee to explore the future of transportation of convicts to New South Wales, a system that had operated for almost 25 years. It includes a complete transcript of evidence given by many important witnesses, including former Governor John Hunter, former Governor William Bligh, Scottish Martyr Maurice Margarot, Matthew Flinders, First Fleet chaplain Richard Johnson, and many other colonial officials. Extracts from several of Macquarie’s early dispatches are included. The report is a document of great significance in the early history of Australia. It is the first major document from the Macquarie era. It endorsed the existing system of transportation and "the liberal views of the present Governor", and became the foundation for Macquarie’s program of civil and administrative improvement. Ferguson, 543; Wantrup, 3; Trove Libraries Australia ID 4191118. Foolscap folio, 117pp (last blank). [Parliamentary papers / House of Commons] ; no. 341; Disbound from a compilation, lacking the original blue wrappers, with later brown paper wrappers which have tanned the title and last page. Internally, a bright clean copy of a very scarce piece of Australiana. …