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[Page 18]
of Sheep for the last Four years that I have had the command will fully refute this artful & unprincipled sheep mongers assertions or rather his conceited and self interested insinuations.
Viz.
In Septr Muster - 1800 there were 6000 Sheep. In this period many sheep died of the Rot & for want of care, in not being sheds & covering in the heavy Rains.
In Nov.r Muster - 1801 there were 6112 sheep
In August Muster - 1802 there were 8661 sheep
In August Muster - 1803 there were 11275
In August Muster - 1804 there were 16501 sheep
1 - 112
2 - 2549
3 - 2644
4 - 5446
In this comparison no allowance is made for the numbers killed weekly which for the last Two years have not been less than 16 a week. And it is calculated the 5 in a 100 are taken off by Native Dogs & die by accident during the year - so much for the Stock of Sheep decreasing or retarding the progress of the Colony. As to Beef on which no restriction of Price is laid when I arrived the few that were killed by officers were charged 3/6 pr lb saw the price never exceeds Two Shillings, & is often sold at 1/6.
Was not the best & unprincipled intrigue of the Writer of those articles sufficiently proven