NRS-5727 | Letters, petitions and statistical returns received by Mr Justice Burton

Full description

The majority of letters received are from the Colonial Secretary, requesting reports on convicts sentenced in the Supreme Court, covering letters enclosing petitions for mitigation of sentences, acknowledging receipt of reports and notifying Governor's decisions, requesting legal opinions, notifying dates on which capital sentences were to be put into effect, and concerning remissions of sentences of prisoners on Norfolk Island. Petitions for mitigation of sentences and for alteration to bankruptcy legislation are also included.

Included with letters received are a number of statistical returns (covering the period 1836-38). These include: tickets of leave granted and cancelled; assigned and runaway convicts apprehended; lists of prisoners confined at lockups and awaiting trial; Female Factory, Parramatta - statistics of inmates and officers employed; returns of stockades and detached iron'd gangs (October 1836); pardons and certificates of freedom granted; cancelled magistrates' appointments; and, the number and disposition of convicts in and out of irons on the public works.