• Third Governor of New South Wales.

• Born in England in 1758.

• Served under Captain Arthur Phillip whilst in the navy and was chosen by him to establish a subordinate settlement on Norfolk Island. He was promoted to Lieutenant Governor of Norfolk Island, then subsequently promoted to commander.

• As Governor, controlled Tahiti as well as New South Wales and had the same powers and responsibilities as Hunter and Phillip had been given.

• First task as Governor of New South Wales was to attack the misconduct of monopolist traders and traffickers in liquor. Issued orders including a new set of port and price regulations intended to curb exploitation and the liquor traffic.

• Tried to discourage the shipment of liquor to New South Wales and began construction of a brewery to offer colonists an alternative beverage.

• Established price control and a public warehouse to weaken the monopolists’ grip on the colony’s economy.

• Tried to control prices, wages, hours of work, the employment of convicts, baking, butchers, interest rates, weights and measures and the value of assorted currency circulating in the colony.

• Quintupled the colony’s flocks and herds and quadrupled cultivated acreage.

• Began coal mining, improved quality of wool, encouraged experiments in new crops including hemp, vines, tobacco, cotton and indigo.

• Encouraged whaling and sealing.

• Sought permission to open up trade between New South Wales and China.

• Encouraged and initiated exploration to Bass Strait, Western Port and Hunter’s River.

• Encouraged and initiated a settlement at Port Phillip, the Derwent River and Port Dalrymple. Re-established the settlement at Newcastle.

• Laid the foundation of the future ‘ticket of leave’ system.

• Supervised a comprehensive and progressive building program.

• Introduced apprenticeship for convict boys to become skilled tradesmen.

• Was instrumental in allowing surgeons to perform the first successful vaccination in the colony.

• Established the Sydney Gazette, the first colonial newspaper.

• Considered the Aboriginal peoples to be ‘the real Proprietors of the Soil.’ He refused to allow them to be worked as slaves but also believed that white settlers had the right to protect their property against indigenous peoples. He ordered they could be ‘driven back from the settlers’ habitations by firing at them" on two recorded occasions.

• Felt that the military arrogance and judicial power of the New South Wales Corps. He stated; ‘ for the prosperity of His Majesty’s subjects in this territory… some change is absolutely necessary in our criminal courts.’

• Left New South Wales in 1806 and died in 1808.

• Buried in London.

A. G. L. Shaw, 'KING, P.G.', Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 2, ed. Douglas Pike, pp 55 -61 (Melbourne University Press)