Macarthur and the Squatters' vigorous opposition could not stop the tide in Australia, however. The demand for representative institutions was strong and could not be suppressed. Until 1823 the governor had ruled New South Wales most or less on his own. in that year his powers were limited by the creation of a council appointed by the British government. initially the appointees were from the Squatters and non convict elite, Macarthur among them, but this couldn't last. in 1831 the governor Richard Bourne bowed to pressure and for the first time allowed ex-convicts to sit on juries