This series explains the many important aspects of the colonial Economy of N.S.W. between 1788 and 1835. Guiding the colonial economy was the strong hand of a dedicated public servant - the first senior appointment by a Colonial Governor - that appointee was William Lithgow -the first Deputy Assistant Commissary-General, then the first Auditor-General of the Colony. In conjunction with the work of Lithgow, the development of the public service accounting and finance areas is developed. The dual volumes of Guiding the economy and Financing the Colony provides the foundation story of the Treasury operations in Colonial N.S.W.