One of the first subjects demanding the newly elected Mayor's attention, was the state of the public account, now virtually stranded. A Select Committee was appointed to consider the whole financial prospect, and the outlook was very disheartening. The times in Melbourne, though slowly mending, were still in a bad state, for every description of property was down to the lowest, trade was dull, employment scarce, and cash was almost as scarce as ever. The Council might levy a rate, and issue distress warrants, but there was little to levy on or to sell; moreover, sales were impossible without buyers, and the latter were regarded as animals, nearly as rare as the Apocryphal bunyip of Aboriginal tradition. The Committee, therefore, submitted a report, recommending that the levy of a rate was not advisable under existing circumstances, nor until the passing of an Amendment Act; that the legal machinery of the Corporation be kept in motion, and that in the meantime all salaries be reduced. After an acrimonious discussion the report was adopted, and the Council proceeded to give it effect. The new Mayor (Mr. Moor) had previous to election declared that he should not accept any allowance, and this is the only instance on record of a Mayor of Melbourne having held office gratuitously. The other salaries for the Municipal year (1844-5) were thus reduced: Town Clerk, ,£150; Treasurer, ^75 ; Town Surveyor, ,£50; and all the smaller fry, except the Messenger, were done away with. By this sweeping retrenchment ,£600 would be saved. As it yvas subsequently found that the Surveyor had some works to superintend, his salary was restored to its former rate for two months.
A "Protection" Movement
Was originated in the Council on the 4th December, by Councillor Fawkner moving the adoption of a petition to the Legislative Council, praying that body to frame a measure prohibiting the use of sugar in breweries. He did so, he said, in order to encourage the growth of grain. In the course ofthe debate that followed, Councillor Greeves strongly opposed the proposition as an interference with the principles of Free Trade, "and introducing an incipient system of Corn Laws." Its effect would be to increase the price of agricultural produce, and make the poor man's glass of ale or beer more expensive. Councillor Johnston contended that in dealing with this question the Council was acting ultra vires, whilst Councillor Murphy (a brewer) strongly supported it. On a division it was carried by the casting-vote of the Mayor. Some months prior to this the Legislature of Van Diemen's Land had passed an Act for the same purpose, which was disalloyved by the Home Government.
The Council also discussed the subject of what was known as " Pentonvillainism," a modified form of transportation, by which British convicts, after serving a term of their sentences in the model prisons at Parkhurst or Pentonville, were shipped to the Australian Colonies, with conditional pardons setting them free on arrival, and a strong memorial was transmitted from the Council against this very pernicious system.
At one of the last meetings of the year, a proposal emanated from Alderman Kerr to the effect that the past and present Mayors be invited to present their portraits, to be hung in the Town Hall (that was at some time or other to exist), and that a like compliment be made to all future Mayors. This was negatived, Alderman Russell opposing it on the ground "that some person with a bloated carcass, and not given to tell the truth, might, in the chapter of events, get his portrait added to the series, in which case the viewing of it would reflect anything but feelings of pleasure or satisfaction."
Early in the year 1845 the Council directed its attention to securing places of public recreation, and made application to the Government for the reservation of 500 acres of land for parks, and also a suitable area for a Botanic Garden.
One of the so-called public improvements, effected at an outlay of ,£600, was a floating-drain, constructed of yvood, whereby it yvas thought that the water lodged at the southern part of Elizabeth and Flinders Streets would be discharged into the Yarra, but it proved an absolute failure. It yvas the cause of much contention in the Council, and bitingly sarcastic comments in the Press. One of the future floods paid it off in its own coin byfloatinga portion of it away, and some relics of this once great public work were, up to a recent date, visible in Flinders Street.
But most clouds have a silver lining. No doubt the Council had acted without sufficient consideration m suspending the assessment, and if the members had not been blinded and cowed by public clamour, they would have known that during 1844 the district was gradually recovering from the effects of
