CHAPTER XXII.
THE MELBOURNE CORPORATION.—(CONTINUED).
SYNOPSIS:— November Elections, 1845. —Dr. Palmer elected Mayor. — His Brilliant Oration in the Council. —Succeeding Mayoral Broils. —The Election of Aldrmen. —Presentation to Ex-Mayor Moor. —Financial Prospect Brightening. —Mayor Palmer's Civic Hospitality. —Civic Exclusiveness in Church. —Elections of the First Jew, and First Roman Catholic as Councillors. —The Governor Rebukes Mayor Palmer. —Election of Mr. Frank Stephen as Town Solicitor. —Union Bank Loan. —November Elections, 1846. —Ex-Mayor Moor Re-elected. —November Elections, 1847. —Alderman Russell Elected Mayor. —Visit of Speaker of the Legislative Council. —Is Entertained at Dinner by Mayor Russell. —The Mayor's Guests Decline to Meet Mr. William Kerr at Dinner. — Melbourne Streets in 1848. —Melbourne erected to the Status of a City. —Title of “Right Worshipful” refused to the Mayor. —Address to the Queen re the Removal of Superintendent Latrobe. —Governor Declines to Recommend Prayer of Memorial. —Councillor Kerr again in Financial Difficulties. —Annual Elections, 1848. —Alderman Bell Elected Mayor. —Increase of Civic Salaries. —"Boundary Beating.” —Parliament House Site. —"Tam Kissock." —Ratable Property in 1849. —A Runaway Member. —Contempt of Court. —"Jack" Curtis's Practical Jokes. —"Dumb Ass Maa Comb Be Ass Queer." —Projected Gas Company. —Landing of Convicts Prevented. —"Parson Thomson's Cabbage Garden." —A Temporary Benevolent Asylum. —Fitzroy Crescent-cum-Gardens. —Superintendent Latrobe under a Cloud. —November Elections, 1849. —Alderman Greeves Elected Mayor. —Augmentation of the Town Clerk's Salary. —Petition in Favor of Separation. —Irish Orphan Girls. —Alderman Kerr, and Irish Orphan Immigration. —Alderman Kerr's Resignation. —John Hodgson’s First Election. —Creation of Fitsroy Ward. —November Elections, 1850. —Alderman Nicholson Elected Mayor. —First Election in Fitzroy Ward. —Mr. William Kerr Re-elected. —The Streets of Fitzroy. —The “Maze” of Collingwood. —Vote by Ballot Vetoed by the Council. —Mayor Nicholson, the Father of the Ballot.” —Municipal Statistics, 1850-51. —The "Maze" of Fitzroy. —"The Lost Square” of Fitzroy. —Mr. Fitzgibbon’s Official Explanation of it. —Vouncillor Kerr Appointed Town Clerk. —Proposed Extension of the Franchise. —Bonus to Council Officers. —November Elections, 1851. —Alderman Smith, the Last of the Old Mayors. —Final Resignation of Councillor M‘Combie. —Augmentation of Mayor's Allowance.
The November Elections—1845,
EXCITED much interest, though, whilst two of them were warmly contested, in the others there was finally no opposition. The term for which Councillor Palmer had been returned for Lonsdale Ward having expired, he re-offered himself, and was nearly defeated by Mr. A. H. Hart, a very popular Jew. Palmer would have been beaten had his opponent been a week earlier in the field, and, as it was, he got a majority of eight votes only, the number polled being eighty-eight for Palmer, against eighty for Hart. In Latrobe Ward the run was closer. Councillor Sanford was opposed by Mr. James Murray, host of the Prince of Wales Hotel, the result being Sanford seventy-nine, Murray seventy-five. In Gipps and Bourke Wards, the outgoing Councillors, Campbell and Smith, were re-elected unopposed.
The New Mayor.
The 9th of November was anxiously expected, owing to the election of a Mayor, and two Aldermen, vice two of the four elected in 1842, retiring at the end of three years. The Mayor (Moor) would have been readily re-elected, but he declined. Efforts were made on behalf of the irrepressible Mr. Kerr, but to no effect; and in a full Council, Palmer was chosen without opposition. Though crotchety, obstinate, often wrong-headed, and never a public favourite, Councillor Palmer proved an able and accomplished Mayor. His Inauguration Speech on taking the Chair, was alike scholarly and eloquent. Referring to his predecessor, Mr. Henry Moor (the best liked Mayor, in his first Mayoralty, that Melbourne ever had), he offered him this graceful tribute:—
