such undoubted claims to a renewal of confidence, but the needful article yvas at length discovered in Mr. William Clarke, professor of music, and a very worthy burgess, but an unknown quantity as a public man. Latrobe Ward yvas then a hot-bed of faction and bigoted exclusiveness; the consequence was that Clarke w o n the seat by polling 80 votes to his opponent's 30. pfor Bourke Ward the retiring Councillor (McCombie) yvas challenged by Mr. Patrick Main, a contractor, and it was a dead heat—33 votes each ; but the Acting-Alderman (Smith) managed the casting-vote for the old member, w h o was accordingly returned. M r . John Bullen (a new m a n ) succeeded the outgoing m e m b e r (Westby) in Gipps 'Ward, without opposition ; and Henry Moor went back to the Council for Lonsdale Ward, vice J. R. Murphy, w h o had retired. O n the 9th November, Councillor M o o r was elected Mayor (for the second time). Councillor Greeves was a candidate, but, uncertain of success, warily yvithdrew in time to save a beating. A n effort was m a d e to trot out Mr. Alderman Bell, but he, too, cannily opined that his hour had not arrived, and bided his time. "Johnny" Fayvkner retired in a few days and shook the Corporation dust from his feet for evermore. H e was succeeded in Lonsdale Ward by Mr. T h o m a s Armitstead, a builder, after little more than a nominal opposition from Mr. M'Culla, a blacksmith of slightly eccentric proclivities. At the second Council meeting, for the year 1846-7, the following salaries were voted : T h e Mayor, ,£300 ; T o w n Clerk, ,£240 ; Treasurer and Surveyor, ,£150 each ; Copying Clerk, ,£100. A new office of Surveyor of Sewers was made at ,£60 a year. A further A m e n d m e n t Act was passed by the Legislature, removing more doubts, defining and enlarging the powers of the Corporation, establishing a Cattle Market, and enabling the Council to borrow money on security of the Municipal revenue. In the Anti-transportation agitation which raged for years, the Council and the public were abvays in accord, and more than one emphatic remonstrance against the long impending evil emanated jointly from them. In this matter Councillor M'Combie took a prominent part. St. Francis' Church in Lonsdale Street was for some time in considerable danger of being undermined F r o m the earliest period, a deep ravine ran along the now channel-way of Elizabeth Street (East side), by the boundary of the church ground. There was no footpath, and the Council diverted the yvater-course from the other side of the street, which so increased the torrent flowing by the church fence, that every day the chasm grew both deeper and wider, and serious apprehensions were entertained that the building foundation would be endangered. Representations were made to the Council, and legal proceedings threatened, yet it took a year to move a body, at other times over-full of vitality, to do an ordinary act of justice and avert the danger. In May, 1847, the Mayor (Moor) made a strenuous effort to procure an addition of tyventy m e n to the police force, and succeeded in getting half what he asked for. In the following month the ex-Mayor (Councillor Palmer) resigned his seat for Lonsdale Ward, and yvas succeeded by Mr. George Annand, w h o had been previously defeated by Mr. Fawkner. A Building Act was now a necessity, and a draft bill was promulgated, which led to discussions both in the Council, and by the Press, the proposed enactment being regarded as m u c h more stringent and arbitrary than the circumstances of the town required. It was also thought that an A m e n d e d Corporation Bill would be shortly submitted to the Legislature, and to watch that measure on behalf of the Council, the T o w n Clerk was despatched to Sydney. It was also found necessary to revive the office of Street-keeper, under the more imposing title of Inspector, at a salary of ,£75 per annum, and a moiety of fines. Jeffreys, the successful candidate, proved to be an excellent officer, and was afterwards Chief Clerk in the T o w n Clerk's department. H e died suddenly, havingfilledthe latter position for several years. A s the time for THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS (1847)
approached, the nationality of the members of the Corporation was much canvassed. In the Council there were nine Englishmen, five Scotchmen, one Australian, and not one Irishman, though a third of
