time to convince him upon the point, but at length he considered it prudent to resign his office, and did so. Resolving on more caution in the future, he re-offered himself as a Councillor for Bourke Ward, and was returned without opposition. The absurd proposition to establish the Slaughter-houses near Batman's Hill, was affirmed by the grant of a place for the purpose in August; but the Superintendent, gifted with a stronger prevision than the Council, and apprehensive that a great nuisance yvould be caused thereby, decided to issue a lease for ten years only, at which the Council was by no means well pleased, Councillor Annand and others holding out (though vainly) for a tenure of twenty-one years. Time has proved Mr. Latrobe to be in the right. The Mayor was afterwards instructed to apply for a fourteen years' lease, which was granted; and in March, 1850, the Council adopted a plan for an Abattoir at a cost of ,£1500. In 1851 the building was completed, and when opened was found to be altogether inadequate for the accommodation required. So the eighty-five butchers were up in arms (or rather cleavers) against the bungling of the Corporation, and clamoured lustily for a bigger slaughtering shop. This Abattoir stood a few yards northward from the now Australian Wharf. It was in every sense a failure ; so in a few years the Corporation were obliged to move the public meat factory to the bank of the Saltwater River. The vacated building passed to the possession of the Government, and was used as a lumber depository until it yvas completely wiped away. CONTEMPT OF COURT.
Councillor M'Combie had not very long been seated for Bourke Ward, when at a Council meeting he was the innocent cause of much merriment, by suddenly jumping from his seat and claiming protection for a gross breach of privilege committed on his person by one of the reporters sending him a grossly insulting letter. There yvas then employed on the Patriot {alias Daily Nenis), as a " gentleman of the Press," Mr. John Curtis, a clever, light-hearted, inconsideiate fellow, yvho recked little the consequences, provided he could improvise a piece of fun. " Jack " was so chronically disposed to convivialism, as to be hardly ever in a state of sober seriousness, either on or off duty, and whenever his colleagues (there used to be three reporters everywhere) found him in an advanced state of " freshness," one or other yvas sure tofixhim in the perpetration of some practical joke, in which there would be little harm and no malice. This day it was suggested that Curtis should get a blank sheet of note-paper, enclose it in an envelope, and address it to M'Combie in some manner unlike other superscriptions. A hint to Curtis was no sooner given than acted on, so with a rapidity peculiar to hisfingers,Curtis had the missive ready in about ten seconds, and thus directed in his undisguised hand-writing :— " DUMB ASS MAA COMB BE ASS QUEER."
The Council Messenger was signalled, and told by Curtis to be quick and hand the epistle to Councillor M'Combie. The recipient was considerably surprised, and for a time he thought Curtis (with whose caligraphy he was well acquainted) was only indulging in some Gipsy cant, or "back slang;" but gradually he succeeded in translating it, and was immediately on his feet, in a state of trembling excitement appealing to the Mayor for protection against so gross an indignity. H e denounced Curtis as the offender, and declared that if he did not obtain satisfaction for such an outrageous insult, he could not answer for the consequences. The envelope was then submitted to the Council, and the Mayor had some difficulty in deciphering the scroll. Councillor Kerr, however, solved the perplexity by declaring that it meant nothing more nor less than " T H O M A S M ' C O M B I E , ESQUIRE,"
and he could not see what there was to complain of in that. The penmanship was handed round for general inspection, so that its points might be comprehended, and the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors tried to put on long faces, but, with the exception of M'Combie, were unable to restrain their mirth. Seriousness was not restored when Curtis stood up at the reporters' table, and, making a most profound salaam to M'Combie, placed his hand upon his heart, and assured the worthy Councillor that he indignantly repelled the insinuation that any insult or even discourtesy, had been intended by the peculiarly addressed
