mechanic, or agricultural labourer, from eighteen to thirty years, brought out by a person, at the same time bringing an equal number of females, accompanying and attached to a family. O n the ship arriving at its destination the charterers were bound to provide the immigrants with suitable accommodation on shore, or allow them to remain on boardforten clear days from anchoring, and to ration them as on the voyage. Before any payments yvere m a d e the immigrants were required to present themselves before a Board of Inspection, appointed by the Governor, and the adults yvere to exhibit testimonials of good character, signed by clergymen and respectable persons of note in the places of their former residence ; yvith which testimonials it yvas necessary that every family and single person should be provided. T h e Board had also to be satisfied of the satisfactory fulfilment of the prescribed conditions, and ofthe "good bodily health and strength of the immigrants, and that in all other respects they yvere likely to be useful members of their class in society." T h e wives and families of soldiers in regiments in Neyv South Wales or in V a n Diemen's Land, and of persons serving under sentence of transportation in either colony, yvere excluded from the regulations. In October, 1841, the bounties were extended to married couples, although above 40, it not exceeding 50 years of age, but hale and capable of yvork, provided they were accompanied by one child over 10 years,forevery tyvo years the ages of the parents exceeded 40. But if either parent yvas over 50, no bounty would be paid on account of any m e m b e r ofthe family, unless qualified as a single m a n or w o m a n under the regulations. It was further to be understood that parties between the ages of 40 and 50, accompanied by children under 10 years, if in addition to the requisite number above that age, yvould not be considered ineligible on that account, nor would bounty be yvithheld on such children, if the family were in all other respects qualified according to the regulations prescribed. T h e first Immigration Board of Inspection in Port Phillip consisted of Dr. John Patterson, R.N. (the Immigration Agent), Messrs. Edward Lionel, Lee (Private Secretary to the Superintendent), and C. M . Lewis (Harbor Master). W h e n an immigrant vessel arrived in the Bay, she yvas boarded the day after by the members of the Board, w h o improvised a kind of court in the cabin, and before them the immigrantsfiledoff, were looked at, asked if they had any complaint to make, and then sent about their business. T h e ceremony was of a very perfunctory kind. T h e employers of labour crowded the ship's deck, anxious to engage town or country hands, and a considerable number yvould be engaged in this yvay. Those yvho remained left the vessel in a feyv days, and were for a short time located in tents in Melbourne, where the engagements would be resumed, and the tents were soon emptied. T h efirstimmigrants' depot yvas southyvard of the Prince's Bridge, about or on the site of yvhat afterwards yvas knoyvn as the Immigrants' H o m e on the Government House Reserve; but its distance from toyvn, the inconvenience of crossing on a punt, and the establishment betyveen the Yarra and Emerald Hill of a small colony of the rascality of the period led to the removal of the depot to the " Government block," yvest of King Street, yvhere it continued for several years. T h e Bounty System yvas full of abuses, and often afforded reason for well-founded complaint, but yvith all its drawbacks, the benefits it rendered the yveak, struggling infant settlement yvere incalculable.
In 1838 immigration added 1260 units of humanity, a total nearly doubled the next year. 1839 was an important era in the early peopling, because, during its latter half, there was a number of very desirable arrivals, merchants, professionals, and others, w h o introduced considerable capital for investment. T h e equitable distribution of the land fund was a question of m u c h interest, and thefirstefforts of public opinion yvere directed towards preventing the Sydney side from having the lion's share. Though not as successful as could be wished, this primitive agitation effected good so far that it undoubtedly obtained for Port Phillip more than it would otherwise have got.
An Immigration Association
Was formed at a public meeting of colonists, held at the Auction Company's Rooms (south-west corner of Collins and Williams Streets) on the 19th December, 1840. It was presided over by Mr. Latrobe (the Provincial Superintendent), and originated in a proposition made by the Australian Immigration Society at Sydney for the establishment of a branch Association at Melbourne. It was, however, the unanimous
