An interesting correspondence on this subject passed betyveen the Mayor, as Acting Police Magistrate, and the Superintendent, in which the former forcibly urged an increased protection for lives and property. H e pointed out that in October, 1842, the month preceding the establishment of the Corporation, the police force of Melbourne consisted of twenty-nine petty constables under one chief, the population of the town then numbering between 5000 and 6000. In April, 1846, the force comprised ten petty constables, four sergeants, one chief constable, and two watch-house keepers, whilst the population had increased to 10,600. Therefore, whilst the population had doubled, the police force had diminished to one-half. The T o w n of Melbourne, including 1 3 ^ miles of streets (independent of those in Collingwood and South Melbourne, and privaterights-of-way)was not lighted, though crowded with immigrants from Van Diemen's Land. At Collingwood, with a population of 1671 souls, a nefarious gang had lately taken refuge, and committed nightly depredations, whilst there was only one constable stationed there. Several large consumers of water obtained the permission of the Council to lay on pipes from the Yarra to their respective premises ; but a strong objection was m a d e to the project of a Mr. Burchett to open a tannery at Richmond. H e promised that the drainage should be from instead of into the river. Subsequently the Provincial L a w Adviser (Mr. Croke) pronounced against the power of the Corporation to lay yvater-pipes, which riled the Council considerably; but the L a w Officers in Sydney upheld Mr. Croke's legal dictum. The principal expenditure was ,£849 6s. for metalling, kerbing, and pitching Elizabeth, from Collins Street to Lonsdale Street; and .£64 9s. 6d. for metalling Collins Street, between Swanston and Russell Streets. T h e chief crossings in Collins, Elizabeth, and Swanston Streets, were to be metalled and gravelled at a cost not to exceed ,£31 ios. M u c h complaint was made at the delay in the erection of the following public buildings, for which sums had been voted by the Legislature : — N e w police office, ,£824 ; powder magazines, ,£2000 ; lunatic asylum, ,£1000 ; and the Council added a share to the grumbling by a petition to the proper quarter. O n Monday the 13th July, 1846, an attempted Orange celebration led to an outburst of inebriated fanaticism, which, but for the interposition of Providence, would have resulted in murder in the street. It is described in another chapter, and is only referred to here to state that the tergiversation of the Mayor as Chief Magistrate, in dealing with the riot, and writing about it afterwards, produced a very mixed feeling towards him in the Council, where a discussion of his action was self-invited, and though entailing no actual censure upon him, most certainly did not result in approval. As the Council had already nominated tyvo learned gentlemen from the higher branch of the legal profession as standing Counsel, a Solicitor was an indispensable adjunct. There was no specific salaryattached to the office, and the remuneration had to be eked out of the scraps worked into the bills of costs, which at the time were next door to nothing. Still ten " limbs " of what by dubious compliment is termed "Old Nick's Brigade," entered for the empty honour. Five started, four were placed, and one was distanced. T h e election was held on the 17th September, 1846, with the following result:—Mr. Prank Stephen, 3 votes; Mr. Richard Ocock, 2 votes; Mr. F. L. Clay, 2 votes; Mr. Jas. Montgomery, 1 vote; Mr. G. W . S. H o m e , no vote. T h e victory was not m u c h to crow over, and was little thought of at the time; but " Frank," by the unexpected turn of affairs, has had good pickings out of it since, for after forty years he is still " T o w n " Solicitor for the prosperous Queen City of the South. T h e finances were n o w once more down to zero, and a second rate of 6d. in the £ was made. A loan was negotiated with the Union Bank for ,£600, to be expended on the Cattle Market, a site for which had been granted some time before. THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS (1846)
Created a sensation, some of the Wards being contested yvith much bad feeling. Councillor O'Shanassy who, during his term of office, bad done good service, was one of the retiring Councillors for Latrobe Ward and an ungrateful and a purely factious opposition (intensified by the " O r a n g e " riot of the 13th July) was got up against him. There was m u c h difficulty in hunting up a candidate to face a m a n with
