560
THE
CHRONLCLES
OF EARL Y
MELBOURNE.
and Richmond, and were hailed with as much rejoicing as would greet a new goldfield in after years. But the early spring heads about Melbourne appear not to have been thoroughly established, for the wells were easily set out of order, and three of them (at Flemington, the Merri Creek, and Brighton) took a fancy to disappear altogether. Even in 1848 a Melbourne newspaper thus bemoans a fresh-water mishap which occurred at Richmond on the 29th February, Leap Year day :— " Scarcity of water.—The inhabitants of Richmond are put to their trumps in consequence of the most extraordinary scarcity of water, for it is anticipated that shortly there will not be a single drop in the township, nor within such reasonable distance that the inhabitants can obtain a supply. The last unfortunate circumstance which happened was that of a bullock dray getting too near the brick work of the only well in which drinkable water was to be found, and sending the whole of the superstructure to the bottom of it, by which the spring became choked up, and, what is astonishing, although the rubbish has been cleared, and every effort used to obtain water from the same spot, yet from this accident the spring has been diverted in another channel, and thus the people are deprived of their last resource of obtaining water in the neighbourhood." A WATER COMPANY
Was started at a public meeting held at the Lamb Lnn, Melbourne, 25th May, 1840, for taking into consideration the means of affording to the town a better supply of water. T h e Rev. James Clow presided, and the following resolutions were agreed to :— 1. Moved by Mr. A. M'Crae, seconded by Mr. W . M e e k : "That for the purposes of affording a better and cheaper supply of water to this town, a Joint Stock Company be formed, intituled ' The Melbourne Water Works Company,' the capital whereof shall consist of ,£20,000, to be raised in 2000 shares of ,£10 each." 2. Moved by Mr. J. B. Were, seconded by Mr. Robert Russell : " That the affairs of the Company be managed by a Board consisting of a Chairman and twelve Directors, chosen annually by the shareholders from among such persons as may hold ten shares; and that at all meetings of shareholders persons shall possess one vote for every share held, and that no person be allowed at any time to hold more than 100 shares." 3. Moved by Mr. J. Hagen, seconded by Mr. J. Hodgson : " That, in order to carry the proposed plan into operation, it is necessary to appoint a Provisional Committee of Management for the purposes of taking the opinion of professional m e n as to the site for the works and the best manner of executing the same; of advertising for plans, and appointing such engineer as shall in their opinion offer the best; of opening a share-list, and receiving the deposit that may be agreed upon ; and further to apply for an Act of Council giving the Company all necessary powers." A Provisional Committee was nominated to give effect to the wishes of the meeting, but, like other butterfly notions of the time, after the initiatoryflutterno more was heard of it.
THE FIRST WATER SUPPLY SCHEME.
The relations subsisting between the water-carters and the consumers were never of the most amicable character, because the one side had a certain kind of monopoly, and were not very numerous in consequence of the capital required to start a horse, cart, barrel, and hose, and could, therefore, be often safely impudent and extortionate. The squabbling in the rights-of-way between the housewives and the carriers was incessant, and the public discontent, as the population increased, became universal. As to the large water consumers, though they employed their own carts, they had to buy from the pump-owners. It was, therefore, expected that, on the incorporation of Melbourne, the T o w n Council would take up the water question ; but that embodiment of paltry factionism had too much to do in small intrigues about jobs and elections. At length, in June, 1847, tne water question was referred for the special consideration of the T o w n Surveyor, who prepared a scheme which was approved by the Public Works Committee, and presented to the Council. This scheme suggested the construction of an aqueduct at the terminus of
