OF THE SOCIETY. 155 



1913. 



Considerable sums were expended in the purchase of 

 books, and in 1860 it was reported that the expenditure 

 had become "beyond the means of the Society." The 

 expenditure on the Library for the previous five years had 

 been nearly £90 a year; and was one of the sources of the 

 debt under which the Society laboured until, by Dr. 

 Agnew"s exertions, it was paid off in 1864. 



The Museum collections grew rapidly, and the accom- 

 modation at the Legislative Council Chamber was soon 

 inadequate. In 1851 the Council entered into negotiations 

 with the Building Committee of the proposed Royal Ex- 

 change. It was proposed to provide rooms in the Ex- 

 change building both for the Society and the Public 

 Library ; but the negotiations were broken off. 



In 1852 the Society took a lease of premises in Harring- 

 ton-street, opposite St. Josephs Church, and its Museum 

 and Library were moved frorri the Legislative Council 

 Chamber. The Society had now to provide rent, and the 

 Council was anxious that as soon as possible the Society 

 should be in premises of its own. The accommodation at 

 "what was now called the Museum was also likely soon to 

 be exhausted, if the collections continued to grow. The 

 Council pointed out that they had been encouraged by the 

 Government to undertake a Museum ; and that the 

 Museum, being open to the public, had become an import- 

 ant local institution. They therefore felt justified in ap- 

 plying to the Crown for a site for a Museum, at the same 

 time undertaking to raise by public subscription a sum 

 towards the erection of a building. 



The Grovernment received the Council's application fav- 

 ourably, but it was some yearsi before a site was decided 

 on. In 1854 it was suggested that the Council should re- 

 ceive Fitzroy Crescent (68); and the Eeport for that year 

 says (p. 8) : 



"The Council have now the pleasure of stating that the 

 "Government has agreed to the transfer by the Crown to 

 "the Society of that valuable area of enclosed ground 

 "known as Fitzroy Crescent for a building site, and for the 

 "purpose of initiating a Zoological Garden, for which it is by 

 "Nature admirably adapted, being possessed of considerable 

 "diversity of soil and surface, and having a perennial 

 "stream of pure water running through it." 



The Society seems to have come into the occupation of 



(68) In 1851 a public subscription had been raised for forming a 

 promenade and pleasure grounds at Fitzr(jy (or Garden) Crescent. In 

 1854 the subscribers agreed to the site being given to the Society. 

 C.S.O , Denisou, volume 267 No. 5,979 



