156 FOUNDATION AND EARLY WORK 



R.S. TAS, 



Fitzro}'- Crespent for a time; but no steps were taken to- 

 wards the erection of a building or the formation of gar- 

 dens — ^one reason being the scarcity and high price of 

 labour. 



In 1853 the Society purchased "the highly-finished and 

 "well-contrived cases and fitttings of the Franklin Museum 

 "'at Ancanthe, New Town," and these were gradually 

 brought to Hobart and re-erected in the Harrington-street 

 Museum. In 1854 the grant for the Museum was increased 

 to £200. 



In 1856 the Secretary wrote to the Colonial Secretary, 

 stating that some members of the Council considered that 

 the site in Fitzroy Crescent- — as also a site suggested in the 

 Domain — was inconveniently situated for a public 

 museum, and asking that a site be reserved in on© of the 

 following situations : —''At the corner formed by Mac- 

 "quarie-street and Murray-street, in the quadrangle en- 

 "closed by the wall of the gaol, which it is understood will 

 "very soon be removed; or at the corner formed by Mac- 

 "quarie-street and Argyle-street, now garden ground, oc- 

 "cupied by the Aide-de-camp ; or in Collins-street, upon a 

 "piece of ground between Elizabeth-street and Murray- 

 "street, the property of the Crown, which is now occupied 

 "as a Coachmaking Establishment." (69) 



In rejDly, the Colonial Secretary informed the Society 

 that a portion of the gaol site would be reserved ; that a 

 grant of money towards the erection of a building would 

 be made ; and asked that plans be prepared. 



In 1857, however, the Society was informed that the 

 gaol site was to be sold ; but that the claims of the Society 

 would be considered when the land attached to G-overn- 

 ment House (Macquarie-street) was available. 



In 1858 a site, in what is now Franklin Square, was 

 gazetted ; and the Council at once undertook the collection 

 of public subscriptions towards a building. Mainly by the 

 exertions of Dr. Milligan, there was raised by the end of 

 1859 a sum of £1,646 13s., (70) and this sum grew with 

 interest to over £1,800. 



But in 1859 the Government decided to reserve the 

 whole of the Government House grounds, in order that the 

 site might be available at a future time for new House? 

 of Parliament, and the Society was offered accommodation 

 in the new Government Buildings then about to be erect- 

 ed in Murray-street. (71) 



(69) Report, 1&56, p. 16. 



(TO) The subscription list is printed at pp. 48-52 of the Report for 1859. 



(Tl) Report, 1869, p. 20. 



