256 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OP VICTORIA 



Fortunately, the Governor refused to give his assent to this heroic 

 measure, and it was reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's 

 pleasure, with the result that it was never heard of again. 



During Mr. Latrobe's control of the affairs of Port Phillip he 

 secured by his own direct exertions the retention from sale of many 

 of those valuable reserves which so conspicuously adorn the outer 

 margin of the city. Had it not been for his urgent intervention, 

 the Fitzroy and Carlton Gardens, and the fine open parks around, 

 which so bountifully provide for the recreation of the citizens, 

 would have passed under the auctioneer's hammer for the benefit 

 of the Sydney exchequer. For this alone Mr. Latrobe's memory 

 should be gratefully cherished, and it is regrettable that his name 

 is not associated directly with any of the pleasant sites which he 

 so thoughtfully conserved. Many years after he left Australia, an 

 impecunious treasurer did succeed in persuading Parliament to 

 realise on a few hundred acres of the frontages of the Albert and 

 Fawkner Parks, but the public indignation, expressed too late to 

 avert the sale, was sufficiently explicit to prevent any further 

 tampering with the land dedicated to the people, and the per- 

 manence of all such reserves was legally provided for. 



In 1842 Mr. Latrobe directed Mr. Hoddle to reserve a suitable 

 block of fifty acres and have it laid out for a Botanic Garden. The 

 site which the Surveyor-General selected was at the foot of Bat- 

 man's Hill, with a frontage to the Yarra and running back to the 

 western end of Collins Street. Though officially reserved it was 

 not laid out, for even in the few months passed in making pre- 

 parations it became evident that it would be a hindrance to the 

 commercial use of the river frontage, which was already being taxed 

 by the fleet of brigs and schooners trading with Tasmania and the 

 eastern sea-board of New South Wales. Operations were suspended 

 while further inspections were made, and finally in December, 1845, 

 the Town Council memorialised the Superintendent to exchange 

 the reservation for the present site, a couple of miles farther up 

 the river, and beyond the limits of shipping traffic. This proposal 

 was the more readily accepted because, in the intervening years, 

 the original area had become surrounded by a disreputable-looking 

 lot of shanties used as slaughter-houses, tallow-rendering works, 



