MR. LATROBE AS SUPERINTENDENT 267 



its contentious wranglings and for the nepotism which they de- 

 clared had been exhibited in the appointment of its paid officials. 

 These papers even went so far as to recommend the burgesses not 

 to pay the rates, as owing to the Council's poverty and incom- 

 petence they were getting no return for their money. But the 

 Mayor would not see the law flouted, and warrants of distraint 

 against defaulters were so common that at one memorable sitting 

 it is on record that nearly 400 were ordered to be issued. 



The action of the Council in the direction of improvements was 

 paralysed. They could do no good without a large expenditure, 

 and though they had under their Act a restricted power to borrow, 

 lenders were scarce, and the bankers would not commit themselves 

 to the recuperative powers of an unknown future. The residents 

 were smarting under the drastic process by which their goods and 

 chattels were passing under the hammer of the city auctioneer, and 

 when, in spite of this harshness, the finances of the Council showed 

 a deficiency at the end of the first year, the clamour was angry and 

 defiant. At the election in November, 1843, some of the more 

 violent members were got rid of, amongst them J. P. Fawkner, and 

 men of better standing took their place, including Dr. Greeves, Mr. 

 J. B. Murphy, Mr. Edmund Westby and Mr. Henry Moor. 



At the first meeting of the new Council an attempt was made 

 to meet the situation. The mayoral allowance and the salaries 

 of all the officials were reduced by one-third, and the town rate 

 was lowered from Is. to 9d. in the . But even that could not 

 be got in, and the same wail of distress went up. An application 

 was made to the Government for an advance of 10,000 for much- 

 needed street making, but it was refused. Finally, in desperation, 

 a proposal was submitted to the Council by Mr. Moor that it should 

 decree its own abolition; but a majority was decidedly against 

 him, and the machinery lumbered on. In November, 1844, Mr. 

 Henry Moor was elected mayor. He was a distinct improvement 

 on Condell, being a solicitor in good practice, with plenty of money, 

 plausible, popular and ready in business. He vigorously pursued 

 the retrenchment policy, refused to take any allowance for himself, 

 and cut down the official salaries almost to vanishing-point. But, 

 most startling proceeding of all, the Council decided to suspend the 



