300 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



and fireworks by night. Thursday was proclaimed as a day of 

 thanksgiving: the shops were closed, and all the churches held 

 special services, which were largely attended. On Friday the 

 Superintendent performed the ceremony of formally opening 

 Princes Bridge for traffic, supported by a series of those theatrical 

 processions of trade and benefit societies which have to this day 

 continued to be such a marked feature in all Australian rejoicings. 

 Business came to a standstill, and even the printers declined their 

 monotonous but important duties, so that for five days the citizens 

 had to do without their morning paper, and were fain to gather 

 their news from the gossip of the street. 



A week of recuperation followed, but just as matters were 

 settling down into the humdrum grooves, some enthusiasts arranged 

 a fancy dress ball as a suitable finale, and the elite of the City were 

 again plunged in turmoil. It was the first attempt to introduce 

 this continental form of amusement to the banks of the Yarra, and 

 it was the talk of the town for many a month afterwards. 



But the rejoicings were largely anticipatory, and there was yet 

 much to do before the yoke of the oppressor could be cast off. 

 The despatch from the Secretary of State transmitting the Act did 

 not reach Sydney until the 13th of January, 1851, from which date it 

 became law in New South Wales. But it was not to be operative 

 in Port Phillip until the day on which the first writs were issued 

 for the proposed Victorian Legislative Council. In the interim the 

 Sydney Executive was to prepare a Bill for submission to its own 

 Council, determining the number of members in Victoria, arranging 

 the electoral districts, providing for the compilation of burgess 

 rolls, and appointing returning officers. The Port Phillip people 

 expressed much indignation that these important details should be 

 left to be settled by those whom they persisted in regarding as 

 their natural enemies. Certainly no practicable suggestion was 

 made for avoiding the difficulty, since legislation was necessary to 

 provide the machinery for the Imperial Act. Had it been appended 

 thereto in England, it would certainly have had but a remote 

 chance of fitting the conditions. The Sydney Council was the only 

 source of Legislation in Australia, and at least it had some know- 

 ledge of local requirements, and the presence of six members 



