THE CONFUSION OF 1852, 1853, 1854 367 



Before these buildings were completed it was fully apparent that 

 they would be insufficient, and a public meeting was held. The 

 result was the formation of an Immigrants' Aid Society and an 

 appeal for subscriptions, which was generously responded to, the 

 Government promising to give 2 for every 1 subscribed. This 

 society started a building on a larger scale than the others, managed 

 by a Committee of eight, half elected by the subscribers and half 

 appointed by the Government. It was called the " Public Immi- 

 grants' Home," and when completed provided sleeping accommoda- 

 tion for 700 persons, with ample cooking arrangements, mess-rooms, 

 hospital ward, and residence for the superintendent. The rules 

 and charges were identical with the Government home, except as 

 regards the limit of occupancy. The public subscriptions totalled 

 3,800, and the Government added 7,600. An additional effort 

 was made by the Wesleyan body, who, with the assistance of a 

 Government grant of 1,000, erected a large wooden building at 

 North Melbourne, where 150 persons were provided with food and 

 lodging for the moderate cost of 4s. per day. All these buildings 

 were brought into use in the last two months of 1852, and yet one 

 more provision was made on the initiative of Mr. Latrobe, who 

 authorised the hiring of two large ships, which were berthed at the 

 Sandridge Pier, and fitted them up for the accommodation of several 

 hundreds of Government-assisted immigrants. But even if a couple 

 of thousand persons could be crowded into these refuges, it was but 

 provision for about two-thirds of one week's influx. Eumours of 

 these difficulties had already reached England, and many of the 

 well-to-do arrivals brought with them substantial tents, and some 

 even wooden and iron houses. To meet their views the Govern- 

 ment laid off a large block of land, between the Public Immigrants' 

 Home and the road to Sandridge, and cut it up into small allot- 

 ments for which they exacted a rental of 5s. per week. There was 

 a rush for the accommodation, and a temporary town sprang into 

 existence, which by the beginning of 1853 contained from 7,000 to 

 8,000 inhabitants. It was by no means restricted to private resi- 

 dences, for the wants of such a compact population demanded local 

 trade, and the tented field contained numerous restaurants, general 

 stores, boarding-houses, butchers, bakers and other conveniences, 



