The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956)(about) |
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Tuesday 24 January 1893
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PROCLAIMING PORT MEL-
BOURNE A TOWN.
OFFICIAL VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR.
The municipal council of the borough of Port Melbourne recenty) took steps to have their district proclaimed a town, it having acquired the necessary status entitling it to that distinction, and the proclamation was made yesterday afternoon by His Excellency the Governor. The day had been gazetted as a public holiday, and a large number of the people of the district assembled at the local town hall, where the ceremony was to take place. The hall was gaily decorated with bunting and evergreens both inside and out, and in many of the streets the citizens hung out flags in honour of the occasion
The ceremony was timed to take place at 4 o'clock, and at half past 3 o'clock His Excellcncy the Governor, accompanied by Captain Wallington, proceeded from town along City road, and was met at the boun dary of Port Melbonrne by the Mayor of Port Melbourne (Mr J J Bartlett) and the coun cillors, and Mr Salmon, M.L.A. for the district. The mayor and Mr Salmon then joined His Excellency in his carriage, and a procession consisting of the municipal coun cillors and private citizens in their own vehicles was formed to follow to the town hall. On arrival there His Excellency was received by a guard of honour from the Cerberus and Nelson, and a short stay was made. The procession then journeyed in the same order through some of the principal streets of the borough. It went along Spring street, Esplanade East, Bridge street, Bay street, Bench street, Princes street, Graham street, Ross street, and Evans street, and thence to the town hall, which his Excel
lency entered.
The MAYOR then informed the Governor of the change determined upon, and requested His Excellency to proclaim the district a
town
His EXCELLENCY, who was received with much cheering, said,-Allow me, in the first place, to thank the citizens of Port Mel
bourne for the very loyal reception they have given to the Queen's representative here to day. It affords me the greatest pleasure to be amongst you more especially as I have the warmest recollection of the fact that Port Melbourne was the first part of the Victorian soil which I landed on when I came to the colony. I shall never forget the warm, friendly greeting which the people of Port Melbourne expended upon me on that occa sion, and I have the utmost pleasure in complying now with your request, and declar ing Port Melbourne to be a town. I earnestly trust that the future of Port Melbourne may be a bright and happy one I also earnestly trust that the depression which is hanging over the colony now may he lifted, and that there may be sufficient work and good wages for the sons of toil who live in this part of the metropolis. (Applause.)
Mr SALMON, M L A on behalf of the people of Port Melbourne tendered their thanks to His Excellency for his kindness in attending and proclaiming the town When they next took a step forwrd in their municipal life, and the district was pro claimed a city, he trusted that His Excel
lency would be here to perform the ceremony, though he had heard from His Excellency that such a thing could scarcely be possible unless it came within his present term of
office.
Three cheers were given for His Excel
lency, one for Mr Salmon, and one for the mayor, and as the Governor retired the children of the Graham street State School sang the National Anthem.
His Excellency was then invited to par take of light refreshments in the supper room of the town hall, and accepted the in vitation. All the members of the local council were present in the room, and a good number of citizens, and there were also present Commander Pelham and Captain Forbes, ot the naval forces. The chair was occupied by the mayour and after the refresh ments had been partaken of the toast of
"The Queen and the Royal Family" was proposed by the mayor and duly honoured.
Mr SALMON proposed "His Excellency the Governor," and in doing so said the toast was always well received throughout the length and breadth of this colony, and nowhere with more enthusiasm than in Port Mel
bourne. His Excellency had been good enough to remind them that he landed in Port Melbourne, and he (Mr Salmon) hoped that every future Governor would do the same. They claimed that their place was the gate of the colony, and he hoped that
that honour would never be wrested from them. Nobody would regret His Excel lency's departure from the colony more than the people of Port Melbourne. His Excel lency had shown that the Imperial Govern ment were disposed to send men of the right material to be our Governors. Such men as His Excellency formed the strong links in the chain that bound the old world to the new , and as long as men like him ruled the destinies of the colony there would be nothing to complain of. He trusted that the ties which now connected us with the British Empire would always be as strong as at present, and that when the people here found the mother country in any difficulty they would be ready to help her, as was done by New South Wales in raising the Soudan contingent. He was sorry to hear, as His Excellency had said, that it was more than possible, when his term of office expired, that
he would have to leave here and return to the old country-to Scotia stern and wild. There was no one present who would not be delighted for His Excellency to be in this colony to proclaim the town of Port Mel
bourne a city when the time arrived for that ceremon) to be performed.
HIS EXCELLENCY was received with con tmued cheering as he rose to return thanks, and in doing so said,-Allow me to thank you very sincerely for drinking my health so kindly. Mr Salmon told you it was im possible I should stay for two terms of office in Victoria. Well, gentlemen, it is rather too soon to think of ending this term yet. I have been here only three years and a half, and I am glad to tell you it will be 18 months
before there will be any question of my leaving. (Cheers.) If I were a perfectly unfettered man with no one dependent upon me, and had no large property be longing to me, there is nothing I should desire more than to have another term of office with you for I can safely say that at no period of my life have I been happier than I have been in Victoria. Mr Salmon has been good enough to say that so long, as Her Majesty's Government at home sends out men as Governors who prove suitable to the colonies so long will the colonies be ready to receive such men. Well, I may assure you that I know it for a fact that Her Majesty's advisers at home take the very greatest trouble to find out those whom they consider to be the best available men at the time to be sent out. I know that Lord Knutsford felt it Was a very heavy responsi bility laid upon him when he had to select gentlemen to fill the office of Governors of these great colonies, and I am certain it would afford him the greatest plea- sure to know that in having selected me he has given some pleasure and satisfac tion to the people of Victoria. Now gentle men, I am in rather a peculiar position just now. I am dictator of the colony of Victoria
I have no responsible advisers. I dismissed them all-(laughter)-and I have not sworn in the new lot yet. I think it is rather a good thing that I am down here in Port Melbourne in such company as that of Mr Salmon and the mayor, because they will see I don't do anything dreadful or dictatorial at this time. But what I have just said must be my excuse for my short stay here, as I have to go away in a few minutes to swear in the new Ministers. In the course of the few days I am going to commence a three months holiday.
I feel it would be a pity if I were to end my term of oflice without seeing the whole of Australasia. I want to do more than mere sightseeing. It is not a question of looking at a high mountain or a beautiful lake. I want to see these various countries and their public men , to mix with them and their people. Then I shall feel when I go home to the old country that I have some right to speak as one who knows something of the colonies, and I believe, occupying the posi
tion I do, I may l perhaps do some good for them. Before I sit down I ask you to drink the toast, of "The Mayor and Councillors of
the Town of Port Melbourne."
A few remarks and statistics which had
been prepared by Mr Crockford, the acting town clerk, were referred to His Excellency before he concluded his speech. They were to the following effect:- On the first settlement of the colony the place wher Port-Melbourne
is now situated was known as Liardet's Beach, after which the miine of "Sandridge"
was given to it, and it retained that name until 1884, when the name was changed to "Port Melbourne," which was universally agreed to as more suggestive of the locality than the previous name. For some years prior to the proclomation of the district as the borough ot Sandridge, which event took place in 1861, it was a part of the McArthur ward of the city of Melbourne. The ad vance of the munitipality from its proclama tion to the present time is shown in the subjoined statistics :-
1800 1870 1880 1892
36,345 ssoro ni <P2 l18 "7Î
i 180 15 roos o 1(1 (DO 0 10 090 li
4<X0 i '90 7000 12 707
Since its proclomation as a borough the
municipality has more than trebled its annual valuation, the number of properties on the roll and the population and its revenue has been increased fourfold. During its progress the district has been most un fortunate as the Victoria Sugar Company's works, which employed a large number of the population besides paying heavy rates to the municipality, were destroyed by fire and were never rebuilt. In late jears however, a great advancement has been mnde, and
numerous buildings and factories were erected, amongst them being Messrs. Joshua Bros distillery, the Australasia Sugar Re- fining Company's works and Messrs. R. Harper and Co's rice, A-c mills. There have also been considerable extensions made to Messrs. Swallow and Ariell's biscuit factory, and J. Kitchen and Sons and Apollo Candle Companys works. The outlook for the district is considered a prosperous one it beni), recognised as the commer cial key of the whole colon) Latterly large ocean goma steamships Buch as those of the 1 and 0 the Messagtrles Maritimes the Orient and the Nord deutscher Llo)d mail companus lines, are being berthed at the railway pier and on some occasions the ttsstls of the
Imperial licet are also berthed at the same pitr Ihe area of the municipality is 2 3áb titres of whioh only one quarter is built upon, the large area tv est yard of the line being still unsold Crown lands nnd it is mainlj m this direction thnt extension and advance ment are anticipated
ihe MA>on in responuing to the toast of the town of Port Melbourne, mentioned the fact that ho returned from England m the vessel which brought His ] xcelleney to the colony nnd he w ns proud to hat e had that da) the honour of riding in tho same carriage ns His 1 xcellen«
Councillors Prohasky, Quinn, and Tarver also responded to the toast.
Councillor TARVER proposed "The Parlia-
ment of Victoria."
Mr SALMON in responding to the tonst stated that the new Ministers would require stern statesmanship Bell control and self reliance to steer the good ship Victoria from the quicksands tv Inch now beset her He went down with the Inte Ministry, hut it wns his intention to give a leal and loyal support to the incoming Miniatr) so that they might tr) and dispel the depression which existed and raise Victoria to the position she ought to occupy.
The proceedings were then terminated.