Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1847 - 1851), Wednesday 16 October 1850, page 2


TOWN COUNCIL. Tuesday, October 15, 1850. Present His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen Lloyd, Cowie, Austin, Councillors Harrison, Hobson, Sheppard, Noble, Harding, Hitchins, Nantes, Robinson, and Forrest. Minutes of former meeting read and con-firmed. Letter from Mr Champion read, praying relief from an assessment on a vacant house. The Town Clerk was ordered to write to peti-tioner, informing him that the prayer must be preferred at the next revision court. Petition presented by Councillor Nantes, from Sarah Silcock, widow, of Chilwell, praying to be relieved from the town rate. Ordered to be taken into consideration at the next meeting of council. Alderman Lloyd brought up the report of the Public Works Committee on which was founded the notice of motion standing in his name. Councillor Harrison previous to entering upon the orders of the day, would ask his Worship, whether any report had been brought up by the committee appointed to inquire into certain charges reputed to have been made by him, a matter which the council had taken upon itself to decide; and until some report had been arrived at, he did not consider that he ought to sit at that table. He had brought forward a motion to obtain information respecting certain irregu-larities with a view to their amendment. The council had thought proper to make it a personal matter, and had appointed a committee to en-quire into his conduct. Three weeks or a month had elapsed, and he now claimed a decision; and he hoped the committee would not shirk the ques-tion. His Worship understood that the committee would meet that day. Councillor Harrison hoped that the decision would be arrived at soon, as he could not take any part in the proceedings, until it was finally settled. Councillor Harrison then left the council table and took his sent among the audience. ORDERS OF THE DAY. To decide upon the order of retirement of Councillor Nantes and Councillor Sheppard. Councillor Nantes expressed his wish to retire on the ground that his other avocations would not permit so close an application to his duties as he would wish. Councillor Sheppard expressed a similar wish, as he intended to proceed to England. Councillor Nantes repeated his wish to retire : perhaps he might be in a position to offer himself on the retirement of Councillor Sheppard. It was then decided by vote that Councillor Nantes should retire. To consider and order upon Dr Dickson's letter laid on the council table on 2nd September last in reference to an offer of a loan of £300 to the corporation. Councillor Nantes would like to see the amount doubled, as he was sure that the amount required to complete the works for the public streets would be £6000. He should move that the com-mittee be instructed to reconsider the amount of of the loan, and make another offer. He would therefore propose that the Sydney loan of £3000 to the corporation be accepted, and that the offer of the Bank of Australasia (a cash credit of £1500) be also accepted as recommended by the finance committee. Seconded by Councillor Noble. Councillor Hitchinis, would wish to be informed how they intended to divide the security if they adopted the offer of the insurance company.

His Worship explained that they were autho-rised to raise the sum of £10,000. Councillor Nantes remarked that the corpora-tion of Melbourne had reopened their credit at the Union Bank, although it had mortgaged to three times the amount of the Geelong corpora-tion. His Worship, stated that he had received a communication from the Bank of Australasia in which they declined to extend their advance to £2000, or to deviate from their first proposition. Councillor Hitchins would like to see the letter before they came to a vote. After some further observations Councillor Nantes' motion was carried. POWDER MAGAZINE. Alderman Lloyd—Wished that a memorial should be submitted to Government, as he deemed it necessary that a Powder Magazine should be formed here, contiguous to the ship-ping interest, and also to stores dealing in such articles. He should move, therefore, that the Government be requested to appropriate a piece of ground within reach of the shipping, whilst the building itself would depend upon the Go vernment. The case of the Brilliant being obliged to go to Melbourne on account of having powder aboard, although the greater part of her cargo was consigned to Geelong, was pointed out as an instance, showing the propriety of such an erection. Seconded by Councillor Hitchins, and car-ried. THE DAM. Councillor Robertson remarked that he and many others had long felt the Dam to be a dangerous nuisance. The late melancholy acci-dent, of which he himself had been a witness, could not fail of attracting the attention of the Council, whilst the dreadful facts disclosed at the Coroner's Inquest were sufficient to tell the Government in Melbourne the extent of the danger incurred by the existence of such a place. On the late melancholy accident he saw the horse on good footing, and yet before he had advanced half his length the horse went down and the man with it, and were drowned. He would not dwell upon the circumstance, for what he should say would not appear much more favourable to the eyes of the Government. The object of his motion was that the dam should be drained, for it was supposed by many that other bodies were lying at the bottom of the dam, imbedded in by the soft mud which prevented their rising. He was convinced that the only way to set the matter at rest was to do away with the dangerous nuisance. His Worship remarked that he had had a con-versation on the subject with his Honor Mr La Trobe, who assured him that he sincerely re-gretted that the accident had taken place. He expressed his intention to improve the dam by doubling its width, fencing in the water, and erecting a pump and trough to supply water to cattle. Councillor Robinson. was tired of listening to accounts of conversation with his Honor. He had heard a report of a conversation with his Honor, when the first man was drowned, and now it appeared there had been another, but he must avow that he attributed very little importance to whatever fell from his Honor Mr La Trobe. But he would call the attention of the council to the observation of the coroner which appeared in the paper. The coroner stated that had the dam been the property of a private individual, he would have been liable to an indictment for manslaughter. He wish that to reach Mr La Trobe it an effectual form. Councillor Austin deemed it necessary to fence in the dam; if this was not done the peo-ple of Geelong would have to raise a subscription to drain the dam. It would appear that some people thought little of the sacrifice of the lives of a few of her Majesty's subjects. He would se-cond the resolution. Councillor Hitchins would support the motion of Councillor Robinson. They had a public duty to perform—it was their duty to see that such a noxious and hurtful place as the dam existed no longer as it did at the present moment—it was the sink hole of the town—it was no earthly use, and the water drained out of it. With regard to the fencing, he perfectly agreed, but as to the pump and trough, there was plenty of good water to be got from the square without having recourse to water in which were saturat-ing the dead carcases of bullocks, horses and dogs, and which in fact was the sink of Little Scotland.

Councillor Austin regarded the water as a benefit to the town. He should like to see it drained off, for the purpose of ascertaining if there were any human bodies lying there. Alderman Lloyd thought, that considering the promises of government to enclose the water and widen the dam, it would be advisable to wait until that was done. Councillor Robinson—There is death on both sides of the dam—you may be drowned on one side, or dashed to pieces on the other. Councillor Forrest had received a terrible fright in crossing the dam on Tuesday last, and would rather ride five miles round than cross it again on horseback. His Worship thought that the effect of the mo-tion would be to prevent the government from proceeding with the work. Councillor Hitchins could not conceive what the draining of the pond had to do with the widening of the dam. The following motion was then put and carried. That the Council, through the Mayor respect-fully request His Honor the Superintendent to cause the pond at the western gully to be fenced without delay. PUBLIC WORKS. That the Town Surveyor be required to furnish immediately to the Public Works Committee specifications of such works he may consider most necessary to be performed during the summer months and that the committee be requested to report thereupon without delay. The Council then broke up.