The First Public Meeting.
The Legislative Council having voted ,£1000 to aid the erection of an Asylum on condition of a like sum being forthcoming from private contributions, a public meeting was held at the Mechanics' Institute on the 16th October, 1848, to consider the most desirable m o d e of raising sufficient money to render the grant available. T h e Mayor (Mr. W . M . Bell) presided, but for some unaccountable reason not more than a dozen persons attended, and amongst them only one clergyman (the Rev. A. Morrison). T h e meeting, notwithstanding this discouragement in limine, nominated a Committee, consisting of Messrs. John Lush, Robert Kerr, J. A. Marsden, Timothy Lane, Michael Lynch, John Hood, John O'Shanassy, J. P. Fawkner, R. A. Balbirnie, William O'Farrell, James Ballingall and Henry Langlands. In the room promises amounting to ,£200 yvere made, including ,£75 as the individual donation of the Mayor, ,£10 ios. from his firm (W. and H . Bell), and ,£20 from Mr. William Stawell. Between the origin of the Hospital movement and the laying of the foundation stone, more than five years had intervened, and seven years ere the building was opened, whereas the Asylum inauguration ceremony was performed in less than eight months, and it yvas ready for the reception of inmates in sixteen months after. The Contribution Committee enlarged its personnel by declaring the general body of the Clergy of all denominations ex officio members, and adding other influential names ; Mr. Richard Grice acted as H o n . Treasurer; Mr. Marsden, Secretary; and Messrs. Kerr, O'Shanassy, and Fayvkner were nominated to interview the Superintendent and obtain definite information about the site, the appointment of Trustees and the ,£1000 vote. The Anglican and R o m a n Catholic Bishops (Drs. Perry and Goold) for thefirstand last time in Port Phillip history yvorked hand in hand, and Bishop Perry presided as Chairman at the next meeting of Committee. The deputation asked for ten acres of land, but though His Honor yvas disposed to think five enough, he should not object if there was so much in the reserve. O n the 2nd November, 1848, there yvas an important meeting of the Committee, with Mr. O'Shanassy in the Chair : and a meeting of subscribers was held on the 8th, at the Mechanics' Institute, including Bishops Perry and Goold. T h e Committee's more important recommendation was "That the Institution be called 'The Victoria Benevolent Society,' and the Building 'The Benevolent Asylum.' T h e objects to be the relief of the aged, infirm, disabled, or destitute poor of all creeds and nations, and to minister to them the comforts of religion : (1.) B y receiving and maintaining in a suitable building such as will be most benefited by being inmates of the Asylum, (2.) By giving out-door relief in kind, and in money in special cases, to families in temporary distress. (3.) By giving medical assistance, and medicine through the establishment of a dispensary or othenvise; and (4.) By affording facilities for religious instruction and consolation to the inmates of the Asylum," O n the motion of Mr. Ebden, proposition 2, relating to Out-door relief, yvas omitted. O n the motion of Bishop Perry, it was agreed that the annual meetings be held in January of each year after 1850. T h e qualification of a Life Membership was fixed at ,£10 donation to the maintenance fund, or collecting ,£20 in any one year from unclaiming persons. Subscribers of £1 per annum in cash or kind were to be considered members of the Society, with power to vote at elections and recommend relief cases. This meeting is memorable as the only occasion upon which a fraternal conjunction of the two great ecclesiastical planets occurred, for it was the solitary instance in the transit of these celestial bodies where the " Right Reverend Fathers in God," Charles and James, foregathered either in public or in private. Meamvhile the collecting campaign was being actively and successfully carried on ; Mr. Samuel Goode a printer, supplied circulars gratuitously. The clergy threw themselves energetically into the work, and such progress was made that ,£670 had been subscribed. T h e plan Sub-Committee's scheme provided for an edifice capable of accommodating 250 inmates, but it was proposed to proceed only with a portion sufficient for the reception of 100, and the total expense was not to exceed .£2500. O n the 12th December, 1848 at a meeting of subscribers, Messrs. C. H . Ebden, W . M . Bell, and E. Westby were elected Trustees and Messrs. H . Ginn, D. Lennox, J. Blackburn, A. F. Greeves, C. H . Ebden, A. Thorpe, W. Hull, M . Lynch, R. A. Balbirnie and W . M . Bell were chosen a Committee to report upon the designs. M u c h interest now turned upon the bazaar announced as under the patronage of the wives of the Superintendent, the Resident Judge
