"To those who were prevented and brutally kept back by a faction, the existence of which I was was ignorant of as I now despise it, I offer my deepest regret that they should have suffered injury or inconvenience on my behalf."
This Mr. Dobson is the individual referred to as a Market Commissioner in the previous chapter.
Bourke Ward.
Though there was an absolute "walk-over" here, considerable interest prevailed. There were four candidates, and, although one of them withdrew on the morning of the election, the others, having prepared for a contest, were determined for fun's sake "to fight it out." The proceedings were held at the Crown Hotel, still "nobblerizing" at the south-east corner of Queen and Lonsdale Streets, and the only scene of all those early contests which still remains. The Alderman was Robert Hoddle (the Chief of the Survey Department), and the Assessors, Redmond Barry (Court of Requests Commissioner), and Captain R. H. Bunbury (Harbor Master). The candidates were — William Kerr (editor of the Patriot), J. T. Smith (licensed victualler), H. N. Carrington (solicitor), and Dr. John Patterson (Immigration agent). The Scotch influence was very strong in this quarter, and up to the polling-day great efforts were made to defeat Kerr, its champion, and even after it was known there would be no contest, his opponents tried every means to keep him low on the poll. Just as the Alderman was about to open the ball, Carrington appeared and announced his withdrawal, "as he had just received notice of the dishonour of bills amounting to £10,000; and such unexpected reverses would necessarily deprive him of the opportunity of performing his duty to his constituents." There could be no doubt of this, as such a handicap was quite sufficient "to scratch" a gamer animal than Carrington. As Carrington's resignation was not in time, he having been duly nominated, the polling went on, and one of the candidates, who had made most elaborate preparations for carrying on the war, yvas resolved to see it out "regardless of expense." This generous individual was Mr. Smith, who, owning the St. John's Tavern at the corner of Queen and Little Bourke Streets, threw it open for gratuitous potations during the day, and the consumption of fluids there was "a caution." In front of the hotel was erected a tent, occupied by a band, in whose music noise preponderated over harmony; yet, according to a chronicler, "it played heart-stirring and enlivening tunes to the assembled multitude." Smith was a good judge of human nature, and a clever electioneerer; and his tactical skill had the effect upon this occasion of giving him the highest score, for the four o'clock returns notified the order of precedence thus:— Smith, 97; Patterson, 63; Kerr, 56.
After much "cheering," a "chairing" of the elected favourite was proposed, but as procuring a vehicle for the purpose would incur too much delay, Mr. Smith was seized, and half-carried and half-tugged along (under fear of grievous bodily harm, lest any of the beasts of burden should give a lurch or a stagger) from the Crown Hotel to his residence. During portions of his short but perilous journey, Mr. Smith was so distended by the fellows dragging at his arms and feet, as to resemble a spread-eagle, or a man undergoing torture of the wheel. The bumping and pulling and mauling he suffered on this memorative occasion, had a corner in his remembrance during his many election struggles of after years; and he always took care to avoid the second infliction of a good-natured compliment being converted by intoxicated bungling into a ridiculous martyrdom. The "Gentlemen of the Press" on duty are alleged to have entered pretty freely into the "spirit" of the time, for there was a wildly ungrammatical and inconsequential inspiration in their florid reports of the day's doings. They were especially complimentary to Smith's grand "trump-card," and the effects of its mellifluous influence is thus depicted:— "Bourke Ward was the scene of the greatest attention through Smith's most excellent band, which played lively and 'appropriate' airs during the day, and thus kept the crowd in cheerfulness and good humour." Again:— "The whole business passed off in such a cool and rational manner, as reflected great credit on the burgesses of Melbourne, and inhabitants generally, scenes of riot and disorder being less frequent than we have witnessed in a town at home whose constituency was numerically greater"!!!
The original twelve Patres Conscripti of the Corporation were, taken collectively, a fair average representation of the then commercial, professional and industrial interests of the community, as will be seen by the annexed classification viz.:— Doctors, 2; general merchants, 2; wine and spirit merchants 2; newspaper proprietor, 1; editor, 1; brewer, 1; master-builder, 1; butcher, 1; hotel-keeper, 1. Of this
