And here is the pleasant way in which the Council found its Civic motto. Judge Willis, who resided at Heidelberg, was one day shortly after the election of the Mayor, returning home, and, meeting the Mayor's son, thus addressed him: "Look here, young Condell, do you forget your Virgil? Do you remember this passage in the fourth book of the Æneid:—
'Fama, malum quo non aliud velocius ullum,
Mobilitate viget, viresque acquirit eundo.'
"Come take this, and tell your father it will make a good motto for the Corporation Seal." Drawing from his pocket a slip of paper on which was written the phrase "Vires acquirit eundo," he handed it to the lad, who took it to his father. On consultation it was adopted, and so became immortally inwoven with the armorial bearings of that city, whose legend it will remain as long as the city itself.
There was then in Melbourne a Mr. Thomas Ham (brother of the Mayor in 1881-2), an engraver of much ability, and to him the design was handed over, with an order for its engraving. Ham executed the work in a very creditable manner, though when he made a demand for £20 for the job, it was demurred to as extortionate, some of the Councillors declaring £5 to be sufficient. There was a deal of haggling over the affair, but a compromise was effected. The Town Seal remained as such, even longer than Melbourne was a town, for though it was made a City by the Queen's Patent in 1847, and by an Act of the Legislature in August 1849, the old Seal survived until 1852, when it was necessary to obtain a legal permit to kill it and accordingly the Legislative Council of Victoria passed an Act empowering the Corporation to destroy the old Common Seal and procure a new one. This was done, and the only difference in design between old and new, is the substitution of "City" for "Town" in the marginal scroll.
The first resignation of a member was that of Mr. D. S. Campbell, a Councillor for Latrobe Ward, for which vacancy two candidates immediately offered, viz., John Porter and John Stephen. Porter was a merchant, and Stephen a newspaper-writer, Police-office Advocate, and Secretary of the Mechanics' Institute. Gross charges of immorality were alleged against Stephen in the Patriot, of which Kerr was the conductor; both the individuals held high position in the Masonic Fraternity, but the altercation was fought out with merciless animosity nevertheless. The election contest was also the witness of much contemptible personal jarring. It took place on the 3rd January, 1843, when Stephen polled 106 to Porter's 59 votes. This verdict was regarded by Stephen of so much importance as to determine him to ride in state to the next meeting of the Council. On the 9th January he accordingly chartered the Town band, and headed by it, wearing white and green breast favours, new Civic regimentals, and mounted on a charger hired from a Bourke Street livery stable, the new Councillor proceeded to the Mechanics' Institute, where he dropped into his Civic place.
On the revision of the Burgess list, Mr. Patterson's name had been omitted, and this led to his resignation on the 26th January, 1843. It was said that the Superintendent did not approve of a paid Government official being connected with the Corporation, and insisted on his withdrawal. For the vacancy so happening in Bourke Ward, Mr. Patrick Reid, an industrious colonist, but a cipher as a public man, was returned.
The first officials appointed for a valuation of the town were Messrs. Joseph Anderson and Thomas Burn.
The valuation for the first year (1842-3) was £60,847, upon which a rate of 1s. in the £ was made; and four Collectors (one for each Ward) were nominated in the persons of Messrs. James Ballingall, Wm. Willoughby, Joseph Byrne, and T. M'Donald. Some time after, Byrne made himself scarce with a slice of the Town Fund unaccounted for. Messrs. William Cogan and Thomas Halfpenny were his securities, and Halfpenny being the better off, had to pay nearly all, if not the whole of the defalcation. He is still alive, and retains a lively recollection of the "smart young man" who did him so nicely. Mr. J. J. Mouritz was afterwards appointed a Collector.
By the Corporation Act it was necessary to elect the first two Auditors and eight Assessors on the 1st March, 1843, and so on every year. As the elections of such officers were little more than formal, in consequence of the absence of any public interest in the selections made, I shall make no further reference
