Thomas Brisbane in 1822, and was promoted to an Assistant-Surveyorship in 1828. Mr. Hoddle had anything but a sinecure, for as a taste of blood only whets the lion's appetite for more, the proceeds of the early land sales stimulated the Sydney Government to press land into the market, and between the demands of the Executive, the "earth hunger" created by increase of population, and the rage for land speculation, the hands of the survey staff were kept full for some years. At the end of 1840, Mr. Hoddle and the new Sydney Governor (Sir George Gipps) had some misunderstanding, whereupon Hoddle sent in his resignation, a step so much regretted that measures were taken to present him with a testimonial in recognition of the manner in which he had performed his duty, and given very general satisfaction. At this period the department stood thus:-Assistant-Surveyor in charge (Mr. T. S. Townsend), £400 per annum; Assistant-Surveyors, by contract (Messrs. W. W. Darke and H. W. H. Smyth), at 20s. per mile for land and allotments, and 30s. for rivers and ranges; Draftsman employed in the field (Mr. T. H. Nutt), 180; Clerk, Mr. D. G. M'Arthur, £200 per annum; [1]Messenger, 8d. per diem, £12 3s. 4d. per annum; Three Overseers[1] of Surveying Parties, 1s. each per diem, £54 155.; with some £2000 for other contingencies.
The Portland Bay district had a Surveyor and Assistant-Surveyor to itself, in the persons of Messrs. C. J. Tyers and E. Kennedy.
In 1841, Mr. Hoddle consented to resume office, and so remained until 1851, when he was nominated Surveyor-General of the new colony, from the service of which he retired in 1853, on an allowance of £1000 a year. During his official career he made many more friends than enemies. He was in his 88th year, enjoying as good health as could be expected at such an advanced age, and from all appearance was likely to score as many years as his mother did, who died at 95; but on the 23rd October, 1881 he unexpectedly succumbed to a severe attack of gout. If it were only for his instrumentality in securing for Melbourne streets ninety-nine feet wide instead of sixty-six, good citizens ought not to grudge him his long life and pension.
The Customs.
Though Mr. R. S. Webb arrived from Sydney as Chief Custom-house officer in October, 1836, there was very little to be seen of a Customs department for years after. A shabby, leaky, comfortless, weather-boarded cabin was shipped piece-meal from Sydney, and this was put on what was then the side of a hill, rear-ward of the present splendid Custom House. Much inconvenience was felt and patiently borne through the fact that Melbourne was not a Free Warehousing port, and public opinion only uttered muffled growls until the 23rd February, 1839, when a "public meeting of merchants" was held in what was known as the long room of Williams' auction mart, "for the purpose of taking measures to procure Melbourne being declared a Free Warehousing port." Mr. Patricius W. Welsh was voted to the chair, and energetic speeches were delivered, brief, pithy, and pointed, by Messrs. C. Williams, J. P. Fawkner, D. S. Campbell, John Hodgson, Arthur Hogue, Captains B. Baxter and Bacchus. Resolutions were passed affirming the purpose endeavoured to be attained, and Messrs. Welsh, Hodgson, Carey, Campbell, and Williams were appointed a committee to prepare a memorial to the Government. A lengthy and elaborate manifesto was the result, which, supported by many signatures, was transmitted to Sir George Gipps in May, and received his approval on the 17th June. The official proclamation took effect in October, and a small party of officers was despatched from head quarters. It consisted of Captain Lewis as Harbor Master, with Messrs. C. H. Le Souef, and John M'Namara as Tide Waiters at Melbourne, and Mr. John Stafford, Landing Waiter at Williamstown. Towards the end of 1838, tenders were accepted by the Government for the erection of a substantial building in lieu of the wooden sentry-box, and the contract signed, sealed and delivered, was received from Sydney on the 14th December by Mr. Robert Russell the then Clerk of Works. Mr. J. J. Peers, once a well-known master-builder, was the contractor, and on the 17th December, Russell thus writes to the Colonial Architect:— "Peers intends to begin the necessary excavations, which will not be great, next week. I have marked out the ground for him." Four days after he again writes on the same subject, and this extract is interesting, as showing how the addition of a new street to Melbourne originated" I have
