taken upon myself to fix the site of the building according to the accompanying plan, for I make no doubt a road will eventually be required on both sides of the ground. That which I have marked by dotted lines is leading directly from the freshwater to the Market Reserve, behind Custom House ground. I also think you will agree with me that a Custom House should have a road all round it." Thus was suggested Market Street, which, before that time, was a part of the Custom House Reserve, and the street was proclaimed as such some time after. The new structure was to be a substantial building of brown stone, with slated roof. It was little thought at the time that it need be replaced by another, at least for a century or more. To give room to the builders, the wooden shed was broken up, and the department was moved to a brick cottage not far off in Little Flinders Street. To transact business in this den, a person had to go up a step-ladder from the unmade footway, and, whatever the weather, it was a risky excursion, for if the day were dry and dusty, one might chance to break his neck, and if wet and sloppy, be either drowned or smothered in the surrounding water and mud. Much caution was necessary in either case, but there was generally no hurry or rush of business. During the first week of January, 1840, the concern was bundled away from the step-ladder to the abandoned counting-house of Messrs. M'Cabe and Co., adjoining the William Street side of the Market Reserve, and in a fortnight after it was started afresh from this to a weather-board house belonging to Mr. Reeves, an auctioneer, placed at the corner of Queen and Flinders Streets, and fronting the Yarra. The erection of the Custom House was stayed for want of funds after the foundation was laid, but a fresh vote led to a resumption of the work after some delay. At length the departmental wanderings came to an end, and it found a resting place in a portion of the new building which was completed in fits and starts. At the commencement of 1841 the Customs was a full-blown establishment, its regular staff comprising:—
Sub-Collector, R. S. Webb, Esq., £300 per annum; First Clerk, Mr. Colin Pentland, £130 per annum; Second Clerk, Mr. Neil Mathieson, £120 per annum; Locker at Melbourne, Mr. J. Miller, £250 per annum; Landing Surveyor, Mr. C. H. Le Souef, £200 per annum; Landing Waiter, Mr. C. Neville, £150 per annum; Tide Waiter (vacant), £100 per annum; Landing Waiter, &c., at Williamstown, Mr. J. Stafford, £200 per annum; ditto at Geelong, Mr. J. M. Kinny, £150 per annum; Tide Waiter, at ditto., Mr. T. Butterworth, £100 per annum. Commander of Revenue cutter, "Ranger," S. Karkeek, Esq., 7s. 6d. per diem, with mate 4s., carpenter 3s. 9d., steward, 2s., and thirteen seamen at 2s. each as daily wage with rather moderate ration allowances. The two officers of the cutter had 1s. 6d. each daily as table money, and the Commander, in lieu of coals and oil, £36 per annum. There was also a Customs boat at Williamstown manned by a coxswain at 2s. 6d., with five boatmen at 6d. per day each, and four boatmen were employed at Melbourne at the same rate. These "sixpenny tars" were Crown prisoners who were supplied with the usual scale of rations.
Mr. Webb continued to act as Collector of Customs until January, 1845, when he was removed from office, in consequence of some mismanagement of accounts, which reflected more on his mode of book-keeping than his integrity. He was succeeded by an officer from the Hobartown Customs, Mr. J. H. N. Cassells, who kept the post until his death, after the province was separated from New South Wales. In the course of time, branches of the Customs were established at Geelong, Portland, Belfast, and Port Albert.
The Harbor Master's Department, was organised in 1839, and in 1840 consisted of:— Harbor Master, C. M. Lewis, Esq., £250 per annum; Pilots-Messrs. T. H. Sutton, Wm. Timothy, Alex. M'Pherson, and Josiah Trundle at £50 each, £200 per annum; Meteorologist, Mr. Philip Hervey, 1s. 6d. per day, £27 7s. 6d. per annum; Light-housekeeper at Heads (vacant), 100 per annum; Light-keeper and signal man at Williamstown, Mr. A. M'Naughton, £85 per annum.
Provision of £1000 was made for a pilot vessel and two boats; also for other boats, buoys, mooring tackle and sundry contingencies.
In 1841, Mr. Lewis was succeeded by a Captain Gordon who reigned for some time, when he was supplanted by Captain Bunbury, well-known to old colonists.
The Public Works
Department was necessarily of early formation, and its head was known as the Clerk of Works. The first incumbent was a Mr. C. H. Leroux who also officiated as an assistant surveyor. Soon after his
