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the whole agricultural, commercial and trading interests of the colony to those of the squatters." H e was brought to book at a public meeting on the 21st September, when his official misbehaviour was condemned by Messrs. John Duerdin, David Ogilvie, T h o m a s M'Combie, John O'Shannassy, and Joseph Hall. H e was championed by Messrs. Edward Curr and Colin Campbell. Resolutions were passed, amounting in effect to a vote of censure disapproving the action of the delegate as unauthorized, and tending to injure the best interests of the province. M r . Cunninghame never returned to the colony, and soon faded out of the public mind as if he had never been in it. In the course of the year, 1846, Dr. Palmer as Mayor, prepared a remarkably able Paper, but he seems to have written too plainly ; for the Governor (Sir G. Gipps) fancied some of its expressions to reflect personally on himself, and returned it through the Superintendent with this curt cutting m e m o : " His Excellency has yet to learn that because a gentleman had by fortuitous circumstances been m a d e Mayor of Melbourne for one year, he was to insult the person of the Queen's Representative." But even if the Mayor transgressed the limit of strict official courtesy, the provocation to speak out was so strong that the sympathies of the public went most unquestionably with the writer, whose "rejected address" was transmitted to the Secretary of State. In 1848, it was ascertained that the separation of Port Phillip was seriously contemplated by the H o m e Government, but the precise form in which the constitutional changes was to be effected was not acceptable. Delay was interposed, and even in 1849, after the Separation Bill had been introduced in the H o u s e of C o m m o n s , it was withdrawn, whereupon an indignation meeting was held in the Mechanics' Institute on the 26th November, the Mayor (Dr. Greeves) in the Chair. Resolutions of an uncompromising character were passed, unmincing in language, declaring that though intensely loyal, it was not possible to brook further delay, and adopting Petitions to the Queen and the Imperial Parliament. T h e speakers were Messrs. J. L. Foster, Henry Moor, William Hull, Thos. M'Combie, J. P. Fawkner C. H . Ebden. George Annand, William Kerr. John Stephen, David Y o u n g and Captain Cole. At a meeting held on the 18th September, 1850, the following scheme of rejoicings was adopted :—Immediately on the receipt of the intelligence of the passing of the Separation Act (the Mayor deciding as to the authenticity of the information), the Union Jack to be hoisted at the Signal Station in Melbourne, and a Royal Salute fired, the same to be responded to by the shipping in the harbour. O n the evening of the same day beacon fires to be kindled on hill-tops around Melbourne and throughout the interior. T h efirstfireto be lighted on the Flagstaff Hill, at sunset, in the presence of His Worship the Mayor, and to be followed by the discharge of six rockets, with an interval of five minutes, which will be a signal for the lighting of all the other beacons, so as if possible to spread the joyful intelligence simultaneously over the entire district. The fourth day after the arrival of the news, exclusive of either Saturday or Sunday, to be proclaimed as a general holiday and occasion of public rejoicing, the ceremonies to c o m m e n c e by the inhabitants assembling at their respective places of worship for the purpose of thanksgiving, at nine o'clock in the morning. At eleven o'clock a procession to be formed on the vacant ground in front of the Government offices, of the constituted authorities, Associated Bodies, Public Schools, etc., for the purpose of opening the Prince's Bridge. At twelve o'clock, gymnastic games and sports to commence at the Cricket Ground, between the Yarra and the Beach, refreshments being at the same time furnished to the children on the hill above the Botanic Garden. In the evening a general illumination to take place with display of fireworks. O n the same day of the week next succeeding the general holiday, a public dinner to be held, the terms of admission being such as will ensure the attendance of the bulk of the inhabitants. T h e rejoicings to terminate with a fancy-dress ball. In this promising state of affairs an injudicious diversion was got up by several individual outsiders, w h o never before troubled themselves with the business of the public, but n o w affected dissatisfaction with the action of those w h o had fought and hitherto borne the brunt of the battle. Under the pretence of supplementing the rejoicings programme, a gathering of some hundreds was held on the 26th at the Temperance Hall. It was a kind of water-spout, an ebullition of frothy irrelevance. A band was in attendance, and the Chair was captained by M r . John Tankard, w h o