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from adjudicating on the town Bench, unless his n a m e was on the Burgess Roll, and he resided within seven miles of Melbourne. Further, in adjudications under the Licensed Victuallers' Act, no Magistrate, directly or indirectly connected with the ownership of a house licensed, or for which an application was made, or engaged in the wholesale liquor business, could take part; and such prohibitions after a time virtually drew all Bench matters appertaining to hotels into the hands of three T o w n Magistrates, viz., Major F. B. St. John, Dr. W . B. Wilmot (the Coroner), and Mr. James Smith (Savings' Bank Secretary). Smith and Wilmot were m e n of undoubted integrity, w h o always fancied they were doing right, even when the opposite was the fact; but St. John was in nowise particular whether right or wrong, so long as it paid. H e gradually introduced a system of " backsheesh," and worked it profitably for some years, when the abuse grew so notorious, that open exposure followed, and ended in his downfall. Details of the Major's misdoings are treated of in another chapter, and only a few supplementary items will be here added. Major St. John having tasted of the illicit loaves andfishes,his appetite increased, and the Licensing Bench festered into such a hot-bed of corruption, that applicants would not apply even for a permit to keep open for a single night, without first considering h o w it could be made right with the Major, for he soiled his hands with everything. There was no difficulty in the giving, for every donation, even the smallest, was received willingly, if not thankfully by him, either through the post, by personal service, or at his residence. W h e n the Major lived in Brunswick Street, a room at the rear was known as the sanctum (referred to elsewhere), the window of which looked into the yard. Outside the aperture was afixturenot unlike one of the drinking troughs to be seen opposite certain taverns, and into this receptacle as letters into a post office pillar, might be "posted," any favours intended for the Major, and no pillar was ever cleared so regularly, for it was continuously watched, especially in the morning, the best time for depositing the offerings. But the Major's " takings" were not restricted to his licensing business, for as Crown Land Commissioner, he controlled the management of, not only the squatting stations, but wood-cutting, brickmaking, loam carting, and other avocations. F r o m everything coming within his official purview, he would try and m a k e something, and the anecdotes recounted of his sharp practices might be noted by the hundred. Gross petty acts of injustice would be perpetrated, for in the case of rival disputes about run boundaries, or areas of brick ground, or publichouse licenses, the value of the douceur carried the day. A n auctioneer " knocks down " the highest bidder, but Major St. John "floored" the lozuest. I append a few examples : A carter w h o wished to secure a contraband load of wood, would meet St. John in the morning in Brunswick Street, and say, " G o o d morrow, Major; I'm a poor man, with a large family, and w e have'nt a bit of fuel in for the winter. G o d bless your honour, and let m e get a few logs of dead wood at the Merri Creek or over the river." T h e response was, " All right m y man, do as you want. But, by the way, I a m out of firewood too, as well as you; do you mind ?" T h e m a n would depart, take two loads for himself and drop a third in the yard at the Major's mansion. A canny Frenchman, resident in an outskirt of Melbourne hit upon a very polite and gentlemanly m o d e of making matters mutually agreeableWhenever he wished for any small favour he would drop a sovereign into a large snuffbox, and (of course, as if by the merest accident) intercepting St. John, would execute a profound salaam, and extending the viaticum, with a tap and a comical grin entreat the Major to do him the very great honour of accepting a pinch of his latest Lundyfoot. St. John, smilingly acquiescing, would open the box; but instead of applying the proxy for the " titillating dust" to his nose, would quietly drop it into a vest pocket, with a nod and a wink, and an exclamation "that it was very capital snuff indeed." T h e ice so broken, induced such a thaw in St. John's disposition to be accommodating, that " Frenchy " had only to ask what he wanted without m u c h risk of a denial. Another time the Major would be accidentally waylaid by an applicant for a publican's licence, w h o would be told to write down all the particulars and send it to Collingwood. This was done accordingly either in person or by post, with a reminder in the shape of a remittance, about which nothing would be said in the communication, though its purport would be well understood, and not forgotten. Where there were no conflicting interests the Major invariably gave valuable consideration for what he received; but where there were opposing influences, he stuck to the client who gave the most, and ruthlessly cast the other overboard. There was a newspaper reporter of the time, who, prior to an annual licensing session, m a d e as m u c h money as a Chamber or consulting lawyer, or any police office Attorney; for well knowing h o w