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held at the Royal Exchange Hotel, Collins Street, for the inauguration of the Society. Mr. Henry Addison was elected to the Chair, and Mr. John Cosgrave, to the Vice-chair. Every person in the room was a publican's license holder, and it was agreed that all present should be deemed members, after which the door was closed. It was determined that the Association should be styled " T h e Licensed Victuallers' Society of Port Phillip for the protection of the rights and interests of the Licensed Victuallers, and to afford assistance in case of accidents and necessity." N o n e but Licensed Victuallers should be considered eligible as members. A reward of ^ 5 was to be paid for every successful prosecution in the suppression of illicit spirit selling, and the committee was empowered to refund police-office fines to convicted publicans under certain circumstances. Mr. W . J. Sugden was elected President without opposition. M r . John Cosgrave, Vice-President, Mr. Michael O'Shea, Treasurer, and Mr. Henry Addison, Secretary. Messrs. M . O'Shea, M . Gallagher, T. Ryan, P. Costelloe, P. M'Grath, M . Curtain, John Fitzgerald, Robert Newstead, T. M'Niece, R o d y Heffernan, Henry Lineham, and W . Balch, were elected Committee-men. O n the 3rd April, 1851, there was a general meeting of the Society at the Supreme Court Hotel, Latrobe and Russell Streets. There was then before the Legislative Council of N e w South Wales a Bill for the A m e n d m e n t of the Licensing Act, and resolutions were passed as to the desirability of prohibiting the sale of liquors in less quantities than four gallons by wholesale dealers, and for the sale of even one that they should be obliged to take out a license, and allowing Licensed Victuallers to sue in the C o m m o n L a w Courts for any debts contracted with them for the supply or consumption of refreshments. T h e President was requested to communicate these views of the meeting to Mr. George Robert Nichols, of Sydney, the M e m b e r having charge of the Bill. It was also agreed to engage a " respectable " solicitor to guard the interests of the Association, at a stipend of ^ 5 0 per annum, and £1 for every additional m e m b e r thenceforth obtained until the remuneration reached £100 per annum. T o meet the necessary expenditure each m e m b e r should pay the annual s u m of £3 10s. 6d., and the fee of £1 on every transfer of a license. Taken as a body, the Licensed Victuallers from 1836 to 1851 constituted a segment of the community which did it credit, for they were as a rule honest and honourable, public spirited and charitable. Before Melbourne possessed an Hospital or Benevolent Asylum, the publicans' hands were daily in their pockets to alleviate distress ; and when any unfortunate met with an accident, and there was no Institution to receive him, the publican would take him in, and not only provide medicine and medical comforts, but even discharge the doctor's bill, though the old medicoes were not exacting in this respect. In the initiation and maintenance of Public Charities there were no more free-handed helpers than the hotel-keepers. Several of the ancient Bonifaces were amongst the most intelligent of the Melbournians, and in after years some of them made their mark, not only in the City Council, but in the Victorian Legislature, the most notable instances being Sir John O'Shanassy, Dr. A. F. A. Greeves, Messrs. J. P. Fawkner, J. T. Smith, and J. S. Johnston. O f course there were black sheep occasionally in theflock,as there will be in flocks of every condition, and for all time ; but the exceptions were numerically few.