Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/99

 The Citizens ADELAIDE AND VICINITY -ji the streets. The Corporation, per the report of a committee appointed on December 31, 1840, proposed a considerable outlay for the formation of streets, and obtained permission from the Governor to take stone from a quarry which had been opened below Government House near the river, but Colonel Gawler considered that the expenditure proposed would be too great. The citizens did not agree with him, and, on January 27, held a public meeting, at which resolutions were passed declaring that the streets demanded immediate attention ; that operations be begun in Hindley Street ; that the Council confine its attention to making centre roadways ; and that the proprietors of land make good footpaths at their own expense, according to a plan drawn up by the Town Surveyor. There was little practical outcome to these imperative demands, for the simple reason that the Corporation had no funds for such purposes. The owners of land were authorised to make the footpaths at their own cost, and a private subscription was started in Hindley Street, but the amount obtained was insufficient to properly improve that thoroughfare, which had now got into a worse state than before. The Corporation, to obtain revenue, ordered that carts conveying water to the residents should be licensed ; established a fish, corn, and a vegetable market on the Corporation acre lately transferred ; and opened a cattle market in Thebarton. An attempt was made to secure uniformity in regard to weights and measures. The first city assessment was completed and adopted by the Council in June, and Adelaide had made such strides during its short history that the annual value of rateable property was set down at ^80,000. A rate of 4d. in the pound was declared, which would afford an income of ^1,333 6s. 8d., but was altogether disproportionate to the expenditure in salaries. Before a year had elapsed it was perceived that the Municipal Act was unsatisfactory and unwieldy. Mayor Fisher drew up a new measure which he forwarded to the Governor, and with him it remained. At the end of his year of office the Mayor tendered his report, which was a clever and an appreciative document. With honest pride he expressed his gratification at having been the first Resident Commissioner of the Province, and, to use his own words, the "first mayor of the first corporation established in any of the British colonial possessions." The second municipal election was held in October, 1841, and the new Council was composed as follows : — Mayor — James Hurtle Fisher (re-elected); Aldermen — George Stevenson, Thomas Wilson, and William Peacock; Councillors — Nathaniel Hailes, Isaac Nonmus, Henry Mildred, R. F. Macgeorge, J. Y. Wakeham, John Newland, Edward Davy, John Norman, W. H. Burford, Cornelius Birdseye, William Paxton, Andrew Birrell, Andrew Murray, Archibald MacDougall, and W. G. Lambert. By this time the citizens were in a state of confusion — the Province was on the verge of bankruptcy. The Corporation in January, 1842, was in debt to the amount of ^600 ; and though there were arrears of rates to come in, there was no money in hand. The accounts had been loosely kept, and the civic officers had been wont to pay themselves with amusing freedom ; those of them who by their office were empowered to receive Corporation fees deducted their own salaries from such receipts, and handed what remained to the City Treasurer, until the new Council abolished this peculiar system.