12 / 25
local police. The police station and cells
were in the eai-Iy days situated at the rear
of the present post and telegraph offices.
The cells may be seen at the present time.
It is interesting to recall thait in
1857 the strength of the Port
Adelaide police was as follo-ws:
Two sergeants, one corporal, and fifteen
constables. In the early days there was
practically onlj' Port Adelaide proper under
the supervision of the guardians of the
peace, for the adjoining districts were very
seantiily populated. Among the early Magis
trates were Captains Lipson and Dashwoed.
Mr. Xewland, and Jfr. G. W.Hawkes. The
first-named, it is said, was often verysevere.
An old record shows tnat at a certain pe
riod of the history of Port Adelaide the re
sidents were so troubled with laiTikins that
they contemplated asking the Government
to enforce the compulsory clause of the
Kducatioiu Act. For many years past, how
ever, Port Adelaide has enjoyed a reputa
tion for orderliness whioh miglit well be
envied by other seaports.
CHAPTER III.
Two public buddings stand out at Port
Adelaide, on account not only of their size,
but also of the nature of the business daily
transacted within the walls. The one is
the Town Hall, around whioh the muni
cipal, political, and social life of the district
centi-es, and the other is the Custom-house,
containing also the Marine Board ofiices,
where the niercantde and trading interests
find a rallying point. Naturally the marine
interests have always been prominent at
Port Adelaide. Among the early Acts pass
ed in the colony in the first year of the
Queen's reigii was one entitled "An Act for
the better preservation of the ports, har
bours, havens, roadsteads, channels, navi
gable. creeks, and rivers in. Her Majesty's
province of South Australia, and for the
better regulation of shipping and their
crews in the same." In the early
days the marine administration was prac
tically in the hands of Captain Lipson, who
was appointed in England as Naval Offi
cer and Harbourmaster, and who arrived
in the colony in the Cygnet on September
11, 1836. It was subsequently found neces
sary to divide his duties between no fewer
than four departments, namely, Cfustoms,
Trinity Board, local Marine Board, and
Harbour Trust. The Trinity Board was
constituted in 1851. Captain Lipson was
selected as first Master of the Board, but
he held office for three years only. Messrs.
W. Elder, W. Scott, and It. Tapley were
the
fir.stWardens. The first-named re
signed in tlio same year as Captain Lip.son.
and his place was taken by Mr. J. F. Duff.
The functions of the Trinity Board wore
chiefly to license pilots, fix rates, superin
tend lighthouses, regulate wharfs, and sup
ply ballast to ships. Captain Douglas
succeeded Captain Lipson as Har
bourmaster, Naval Officer, Chairman
of Harbour Trust, President
of the Marine Board, and subsequently
Collector of Customs. The gentlemen who
have presided at the receipt of Customs at
Port Adelaide from the first are as follows:
—Captain T. Lipson, R.N., 1827 to 1811;
Sir R. R. Torrens, K.C.M.G., 1811 to 1852;
Captain G. F. Dashwood, R.N., 1852 to
1858; Captain B. Dougla-s, R.N.R., 1858 to
1870; Mr. J. W. Lewis, J.P., 1870 to 1879;-
Mr. F. J. Sanderson, 1879 to 1891; and Mr.
T. N.Stephens, 1894.
On the next page is given a photo of
Captain Lipson. The late gentleman was
in command of a revenue cutter in Eng
land, and, rather cnrioiusly, his vessel was
afterwards purchased by the South Austra
lian Coveimment and did sei-vice in the co
lony. On 1819 he was promoted a s a com
mander of the active list. Hehad previous
ly served in general naval action under
Lords Keith and Nelson, and was awarded
tlie naval medal and two claSps. In 1856 he
was made a post-captain on the retired list.
Deepening operations in the Port Ade
laide River were started in 1849, but fJhey
were not vigorously prosecuted till some
years later. In 1854 the Trinity Board,
wliicli among other things had been charged
with the responsihility of dcejicning the
channel, found itself hampered by want of