9 / 25
France and Messrs. William Gahvay and
Jolm Cave Couiieillois. Mr. William Uoy-
kett was selected as Town Clerk from two
applicants for the position, while Messrs. j
Hobert Jliirray and W. F. Webster
for Fast AVard, and Charle.s Boykett
and James Giles for West \V'ard, were ap- ,
|)ointed assessors. Colleo'.or.s for West and
Fast ^\'ards were Mes.srs. 1'. G. Perry and
M. M. Graham re.spectively, while the ap
pointment of Messrs. George Fergusson and
Charhs Calton as Auditors completed the
constitution of the first Port Adelaide Town
Council, 'lire early meetings of the Corpo
ration were held where the Ship Inn on the
Xorlh Parade now stands. A move was i
afterwards made to the Court-house, and
subsequently to the small two-story build
ing, pulled down not many years ago to
make room for the present Bank of Aus
tralasia. It was at the last-named plaee
that a fire destroyed the valuable early re
cords of the Council. Open voting was in
vogue in those days, and the fun was often
fast and furious. Captain French occupied
the position of Mayor up to 1860. In that
year Captain J. W.Smith was elected. As
this is the earliest date to which the re
cords go back, it will be interesting to give
the constitution of the Council at that time.
It was as follows:—Mayor, Jacob William
Smith; Aldermen, John Smith and Walter
Smith; Councillors, William H. Godfrey,
Thomas Henry Parker, James Grosse, and
IV. W.Ewbank; Assessors, William Hamil
ton, Charles Fleetwood, Jolm Newman,and
Theo. Robin; Auditors, James Page, Edwin
Sawtell, and William Mart. Captain Smith
was re-elected in 1861, and his successors j
Port. He .subsequently removed to the
Soulli-Fa.st.
L.vrii fAPIAlN H. FRliiNCH, FIllST MAVOIl
OF PORT ADELAIDE.
As might naturally be expected, the rat
able value of property of the early Port was
not great. The estimated expenditure for
1858 i.s given as £1,587. The actual e.xpen-
ilituie during six months of 1859 was
£148. Contrast with this the actual expen
diture of the town during 1898, which to
talled no less than .£11,384. Thirty years
ago the rates did not amount to more than
from £250 to £300. Last year they caaue to
over £5,000. In making any comparisons
of this nature, it must not be overlooked
that the boundaries of Port Adelaide have
been much extended of late years. From
two wards of limited area, it now com
prises eight wards, which take in an area
in the ]Ma,voral chair up to the present have l ^fretching from the mouth of the Port
been as follows:—1862-3, Edwin Harris;"!
.north, to the
1863-4; Francis Reynolds; 1864-6, J. W.
Smith: 1866, 1869, and 1873-6, J. Mi Sinclair;
1869-73, J. Formby; 1876-8, H. Bower;
1878-80, T. Hack; 1880-2, H. W.Thompson;
1882-3, G. Bollen; 1883-5, T. J. King; 1885-7,
S. Malin; 1887-9, J. Cleave; 1889-90, R. W.
O. Kestel; 1890-3, C. Tucker; 1893-4, B. Si-
grist; 1894-8, C. R. Morris; 1898-9, T.
Gro.se ; 1899-1900, J. W. Caire.
Belaw will be found a photo of the late
Captain E. French, first Jfayor of Port
Adelaide. Captain French was connected
with the early shipping trade of the
River on the north, to the boundary of
Woodville and Grange on the south,
and reaching on the east to
the North Ai-m-road. Port Adelaide has
within the last twenty years absorbed four
local governing bodies, a triumph of muni
cipal unificatdon unapproached in South
Australia, and a testimony to the confi
dence felt in the excellent management
characterising the Town Council.
The Electoral Histidct of Port Adelaide
has, on the other hand, been contracting.
Formerly it included Yorke's Peninsula, a.s
far up as Wallaroo, the complaint often be-