Evolution of a Town.

From the time of the early settlers on the fertile flats along the Yarra, to the present day, there has been a gradual development. Some may be inclined to say too gradual; but better to advance slowly than not at all. Even in the exciting times of 1888-93 Kew was calm and collected; no extravagant prices were given for land, and consequently no serious regrets followed. No colossal hotels stand as monuments of the boom.

Presbyterian Church.

Some glimpses of early progress have been given in other chapters; perhaps a few contrasts will help the resident of the present day to realise the advantages he possesses over the pioneer of the fifties. Then there was no Yan Yean tap to fly to every time a drop of water was wanted. Water had to be carefully husbanded. If dry weather continued too long, the water cart had to visit Thompson's pump at the Yarra near Hawthorn Bridge, and the householder had to pay from 7/6 upwards for a barrel of water. Some residents can relate tales of how they carried water in buckets from the Yarra, a mile away, arriving home with only a small portion of what they started with. Later a Yan Yean stand pipe was erected on the Hawthorn side of the bridge, but it was not till about October, 1865, that the water mains reached Barnard's corner.

In June, 1866, the Borough Council decided to purchase three lamps to be lighted by kerosene for the main street. Gas did not reach the Borough until 1869. Now there are 225 public lamps. The first electric arc lamps were erected in 1895. The date of the establishment of the post office cannot now be settled, but in all probability it took «69» place in 1856. However, in January, 186l there was only one mail to and from Melbourne daily, arriving in Kew at 10 a.m. and closing at 1 p.m. Until September 1861, residents had to call for their letters, while the rate of postage' was 4d. per half-ounce! To-day Kew has three mails from town daily, with three deliveries, and the postage is 1d.

The census of 1861 showed that Kew numbered 711 males and 728 females, a total of 1,430 persons, with 279 inhabited dwellings. The estimate for the current year is 9,820, with 2,100 dwellings. Hawthorn's totals at the same times were 2,342 and 26,250.

Congregational Church.

By 1862 Kew had become of sufficient importance to have a page to itself in the Melbourne Directory, in which the names under the heading of "Kew and Kew Road (Church Street, Hawthorn)," were set clown alphabetically, and numbered just eighty, though an examination of the list shows that it was not very carefully compiled, for several names, principally those of farmers and gardeners in the more distant parts of the Borough, were omitted. Ten years later the names were for the first time arranged under the respective streets, twenty-one in number, and occupy three pages. The 1910 edition of the same publication requires nearly twelve pages of smaller type to perform a like service.

Early in its history the Council set itself to increase the advantages of the ratepayers. An endeavor was made to obtain part of the Village Reserve (Asylum paddock) as a town common, but without success, but on Richmond abandoning what is now the Victoria Reserve as unsuitable for a cemetery for that municipality, it was secured by Kew for recreation purposes. In December, 1862, application was made for the Yan Yean to be extended to Kew, but it was more than three ears before the mains reached the Junction of Cotham Road and High Street, the termination for some time after.

Public meetings on burning questions were not infrequent. On 3rd February, 1863, a spirited meeting was held to discuss the question as to «70» whether opposition should be offered to the proposal to build a lunatic asylum in the municipality. Cr, Halfey, Dr. E. J. Wilson, and Mr. G. Wharton spoke strongly against the proposal on the grounds o its injury to the district, while Messrs. Toon, Padbury, and others advocated its establishment as it would bring business to the shopkeepers. However, the meeting decided against the asylum, and the Councillors presented a petition to the Government of the day protesting against the proposal, but without effect.

Kew was very jealous of its position on one of the main roads of the Colony, and early in its history a board bearing the title "Main Gippsland Road" (referring to the Cotham Road) had been erected by public subscription at the post office corner. Accordingly, when in 1863 it was heard that an endeavor was being made to open up a new road near what is now Mitcham, which would divert the traffic from the Main Gippsland Road to Delaney's (Canterbury) Road, to the advantage of Hawthorn, steps were immediately taken to checkmate the proposal. A public meeting was called, vigorous speeches were made by Dr. Ralph, Messrs. Wharton, Padbury, Maxwell, Roebuck, and others, the result being that nothing more was heard of the proposal.

A public meeting of another character was held on 19th December, 1863, when Kew, along with neighboring places was suffering from the disastrous flood of that year, the result of nearly four days continuous rain. The mayor, Mr. John Carson, took the chair. Sir W. F. Stawell, Messrs. M. O'Grady M.L.A., Halfey, Wharton, Derrick, Padbury, and others spoke. Sir W. F. Stawell particularly referred to the action of Cr. John Oswin in saving several lives by means of a boat. A subscription taken up in room resulted in £108 8/6 being collected.

Two events in the sixties are worth recording. On 18th May, 1863, a treat to the children of Kew was given at the Athenaeum in honor of the marriage of the Prince of Wales (the late King Edward VII) with Princess Alexandra of Denmark, when about «71» 300 boys and girls were regaled with tea, cake, &c., after which a magic lantern exhibition was given, and the chairman of the municipality, Mr. George Lewis, addressed those present. On the following evening a bonfire was held on Barker's Hill, at the corner of Wellington and Charles Streets, then a prominent landmark of the district. In 1867 the visit of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, to the Colony, aroused the loyal sympathies of the people. On 26th November the inhabitants were asked to decorate their shops, residences, &c., and it is recorded that among the business people Messrs. S. Kellett, Roebuck, Serpell, Kirwood, Curry, Wright, Barnard, Blackett, and Kirk, were the most prominent for their displays. On Saturday, 28th December, 1867, a committee of ratepayers entertained some four or five hundred children in the Asylum Reserve, when sports, merry-go-rounds, &c., were provided for their delectation.

The Maori War, which broke out in 1856, had its influence in Victoria. As the war dragged on it became necessary to send to New Zealand all the troops then quartered in Australia. Efforts were made to supply their place here with local volunteers, hence in August, 1860, meetings were held at the Sir Robert Nickle Hotel, Hawthorn, on the 25th, and at the Prospect Hotel, Kew, on the 27th, to form an Hawthorn and Kew Volunteer Rifle Company. The meetings were successful, and about sixty members were enrolled. On the 12th November, 1860, Mr. H. T. Hammond, of H.M. Customs, was elected Captain, and Mr. (now Councillor) E. A. Atkyns was elected Sergeant. At Easter, 1861, the Company took part in the Werribee encampment. During April of that year and the following months, the Hawthorn and Kew Company had to take its turn to furnish a guard for the powder magazine at Footscray. Contrary to the custom of the present day, parades were held at 6 a.m.! On 20th June. 1881, a Victoria Cross was presented to Private Whirlpool, of the Hawthorn and Kew Rifles, for bravery during the Indian Mutiny. He was the first Victorian to receive that decoration, which was «72» pinned on his breast by Lady Barkly, wife of the Governor. In September, 1861, the Company was directed to parade at Hawthorn Bridge at 5 a.m. for drill in Survey Paddock. What would the present generation of militia officers and men say to such orders. An amusing occurrence happened in March, 1862, when the East Collingwood Rifles were encamped in Studley Park. The Richmond Rifles, under Captain Sir F. Mupphy, determined to capture the encampment, and made an early morning attack. Rumors of this reached the Hawthorn and Kew, who decided to take a hand in the affair. Hawthorn and Kew had a good drum and fife band in those days, and while the band approached from one direction, the Richmond approached from another. The East Collingwood, attracted by the music, went as they thought for the enemy, letting the Richmond rush in and take their tents, only to find them already occupied by the Hawthorn and Kew. However, nothing serious happened, the two Captains exchanged complimentary remarks, and the companies marched home. Whether the early hours did not agree with the members of the company history does not relate, but first the band dissolved, and then the company on 16th October, 1863.

Until the opening of the first Court of Petty Sessions on 17th September, 1862, Kew offenders or litigants had to attend Hawthorn or Richmond courts. Thus on 30th April, 1861, two Kew residents, Messrs. John Rollings and George Woodward appeared at Hawthorn court, when the former claimed 30/- from the latter as being due to him for wages. The newspaper report reads :-"Both parties are original characters in their way, and created some amusement in court." The case was dismissed. The first case listed at Kew was Constable H. Gray versus Charles Marshall, for driving a dray without lights, a very common offence in those days. The presiding magistrates were Dr. Embling, Mr. J. Halfey, and Mr. T. Greenwood. The offender was fined 1/-, with 5/- costs. Mr. W. R. Munce was the first clerk of courts. Mr. James Robertson, well known as an amateur artist, «73» afterwards occupied the position for a number of years, until he was appointed a police magistrate. Among the early justices who attended the court very regularly were Captain W. H. Lamond and Mr. George Wharton. The visiting police magistrate is Dr. R. H. Cole, who also holds the position of coroner. Among the local iustices usually attending the court are Lieut.-Colonel Brodribb, Messrs. H. C. A. Harrison, T. G. Jellis, Rivers Langton, and H. F. Norton. Colonel Brodribb is the presiding magistrate for the children's court. The present clerk of courts is Mr. P. Conlon. The court house forms portion of the public buildings facing High Street, and has a very tasteful interior.

The first vice-regal visit to Kew was on 30th July, 1863, the occasion being a lecture before the Kew Literary and Scientific Association by the Rev; R. Connebee, entitled "Six Weeks in Kew Zealand." The Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., being a personal friend of Mr. Connebee, had intimated his desire to be present. He was presented with an address signed) by Crs. Geo. Lewis (chairman), W. Derrick, J. Carson, F. Barnard, W. Stevenson, J. Halfey, J. Oswin, and Mr. John Lowrey (town clerk). On the 10th September following a great farewell was given to Mr. Connebee prior to his departure for New Zealand, upwards of 400 persons being present.

The sixties were marked by many gatherings of a literary character in aid of churches, &c., at which Messrs. Jas. F. Bradley, Chas. A. Bradley, E. Vickers, and H. Hodges (now Judge Hodges) were noted for their presentation of Shakespearian scenes.

On the 2nd April, 1864, Kew was visited by a severe thunderstorm during which a large tree near the house of Mr. Samuel Derrick was struck lightning and shattered to pieces. The house, which stood not far from the corner of High Street and Highbury Grove, was slightly damaged. The occurrence naturally drew a great crowd of sight-seers.«74»

The congregations of the Kew churches have always been generous supporters of the Hospital Sunday movement, and that held on 23rd October, 1910, was no exception to the rule. The individual contributions were, in round numbers :-Holy Trinity Church of England, £52; Baptist, £39; Methodist, £28; Presbysterian, £26; St. Hilary's £17; Congregational, £17; Roman Catholic, .£l5; making, with the result of the band performance in Alexandra Gardens (£12), a grand total of £220.

The Empire Day movement of recent years has been duly carried out in Kew. On Empire Day 1908, the Borough celebration was helped by the presence of the then Governor, Sir Reginald Talbot who made a stirring speech. On his return to England later in the year he was asked to assist in an exchange of flags with the Kew school, Eng1and. This he willingly consented to do, and on Empire Day, 1909, handed over to the Kew school a flag, with photographs, &c., from the local school here. In return a flag was sent from Kew England for presentation here on 24th May, 1910; but owing to the unexpected death of His Majesty Kin Edward VII., the celebrations were not held. It is now intended to ask Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael to make the presentation during his visit to Kew on Jubilee Day. Besides a flag, the Kew school sent some trees from Kew Gardens, and though rather a risky proceeding in December , it is proposed to take the opportunity of having them planted by the official visitors towards the end of the same occasion.

This first fire of any consequence occurred towards the end of the fifties when the stables of the Kew Hotel were burned down and a large amount of produce was destroyed, but the most serious loss was Mr. P. O Shaughnessy's favorite riding horse, which was so badly burned that it had it had to be destroyed. This was the first appearance of the Melbourne Fire Brigade in the district but as the only water available was in tanks and a water-
hole some distance away, its services were of little use. The next serious fire seems to have been in 1872, when Gilmore & Gardiner's drapery store, «75» which stood near the Junction, where the E.B.C. boot shop is now, was totally destroyed. The manager, Mr. Charles Millist, for many years afterwards conducted a successful drapery business now in the hands of Mr. T. W. Burrage. In 1876 the timber yard of Mr. B. McCartney, now covered by the National Bank buildings, was greatly damaged. In 1879, when the business premises had become more numerous, and consequently closer together, the need for a fire brigade was brought forward in the Borough Council by the late Cr. Henry Gray. It was determined to establish a volunteer brigade, and at a public meeting held on 7th July, 1879, twelve persons were elected as the first members. Cr. Gray was elected captain, Mr. T. Greenhill lieutenant, and Mr. H. Loxton secretary. The necessary apparatus was obtained in the course of a few weeks, and the members had barely gone to rest after their first Saturday afternoon drill than they were called to a fire at the corner of High and Peel Streets, where Hennessy's drapery shop was ablaze, but notwithstanding their efforts total destruction was the result. Fortunately fires were not every day occurrences, so the brigade turned its attention to competition drill, and under the enthusiastic leadership of Captain H. de C. Kellett, and Lieutenant H. Burmeister, became adepts. Gradually doing better work each year, the championship of the metropolitan fire brigades association was won in 1885, and of the united fire brigades at Sandhurst (Bendigo) in 1886. Having reached the goal of its ambitions the brigade rested on its laurels, and left other brigades to compete for similar honors. Now and again a slight fire occurred just to keep the brigade up to its work. It was formally disbanded by the operations of the "Metropolitan Fire Act" of 1890, on the 30th April, 1891. Since that time a detachment of the Metropolitan Brigade has been stationed in Kew. A fire station was built in Walton Street in 1893, where a horse hose-cart is kept, available at any moment, but fortunately there has been little call for its services. However, under the present arrangement Kew seems to pay a little «76» too much for the pleasure of being within the radius of the metropolitan fire district. The volunteer brigade cost £30 per annum; the new system cost about £140 the first year, but for this year the charge is £350. Cr. Sir H. de C. Kellett has represented the municipalities south of the Yarra on the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Board ever since its inception in February, 1891.

Kew can hardly be termed a manufacturing centre. The most important industry which was ever carried on, beyond those belonging to the soil, such as farming and gardening, was the extension of the brick making industry of Lower Hawthorn across the boundary into Southern Kew, where in the eighties Smart's brickyard turned out large quantities of excellent bricks, leaving behind it when operations ceased a legacy in the shape of a clay pit, which remains as a problem for municipal councillors. Some time after a brickyard was opened in the Hyde Park Estate, and helped to disfigure one of the most beautiful spots of Kew. Mr. Alfred Fuller in the seventies established the Kew Brewer in High Street South, but later took up organ building instead, and turned out a number of excellent instruments. About the same time Mr. F. J. Martin employed a fair number of hands in his boot factory. The first edition of Balliere's "Victorian Gazetteer," published in 1865, credits Kew with a rope-walk, established by Mr. Henry Christian, "the introducer of the manufacture into the colony." This can hardly be correct, so far as rope-making is concerned. Mr. Christian, one of our earliest residents, was a halter-maker, and certainly turned out a first-class article, but whether the first or only maker of halters history does not relate.

In its infancy Kew to some extent was dependent upon Richmond, the most accessible place, for many of its wants, and naturally its news was published in the "Australian" the local paper of that place. The paper was well written and produced, and to its files the readers of this volume are deeply indebted for matter which would otherwise have been unprocurable. «77» It is unfortunate that there is no complete file of the paper in existence, many of the proprietor's volumes having been unfortunately burned in a fire at the office. This fact points to the importance of the preservation of complete sets of local papers, humble though they may appear at the time, as it is only by consultation of their columns that many events in past history can be accurately fixed.

Since 25th September, 1858, when the first number of the Richmond "Australian" was issued by Messrs. Roulston & Mitchell, the news of the district has been duly chronicled b one or more local papers, but it was not till the Kew "Mercury" was issued by W. Mott & Co., on 9th March, 1888 that Kew could boast of a newspaper locally owned and printed. The "South Bourke Standard" was commenced at Hawthorn by Mr. A. Slatterie on 3rd May, 1861, and in its columns a large amount of Kew news is to be found, especially as regards the meetings of the Borough Council. In 1865 the proprietor of the Richmond "Australian" commenced the publication of the "South Bourke and Mornington Journal," in order to give more prominence to the news of those districts, Kew at that time being in the South Bourke electorate. With a change in the name of the electorate, on the 27th July, 1877, the "South Bourke Standard" became the "Boroondara Standard," under the proprietorship of E. Kidgell & Co., who afterwards removed to Lilydale and started the "Lilydale Express." Two years later Asher & Co., proprietors of the Richmond "Guardian" invaded the district, and on 26th September, 1879, published the first number of the Kew and Hawthorn Express," which had a life of nearly thirty years. The next newspaper venture affecting Kew was that of the Kew "Mercury," recorded before.

In December, 1873, the business of Kew had developed sufficiently to justify the opening of a bank. Early in the previous year the English, Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank had opened a branch in Hawthorn, under the management of «78» Mr. John Toon, formerly town clerk or the Borough. The bank decided to extend its operations to Kew under the same manager. The first office was in portion of the Greyhound Hotel buildings, but in 1884 the present building was erected. The management has been in several hands since that time, amongst them Mr. J. C. Mathews and Mr. J. Chadwick. The present manager is Mr. Sydney E. Innes.

In August, 1885, a branch of the National Bank of Australasia was opened by Mr. T. E. Ochiltree, J.P., at 87 High Street. Three years later the present handsome building at the corner of Walpole Street was erected. Several managers have been in charge at Kew, the present being Mr. Hugh Trumble, who is almost a native of the district. A Post Office Savings Bank had been in existence for many years before the amalgamation of the Savings Banks, and the agency was carried on by the post office until the Kew branch was opened at the corner of High and Derrick Streets on 12th February, 1902. In 1906 handsome premises were erected in Cotham Road opposite the post office, and opened on 12th November of that year. The latest statistics show that on the 30th June last there were 3,309 depositors in the bank, with £102,289 to their credit. The manager is Mr. P. H. Scrivenor.

The last report of the health officer, Dr. E. M. Inglis, that for the year 1909, shows that Kew maintains its reputation for freedom from serious sickness. With an estimated population of 9,520 (asylum inmates excluded), the 57 deaths recorded during 1909 give an average of 5.98 per thousand-a rate low even for Kew, where low death rates are the rule. Of these deaths only six were children under five years of age, while no less than 27 persons reached the allotted span of seventy years. Even of these 27, thirteen had passed their eightieth birthday, and one the ninetieth. The causes of death were also satisfactory, for only one was due to a preventable disease (scarlet fever), the majority being ascribed to heart failure, senile decay, &c. Not a single death was recorded from diphtheria, «79» measles, whooping cough, or typhoid fever. The births recorded for 1909 number 175, or an average of 18.3 per thousand-a slightly lower rate than usual. The report spoke in gratifying terms of the excellent state of the Borough as a whole as regards cleanliness, and stated that there had been no serious complaints regarding the dairies of the district.

The Imperial Boy Scout movement spread to Kew during 1909, and under Scout-Master Le Grew a smart troop was raised. On Mr. Le Grew's promotion to be District Scout-Master, Mr. G. Mackenzie Kirkwood was placed in charge of the troop. A kindred organisation, the Australian Boy Scouts, is also represented by a troop in Kew under the command of Scout-Master W. Kellett. This troop did good service by acting as collectors at the band performance on Hospital Sunday.

An engraved map of Melbourne and Suburbs, dated 1855, compiled by the Lands Department, under the direction of Surveyor-General Clarke, afterwards Sir Andrew Clarke, C.E., includes the whole of the Studley Park Ward of the Borough, and shows, besides the original government roads, four of the additional streets opened up by original purchasers, with the positions of thirteen houses presumably all then existing. The Kew Hotel is also shown.

Though the first sewerage from Melbourne was passed on to Spottiswoode in February, 1898, it was not until 1903 that the main sewers approached Kew, the first house connection being made in December, 1904. Kew has been a difficult district to manage with regard to sewerage, the dividing line between the northern and southern systems passing obliquely through the Borough. This is marked by the ridge, almost imperceptible to the eye, which, starting at Xavier College, sweeps round at a constant elevation of about 220 feet above sea level, through the intersection of Walpole and Malmsbury Streets to the Studley Park Road at Studley Avenue. Those portions of Kew, draining into the southern system, are practically completed, the last, a part of Studley Park, being now under construction. The northern «80» and western slopes or the Borough have set the engineers a difficult problem, but it is expected that in the course of a year or two all will be connected with the Heidelberg Road main, thence by way of Carlton, Parkville, and Footscray to Spottiswoode. The southern main passes through Hawthorn, Richmond, South Yarra, and Port Melbourne to the Yarra tunnel, a distance of about eleven miles from the Kew boundary.

The opening of the police station took place in the early, part of 1855, but whether Constable Garde was the first in charge cannot now be decided. Constable H. Gray was in charge in the early sixties, followed by Constable Cregan from November, 1863, to September, 1866. He was followed by Constable J. S. McGrath, who ruled Kew until December, 1893, a period of rather more than twenty-seven years, during which time he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and might have received further promotion had he chosen, but such would have meant leaving Kew, and he had become so attached to the Borough that he preferred to remain a Sergeant until his retirement from the force in December. 1893. He came to Kew with considerable experience of city life, and proved himself a strict disciplinarian and a terror to evil-doers. Since his retirement the station has been in charge of Sergeant R. Richardson, who has a staff of eleven senior-constables and constables under him. Kew has never provided any serious crimes for the occupation of its police, and long may it remain a law-abiding place.

The growth of the post office staff is another proof of the expansion of population. When red-coated letter carriers first appeared in Kew in 1876, two were sufficient, with the assistance of a lad on horse-hack for the more distant portions, to deal with the correspondence of the Borough. Now the letter-carriers number nine, while the other members of the staff bring the total up to sixteen. Roughly, the correspondence passing yearly through the Kew post office amounts to 1,000,000 letters posted, and 1,300,000 received; 70,000 packets posted, and 100,000 received; 50.000 newspapers posted, and «81» 120,000 received; and 2,500 parcels despatched. Of telegrams about 6,000 are despatched and 12,500 received. Cash amounting to £5,250 is derived from the sale of stamps and postal notes, while the postal notes are valued at £2,500. Like all other branches, the money order business has increased. The orders issued amount to £2,500, while £6,200 is yearly paid out under this heading. Kew was made an official post office on 18th June, 1879. The postmaster at present in charge is Mr. J. R. Jackson.

There have been many changes in the methods of handling the traffic on the Kew line since its opening in December, 1887. The present system is trains at about 20-minute intervals from 5 a.m. till 12 midnight, those in the busy times morning and evening running right through, passengers by the others having to change to or from Camberwell trains at Hawthorn. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, the traffic returns show a gradual increase. The latest figures available, for October, 1910, give a daily average of 3,440 bookings at Kew, yielding a revenue of £34, while for the same period nearly 880 periodical tickets, costing £600, were in use. Over £200 was received for goods traffic, amounting to nearly 1,300 tons.

In 1892 an important change in the municipal government of Kew took place. The population had increased to 8,459, there were 2,430 ratepayers on the roll, the valuation was .£10,3l0, and the revenue .£14,301. The time was thought to be ripe for the partition of the Borough into wards, so application was made to the Governor-in-Council, when the requisite permission was granted. The prime mover in this alteration was Mr. Wm. Cody, who later became one of the Councillors for Prospect Ward. He was at the same time a Councillor of the City of Collingwood.

The five wards are arranged as follows :-

Studley Park Ward.-Commencing at Victoria Bridge, thence along Barker's Road, Denmark Street, Princess Street, and Wills Street to the Yarra, thence to Barker's Road. «82»

College Ward.-Commencing at corner of Denmark Street and High Street, thence along Denmark Street, Barker's Road, Burke Road, Cotham Road, and High Street to starting point.

Central Ward.-Commencing at Post Office. thence along Cotham Road, Burke Road, and High Street to starting point.

North Ward.-Commencing at corner of High Street and Princess Street, along Prineess Street and Wills Street to Yarra, along Yarra to Willsmere Road, along Willsmere Road, Pakington Street, and High Street to starting point.

Prospect Ward.-Commencing at corner of High Street and Pakington Street, along Pakington Street, Willsmere Road, the Yarra, the eastern boundary of Kew, and High Street to starting point.

This change involved the retirement of all the nine Councillors, and the election of a Council of fifteen members, and hence in August, 1892, the following were elected as Councillors for the respective Wards: Studley Park Ward-Messrs. E. A. Atkyns, H. Gray, and G. H. Mott; College Ward-Messrs. H. de C Kellett, Job Smith, and C. Gardner; Central Ward-Messrs. F. R. Ratten, A. W. Day, and J. L. Nettle; North Ward-Messrs. W. Howieson, T. Greenhill, and W. H. Wilson; Prospect Ward-Messrs. J. M. Campbell, F. J. Martin, and J. E. Scanlen.

During the fifty years nearly ninety gentlemen have occupied the position of Councillor; some have been quite meteoric in their appearance at the table, while others have served several terms, but only eight have seen more than ten years of service. They are Crs. E. A. Atkyns (from 1880 to date), 30 years; Sir H. de C. Kellett (1884 to date), 26 years; J. M. Cambbell (1885-1909), 24 years; Francis Barnard (1863-86), 23 years; H. Gray (1878-93), 15 years; T. Greenhill (1892-1903), 11 years; F. B. Miller and H. F. Phipps, each ten years. No less than forty-three gentlemen have been honored with the mayoralty, several on more than one occasion, these being
Crs. Barnard (3), Campbell (3), Argyle (2),«83» Atkyns (2), De Mole (2), Hedderwick (2), McGregor (2), and Runting (2). In the list on a previous page the three first were styled chairmen, the municipality becoming a Borough on lst October, 1863, during the chairmanship of Cr. George Lewis. The first election for mayor took place on 18th November, 1863, when Cr. John Carson was elected.

Four loans have been contracted by the Borough. In 1883 the office accommodation afforded by the then Town Hall buildings was found to be inadequate, and a loan of £2,000 was raised and devoted to the erection of the two-storied front to the hall as at present existing. This loan has long since been paid off. In 1888 the making of a number of new streets opened up through the operations of the land boom, had become imperative from a health point of view. A loan of £20,000, due in 1918, was therefore obtained and devoted to the purpose. This loan has since been extended to 1930, and will fall due at the same time as Loan No. 3, raised in 1900 for the same purpose. In 1906, the fourth loan, of £4,000, due in 1935, was raised for the purpose of purchasing land for public gardens, the result being the creation of Alexandra gardens, opened by His Excellency the Governor, Sir Reginald Talbot, on 8th April, 1908; and the purchase of a block in Fitzwilliam Street east, towards which Sir H. J. Wrixon, K.C.M.G., gave a donation of .£l00. This has been fenced in, and is available for a playground.

A record of the work accomplished b the Kew Council would hardly be complete without some reference to those who actually did the work. Among those directly employed by the Council may be mentioned Messrs. W. Woollard, J. McLachlan, and I. Macaulay, who all served long and faithfully. Among the contractors are Messrs. R. Forster, J. Ragg, W. Atkins, S. Giddens, W. Giddens (now employed as foreman), and Patrick White. The last-named can probably be credited with having made more miles of streets in the Borough than all the rest put together, besides carrying out a number of difficult drainage works, by which rapidly increasing «84» gullies have been transformed into respectable pitched channels.

A scheme for the re-amalgamation of the three municipalities of Hawthorn, Camberwell, and Kew has lately been considered, but no definite expression of opinion has yet been offered by either council. The proposed city of Boroondara would cover the same ground as the original Boroondara Road District, viz., 22 1/3 square miles. It seemed to be unworkable in the early days, and whether anything would be saved at the present time is quite problematical.