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121 when it was known that such person by his drinking habits injured his family ! Drunkards were severely dealt with in those remote ages* The sentence was multiplied according to the number of convictions. The first brought in a fine or one day’s turn at the tread-mill; the twentieth time of coming before the Officer subjected the offender to twenty times the fine or twenty days treadmill. We will n6w give a few public house reminiscences. As before mentioned, Mr. Fawkner’s first sod hut house of accomodation was on a Government reserve, the Market Place. On the sale of land in June 1837, that gentlemen erected a wooden hotel on his allotment behind the present Shakespeare, which, on the construction of his comer building, was converted into the “ Port Phillip Patriot” office. The half acre on which the ‘Shakespeare’ stands cost Mr. Fawkner only £10. Funny stories are told of the old house. Having let his sod house to a Mr, Smiih, that person refused to pay rentorgiveuppossession, on the ground that Mr. Fawkner had no right to it, because it was erected on Govern ment land. Lynch law supplied the want of legal redress ; a band of Van Demonian gentle youths were sent upon the Sheriff’s errand, and quickly dislodged the ungenerous tenant by rappings under spirituous influence. The wattle and dab ‘ Lamb’ Inn was opened by the veritable Smith, It was in Collins Street, nearly opposite Mr. Fawkner’s. The tap room, which as usual then was outside the house, had not altogether a very creditable reputation. Harper’s “ British Hotel” was opposite the old Police Office, Market Square. Michael Carr opened the Gover nor Bourke in Flinders Lane west, at the south east corner of Queen Street and Flinders Lane. As he, like others, had erected his house before the Survey, and as it happened to come on a boundary line, he was compelled to purchase two allotments to secure his property. The corner half acre cost him £48 and the other £34. Michael Pender had also a little sod public house in Flinders Lane, the business street of the time. He bought the half acre on which it stood, running to Collins Street, 16 of block 4, for which he paid only £19. Origi nally from Launceston, an industrious, saving man, he brought over one of the earliest Melbourne bullock teams, which he employed in cutting, carting, and selling bush hay, at one pound a load ; his wife then attended to the Inn. Getting on in the world, he was able to provide for his three sons in law. He established Mr. Cowell in the
