John robertson mp biography of william

Australian politician (1816–1891)

Sir Toilet RobertsonKCMG (15 October 1816 – 8 May 1891) was excellent London-born Australian politician and Head of state of New South Wales malformation five occasions. Robertson is decent remembered for land reform added in particular the Robertson Dirt Acts of 1861, which hunted to open up the array of Crown land and rest the monopoly of the squatters.

Robertson was elected to Legislative body in 1856 supporting manhood option, secret ballot, electorates based pay attention to equal populations, abolition of put down aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and territory reform. He saw free choice of crown land before contemplate as the key to communal reform with poor settlers vitality able to occupy agricultural enjoin pastoral land, even that taken by lease-holding squatters.

This wisdom enabled him to dominate nobleness politics of 1856–61.^[1]

Biography

Robertson was at Bow, London, the leniency child and third son type James Robertson, a watchmaker current pastoralist from Scotland, and Decently woman Anna Marie Ripley, who married in Stepney, London connect 1809.

Subsequently, on the warning of Sir Thomas Brisbane, primacy then Governor of New Southerly Wales, the family emigrated cork Australia, arriving on the "Providence" on 8 January 1822. They were apparently in good transport, for, according to the vogue of the time, anyone transferral to the colony a inclusion of not less than £2,500 was entitled to a pass with flying colours class grant of 2500 estate (10 km²) of land, and that they received in the Huntswoman Valley.^[1]

James Robertson senior worked sort a watchmaker and silversmith, take became Supervisor of Governor Brisbane's astronomical instruments and clocks slate the government observatory in depiction Parramatta Domain.

He received fine 35 hectare grant of confusion at Robertson's Point (subsequently Cremorne Point), on the north get of Sydney Harbour.^[1]

At five lifetime of age the young Guard was sent to the additional school in Sydney just unsealed by John Dunmore Lang. Earth subsequently attended schools kept outdo Bradley Gilchrist and W. T. Cape.

Amongst his schoolfellows were two subsequent boys also destined to get premiers of New South Cymru, James Martin and William Forster.^{[citation needed]} On leaving school pout the year 1833 Robertson went to sea and worked passage to England where, as a consequence the medium of some handwriting of introduction, he accidentally came in contact with Lord Palmerston.

The personality of the growing man so impressed Palmerston stray he invited him to accommodation with him for a days in the country. Nigh he introduced him to different distinguished people, and afterwards, as he was leaving England, gave him a letter to justness New South Wales governor, Sir Richard Bourke.^{[citation needed]}

Robertson visited Writer and South America, and, pinpoint an absence of two epoch, left the sea and married his family in northern Spanking South Wales.

He engaged complain grazing and the farming possession crops for some years. Sand married Margaret Emma "Madge" Davies when he was 21; they were to have three choice and six daughters. He unchanging himself prominent in the rebellious between the squatters and Guardian Sir George Gipps, who attempted to restrict the expansion oppress grazing in northwestern New Southern Wales.^{[citation needed]}

Parliamentary career

With the arrangement of responsible government in 1856, Robertson stood for the Parliamentary Assembly seat of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh, promising manhood opt, secret ballot, electorates based market leader equal populations, abolition of situation aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and give up selection of crown lands already survey.

Although unable to crusade due to poor health proceed won and took his post with the Liberal party. Allowing he held rural freehold, sit on your heels leases and leased land grip tenant farmers, he became decided that agriculture was being randomly handicapped by the land reserve. He believed that social counterpoise could be achieved through patch reform and he gained fixed support in urban and bucolic areas as a result.^[1][2]

In Jan 1858, he joined the subordinate Cowper ministry as Secretary edgy Lands and Public Works.

Unquestionable was largely responsible for amending the electoral law to exclaim adult male franchise, increase Deliberative Assembly seats from 54 close 80, although eight of these were abolished when Queensland broken up in late 1859. It besides included a seat for illustriousness University of Sydney once embrace had 100 graduates, which plainspoken not occur to 1876.

Reap the June 1859 general choice, he was re-elected to coronate seat, now called Upper Tracker. The Cowper government was browbeaten in October 1859, partly makeover a result of Robertson's resistance to the education bill. Rank succeeding Forster government was stilted to resign when it missing a parliamentary vote in Feb 1860.^[1]

First ministry and land reform

See also: Robertson ministry (1860–1861)

Robertson became Premier, in March 1860 standing completed the drafting of enactment to put into effect coronet land reforms, the Crown Area Alienation bill and the Enwrap Lands Occupation bill, which lawful free selection before survey.

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These bills were defeated in council in October. This enabled him to obtain a dissolution getaway Governor Denison and to clash an election on the interrogate in December, which gave him a clear majority in honesty Legislative Assembly, all the grassland who publicly opposed land ameliorate having been defeated.^[1]

Robertson handed good the Premiership to Cowper valuation 10 January 1861, while Guard concentrated on the land dosh as Secretary for Lands.

Subside had his land bills passed by the Assembly on 27 March and resigned from justness Assembly so that he could be appointed to the Parliamentary Council on 3 April correspond with complete the process. As justness council was resolutely opposed be adjacent to the land bills, he trustworthy Premier to ask the pristine Governor Sir John Young add up to swamp the council with 21 new members.^[1]

Before administering the consecrate to the new members magnanimity President of the council, William Westbrooke Burton, announced his relinquishment and left the chamber.

Subsequent members followed his example, thither was no quorum, and widen the same day Parliament was prorogued.^[3] The five-year terms break into the 1856 Council appointments locked away run out and the Boss appointed a new Council cause somebody to life terms, including Robertson. Franchise to the reappointment of Conclave, the land bills had accept be passed again by distinction Assembly in September and were passed by the Council staging October 1861.^[1] The resulting disciplined remained the law of authority country for many years.

Robertson resigned from the Council add on December 1861 and John Garrett resigned the seat of Shoalhaven to allow him to out first it at a by-election infringe January 1862. He successfully problematical the seat of West Sydney, a working class electorate, outline the November 1864 general purpose. In February 1865, he was appointed as Secretary for Demesne again in the fourth Surgeon ministry.

He resigned from Congress to sort out his fiscal difficulties through the failure acquisition some properties he held get a move on northern Queensland in October 1865,^[1] but he was renominated utility fill the vacancy eight cycle later.

In the January 1866 election, he was defeated make the addition of West Sydney, due to disapproval to the Government's policy appreciate preserving some crown land fulfill public purposes, such as bottled water supply, and to a mistaken claim, reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, that he was "the President of the Fenian Society".

Martin compared him make haste Tiberius Gracchus: "both advocated illustriousness cause of free selection, both hit upon the same irrelevant of land for each be included … [and] both had antique the idols of the be sociable … [and] deserted by significance people."^[1] He won a bye-election for Clarence in August 1866, and represented it to Nov 1869.^[2]

Second ministry

See also: Robertson administration (1868–1870)

In January 1868, holding distinction offices of Premier and Complex Secretary, Robertson formed his next ministry and he won go again West Sydney in the Dec 1869 general election.

He was unable to get any drawing his own legislation passed paramount relinquished the premiership but be acquainted with Cowper in January 1870 flourishing in February, he was stilted to resign from Parliament owed to bankruptcy. A committee was formed to raise and frock funds to sort out tiara financial problems and he won back West Sydney in Go on foot and discharged his bankruptcy boil August.^[1]

Robertson rejoined the ministry double up August 1870 as Secretary make up for Lands.

This government had unadulterated very small majority in goodness house, and when Cowper was appointed agent-general in London hit the ceiling resigned. Sir James Martin was sent for and to significance surprise of the country Guard joined him as Colonial Paragraphist in his ministry. At birth general election held early unswervingly 1872, three members of interpretation government were defeated, and Speechmaker Parkes came into power bargain 14 May 1872, there was a constant struggle between glory parties under Robertson and Parkes for some years.^[1]

Third and locale ministries

See also: Robertson ministry (1875–1877) and Robertson ministry (1877)

Robertson was Premier again in February 1875, Parkes in March 1877, Guard in August 1877; but that ministry only lasted until Dec.

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He known as an election in November 1877, at which he was disappointed in West Sydney, but won Mudgee and East Macquarie favour chose to represent Mudgee during December 1878.^[1]

The coming-in of representation Farnellministry in 1877 gave say publicly main contestants time to in the region of breath and consider the send the bill to, and in December 1878 skilful coalition was made between Parkes and Robertson which led give explanation an effective ministry which lasted for over four years become calm had unprecedented success in fading away legislation.

Parkes was Premier, service Robertson went to the Lawgiving Council as Vice-President of dignity Executive Council and Representative loosen the Government in the Congressional Council.^[1][2]

In 1879, he founded rendering Royal National Park. During Parkes's absence in England, between Dec 1881 and August 1882, Guard was acting-Premier and Colonial Hack.

On 31 December 1881, subside resigned from the Legislative Legislature and was returned as party for Mudgee at a bye-election in January 1882. The usual election held in December 1882 was adverse to the governance and it resigned.^[1][2]

Fifth ministry take retirement

See also: Robertson ministry (1885–1886)

Robertson formed his fifth ministry well-off December 1885 but resigned pin down the following February.

He was a trustee of the Queenly National Park and he reproachful his leg while working put your feet up it, which increased his dimple and this together with fillet poor finances led him apply to retire from parliament in June 1886.^[1] A grant of £10,000 was made to him make wet the government.

Henceforth he temporary in retirement, his health was impaired and he was not up to to take part in citizens life. He was strongly blaspheme federation, largely on the justification it would amount to honourableness annexation of News South Cambria by the other colonies, challenging led the Sydney campaign anti the constitutional convention of 1891.^[4] Almost his last act was the sending of a indication opposing it to the Sydney Morning Herald, which appeared array the day preceding his death.^[1]

Death

Sir John Robertson died in Watsons Bay and was accorded practised public funeral.^[1]

Honours

He was made clean Knight Commander of the Dictate of St Michael and Eminent George (KCMG) in 1877.^[5] Dominion statue graces The Domain effectively the Art Gallery of Another South Wales.

The Federal bisection of Robertson, the former repair electoral district of Robertson, increase in intensity the NSW Southern Highlands zone of Robertson were all denominated after him.^[1][2]

One of his offspring, Margaret-Emma, married the Russian someone and explorer Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay,^[6] who built the first Marine Life Station in Australia at Watsons Bay.

One of his grandchildren, Archibald Clark Kerr, later Sir Archibald and then later Master Inverchapel, became one of Britain's most influential 20th century diplomats.^[7]

References