Third Cowper ministry | |
---|---|
7th Cabinet of the Colony of New South Wales | |
Date formed | 10 January 1861 |
Date dissolved | 15 October 1863 |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Governor | William Denison / Sir John Young |
Head of government | Charles Cowper |
No. of ministers | 7 |
Member party | unaligned |
Status in legislature | Minority government |
Opposition party | unaligned |
Opposition leader | |
History | |
Predecessor | First Robertson ministry |
Successor | First Martin ministry |
The third Cowper ministry was the seventh ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and third occasion of being led by Charles Cowper.
Cowper was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856, and fought unsuccessfully with Stuart Donaldson to form Government. When Donaldson's Government faltered a little over two months after it was formed, Cowper formed Government on the first occasion, but he also lost the confidence of the Assembly a few months later. Cowper formed Government on the second occasion between 1857 and 1859; but it also lost the confidence of the Assembly. Cowper was again asked to form Government following the decision by Premier John Robertson to step aside and focus on land reform. [1] Each of the ministers retained their portfolios from the first Robertson ministry, with the only change being that Cowper replaced Robertson as the leader.
The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but not enshrined in formal use until 1920.
There was no party system in New South Wales politics until 1887. Under the constitution, ministers were required to resign to re-contest their seats in a by-election when appointed, [2] although in general the minister was re-elected unopposed. Because each of the ministers retained their appointments from the Robertson ministry, no by-elections were initially required. Charles Cowper Jr. was opposed at the 1861 by-election for The Tumut, but was comfortably re-elected. [3] Thomas Smart (The Glebe) was re-elected unopposed in May 1863, following his appointment as Colonial Treasurer. [4]
The appointment of John Darvall QC as Attorney General in 1863 however was controversial, not only as he was a conservative appointed to the liberal ministry, but because John Hargrave, who had been Attorney General since March 1860, accepted the lesser role of Solicitor General to allow Darvall to be appointed. [5] Darvall was challenged by his friend Henry Parkes at the East Maitland by-election in a campaign marked by person attacks. [6] [7] [8]
This ministry covers the period from 10 January 1861 until 15 October 1863, when Cowper was defeated amidst criticism of the ministry's financial management. [9] [10]
Portfolio | Minister | Term start | Term end | Term length |
---|---|---|---|---|
Premier | Charles Cowper | 10 January 1861 | 15 October 1863 | 2 years, 278 days |
Colonial Secretary | 10 January 1861 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 years, 278 days | ||
Colonial Treasurer | Elias Weekes | 20 March 1863 | 2 years, 69 days | |
Thomas Smart | 21 March 1863 | 15 October 1863 | 208 days | |
Secretary for Lands | John Robertson MLA / MLC / MLA [lower-alpha 2] | 10 January 1861 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 years, 278 days | |
Secretary for Public Works | William Arnold | |||
Attorney General | John Hargrave MLC | 10 January 1861 [lower-alpha 1] | 31 July 1863 | 2 years, 202 days |
John Darvall QC [lower-alpha 3] | 1 August 1863 | 15 October 1863 | 75 days | |
Solicitor General | John Hargrave MLC [lower-alpha 3] | |||
Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council | 10 January 1861 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 years, 278 days | ||
Clerk of the Executive Council | Charles Cowper Jr. | 1 September 1861 | 2 years, 44 days |
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.
Sir James Martin, QC was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886.
John Hubert Plunkett was Attorney-General of New South Wales, an appointed member of the Legislative Council 1836–41, 1843–56, 1857–58 and 1861–69. He was also elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly 1856–60. He is best known for the prosecution of the colonists who brutally murdered 28 Aboriginals in the Myall Creek Massacre of 1838, seven of whom were convicted and hanged.
John Fletcher Hargrave was a British-born Australian politician and judge.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who served in the fourth parliament of New South Wales held their seats from 1860 to 1864:</ref> The Speaker was Terence Murray until 13 October 1862 and then John Hay.
Sir John Bayley Darvall was an Australian barrister, politician and beneficiary of slavery. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1844 and 1856 and again between 1861 and 1863. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for three periods between 1856 and 1865. He held the positions of Solicitor General and Attorney General in a number of short-lived colonial governments.
Peter Faucett was an Australian barrister, judge and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1856 and 1865. He held the position of Solicitor General in the first government of James Martin. He was a judge of the Supreme Court between 1865 and 1888 and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1888 and 1894.
The Parker ministry was the third ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by Henry Parker. Parker was elected in the first free elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly held in March 1856 and, following the failure of the Donaldson and Cowper Governments to maintain the confidence of the Assembly, was asked to form Government.
The second Cowper ministry was the fourth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and second occasion of being led by Charles Cowper.
The fourth Cowper ministry was the ninth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and fourth occasion of being led by Charles Cowper.
The fifth Cowper ministry was the twelfth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and the fifth and final occasion of being led by Sir Charles Cowper.
The See ministry was the 30th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 14th Premier, Sir John See. The title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, but was not a formal position in the government until 1920. Instead the Premier was appointed to another portfolio, usually Colonial Secretary.
Sir Robert Wisdom, was a politician in colonial New South Wales and Attorney General of New South Wales.
John Fitzgerald Burns was an Australian politician, member of the Parliament of New South Wales, Postmaster-General in the 1870s and Colonial Treasurer in the 1880s.
Charles Cowper Jr. was an Australian politician.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1856 to 1861 were appointed for a fixed term by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. The 1855 Constitution of New South Wales provided that the first council following self-government was for a period of 5 years from the first appointments, but that subsequent members would be appointed for life. The first appointments were on 13 May 1856 so that the first term lapsed on 13 May 1861. The number of members of the council had to be at least 21 and subsequent appointments also lapsed on 13 May 1861. The President was Sir Alfred Stephen until 28 January 1857, John Plunkett until 6 February 1858 and then Sir William Burton. Dumaresq resigned, 5 appointed, Murray appointed, Campbell resigned, Murray died, 3 appointed, Mayne resigned, 2 appointed, 2 appointed, Spain appointed, Walker died, Douglass appointed, Plunkett appointed, Tooth resigned, 2 appointed, 2 appointed, Knox resigned, Bloomfield resigned, Lethbridge resigned, Plunkett resigned, Busby resigned, Warren resigned, 5 appointed, 2 appointed, Lang appointed, Blake appointed, Dickinson resigned, Park appointed, Riley resigned, Spain resigned, Smith resigned, 3 appointed, Stephen resigned, Riddell vacated, Bayley appointed, Lutwyche resigned, Therry resigned, Bligh resigned, Pennington resigned, McNamara resigned, Eagar appointed, Hargrave appointed, Jenkins died, Dickson resigned, Wise resigned, Cowper appointed, Jones resigned, Montefiore resigned, 2 appointed, Wilshire died, A'Beckett vacated, Eagar resigned, Bland resigned, Robertson, 21 appointed, 20 resigned.</ref></ref>
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Orange on 4 November 1863. The by-election was triggered because James Martin had replaced Charles Cowper as Premier, establishing his first ministry. While the title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, it was not a formal position until 1920 and the Premier also held a formal position in the cabinet, in Martin's case this position was Attorney-General. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and on this occasion, Peter Faucett (Yass), William Forster and Arthur Holroyd (Parramatta) were unopposed. The two other ministers, Geoffrey Eagar and Bowie Wilson were easily re-elected, with more than 90% of the vote.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of East Maitland on 11 August 1863 because John Darvall had been appointed Attorney General in the third Cowper ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested however on this occasion the appointment of Darvall was controversial, not only was he a conservative appointed to the liberal ministry, but because John Hargrave, who had been Attorney General since March 1860, accepted the lesser role of Solicitor General to allow Darvall to be appointed.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 18 February 1865 because John Darvall had been appointed Attorney General, and John Robertson had been appointed Secretary for Lands in the fourth Cowper ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested however on this occasion a poll was required in East Sydney, The Glebe and West Sydney. Each minister was comfortably re-elected. Only The Paterson was uncontested.
West Sydney, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1859 and abolished in 1894.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of The Williams on 22 January 1866 because Marshall Burdekin had been appointed Colonial Treasurer in the fourth Cowper ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested however on this occasion a poll was required at both The Williams and West Sydney. Both Robertson and Burdekin were defeated, with the Cowper government falling, replaced by the second Martin ministry.