Arthur Macalister
Encyclopedia
Arthur Macalister, CMG
(1818 – 23 March 1883) was three times Premier of Queensland
, Australia
.
, Scotland
, son of John Macalister, a cabinet maker, and his wife Mary, née Scoullar. Macalister was educated in Glasgow and emigrated to Australia with his wife Elizabeth Wallace née Tassie. They arrived in Sydney
on 28 September 1839 on the Abbotsford.
Macalister was appointed to the positions of clerk of Petty Sessions and postmaster at Scone, New South Wales
in June 1840. In 1846 he was working for a solicitor in Sydney. In 1850 he was admitted as a solicitor and attorney.
district, then part of New South Wales
. Macalister took part in the movement for separation, and was elected a representative for Ipswich
in the New South Wales parliament on 14 June 1859.
The colony of Queensland was founded in 1859 and Macalister was elected to the first parliament as member for his old district and was made chairman of committees. In March 1862 he joined the Herbert
ministry as Secretary for Public Lands and Works, and when Herbert resigned on 1 February 1866, became Premier.
Macalister's ministry only lasted until 20 July 1866, when he resigned owing to the Governor, Sir George Bowen, refusing to sanction a proposed issue of "inconvertible government notes". Bowen called on Herbert to form a new ministry which immediately carried an act authorizing the issue of exchequer bills. This carried the colony through a financial crisis caused by the failure of the Agra and Masterman's Bank, which had arranged a loan for railway extensions.
Herbert had to leave for England almost at once, a reconstruction of the ministry was made, and Macalister again became Premier on 7 August 1866. He resigned a year later and was again elected Chairman of Committees when Charles Lilley
became Premier in November 1868, Macalister took office as Secretary for Public Lands and Works, and for the goldfields. This ministry resigned in May 1870 and, in November, Macalister was elected Speaker
. Macalister lost his seat after a hectic campaign in June 1871 but was re-elected for Ipswich in 1872 in a by-election. Macalister formed his third ministry in January 1874 and resigned in June 1876 to become Agent-General for Queensland in London. Macalister's health was failing in 1881 and he resigned his office as Agent-General; he was granted a pension of £500 a year by the Queensland parliament. He was created C.M.G. (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) in 1876.
Macalister died near Glasgow on 23 March 1883, he was survived by his wife who died 14 September 1894.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1818 – 23 March 1883) was three times Premier of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Early life
Macalister was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, son of John Macalister, a cabinet maker, and his wife Mary, née Scoullar. Macalister was educated in Glasgow and emigrated to Australia with his wife Elizabeth Wallace née Tassie. They arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 28 September 1839 on the Abbotsford.
Macalister was appointed to the positions of clerk of Petty Sessions and postmaster at Scone, New South Wales
Scone, New South Wales
Scone is a town in the Upper Hunter Shire in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Scone had a population of 4,624 people. It is located on the New England Highway north of Muswellbrook about 270 kilometres north of Sydney, and is part of the Hunter and Upper...
in June 1840. In 1846 he was working for a solicitor in Sydney. In 1850 he was admitted as a solicitor and attorney.
Political career
Macalister then settled in the Moreton BayMoreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
district, then part of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Macalister took part in the movement for separation, and was elected a representative for Ipswich
Electoral district of Ipswich (New South Wales)
Ipswich was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales created for the July 1859 election, partly replacing Stanley Boroughs and including Ipswich. It was abolished in December 1859, with the establishment of Queensland as a separate...
in the New South Wales parliament on 14 June 1859.
The colony of Queensland was founded in 1859 and Macalister was elected to the first parliament as member for his old district and was made chairman of committees. In March 1862 he joined the Herbert
Robert Herbert
Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, GCB , was the first Premier of Queensland, Australia.-Early years:Born in Brighton, England, Herbert was the only son of the Hon. Algernon Herbert, a younger son of the first Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford...
ministry as Secretary for Public Lands and Works, and when Herbert resigned on 1 February 1866, became Premier.
Macalister's ministry only lasted until 20 July 1866, when he resigned owing to the Governor, Sir George Bowen, refusing to sanction a proposed issue of "inconvertible government notes". Bowen called on Herbert to form a new ministry which immediately carried an act authorizing the issue of exchequer bills. This carried the colony through a financial crisis caused by the failure of the Agra and Masterman's Bank, which had arranged a loan for railway extensions.
Herbert had to leave for England almost at once, a reconstruction of the ministry was made, and Macalister again became Premier on 7 August 1866. He resigned a year later and was again elected Chairman of Committees when Charles Lilley
Charles Lilley
Sir Charles Lilley was a Premier and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland. He had a significant influence on the form and spirit of state education in colonial Queensland which lasted well into the twentieth century.Lilley was born at Newcastle on Tyne, England, the son of Thomas...
became Premier in November 1868, Macalister took office as Secretary for Public Lands and Works, and for the goldfields. This ministry resigned in May 1870 and, in November, Macalister was elected Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
. Macalister lost his seat after a hectic campaign in June 1871 but was re-elected for Ipswich in 1872 in a by-election. Macalister formed his third ministry in January 1874 and resigned in June 1876 to become Agent-General for Queensland in London. Macalister's health was failing in 1881 and he resigned his office as Agent-General; he was granted a pension of £500 a year by the Queensland parliament. He was created C.M.G. (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) in 1876.
Macalister died near Glasgow on 23 March 1883, he was survived by his wife who died 14 September 1894.
Family
Macalister married Elizabeth Wallace Tassie in Edinburgh, Scotland with whom he had 9 children.External links
- Arthur Macalister at the Parliament of NSW