Matthew Smith (colonial secretary)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Skinner Smith was acting Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
from 1885 to 1887.
Smith was born on 30 August 1836. Little is known of his early life. From 1854, he was an officer in the 44th Regiment; he served in the Crimea
, China
, and India
, before retiring as a Captain
in 1867. That year, he married Elizabeth Nolan in Kent
, England
, and they would have at least one son.
In June 1868, Smith emigrated to Western Australia
on board the Lady Louisa. On arrival in Western Australia, he worked for three years as a clerk in the Perth
branch of the National Bank of Australia. In 1871, he became a Justice of the Peace
, and thereafter he was Superintendent of Police from December 1871 until April 1887. From May 1876 until August 1877, he was also Sheriff of Western Australia. He was later responsible for setting up a Royal Mail Coach Service between Perth and Bunbury
.
When the Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
, Malcolm Fraser
took leave, Smith was appointed acting Colonial Secretary on 8 December 1885. As acting Colonial Secretary, Smith was also entitled to a seat in the Western Australian Legislative Council
, to which he was appointed on 18 June 1886. He held both positions until his death in Albany
on 18 April 1887.
Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually...
from 1885 to 1887.
Smith was born on 30 August 1836. Little is known of his early life. From 1854, he was an officer in the 44th Regiment; he served in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, before retiring as a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1867. That year, he married Elizabeth Nolan in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and they would have at least one son.
In June 1868, Smith emigrated to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on board the Lady Louisa. On arrival in Western Australia, he worked for three years as a clerk in the Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
branch of the National Bank of Australia. In 1871, he became a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and thereafter he was Superintendent of Police from December 1871 until April 1887. From May 1876 until August 1877, he was also Sheriff of Western Australia. He was later responsible for setting up a Royal Mail Coach Service between Perth and Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
.
When the Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually...
, Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser (surveyor)
Sir Malcolm Fraser KCMG was a powerful public servant in colonial Western Australia in the 1870s and 1880s.Malcolm Fraser was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1834. Nothing is known of his early life, except that he must have qualified as a surveyor at some stage, and that he emigrated to New...
took leave, Smith was appointed acting Colonial Secretary on 8 December 1885. As acting Colonial Secretary, Smith was also entitled to a seat in the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
, to which he was appointed on 18 June 1886. He held both positions until his death in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
on 18 April 1887.