Sir Joseph Hector McNeil CARRUTHERS (1857 - 1932)**

Date of Birth: 21/12/1857 Place of Birth: Kiama, New South Wales, Australia Date of Death: 10/12/1932 Place of Death: Waverley, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 12 Feb 1887 22 Apr 1908 21yr(s) 2mth(s) 11day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 28 Oct 1908 10 Dec 1932 24yr(s) 1mth(s) 13day(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 7 October 1908. Member for Canterbury 12 Feb 1887 19 Jan 1889 1yr(s) 11mth(s) 8day(s) 13th (1887 - 1889) Member for Canterbury 2 Feb 1889 8 Mar 1889 1mth(s) 7day(s) 14th (1889 - 1891) Member for Canterbury 18 Mar 1889 6 Jun 1891 2yr(s) 2mth(s) 20day(s) 14th (1889 - 1891) Member for Canterbury 17 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3yr(s) 9day(s) 15th (1891 - 1894) Member for St George 17 Jul 1894 3 Aug 1894 18day(s) 16th (1894 - 1895) Member for St George 8 Aug 1894 5 Jul 1895 10mth(s) 28day(s) 16th (1894 - 1895) Member for St George 24 Jul 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 15day(s) 17th (1895 - 1898) Member for St George 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 16day(s) 18th (1898 - 1901) Member for St George 3 Jul 1901 16 Jul 1904 3yr(s) 14day(s) 19th (1901 - 1904) Member for St George 6 Aug 1904 30 Aug 1904 25day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for St George 6 Sep 1904 19 Aug 1907 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 14day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for St George 10 Sep 1907 22 Apr 1908 7mth(s) 13day(s) 21st (1907 - 1910) Minister of Public Instruction 8 Mar 1889 22 Oct 1891 2yr(s) 7mth(s) 15day(s) Secretary for Lands 3 Aug 1894 3 Jul 1899 4yr(s) 11mth(s) 1day(s) Colonial Treasurer 3 Jul 1899 13 Sep 1899 2mth(s) 11day(s) Colonial Treasurer 29 Aug 1904 1 Oct 1907 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 3day(s) Premier of New South Wales 30 Aug 1904 1 Oct 1907 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 2day(s) Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government 20 Dec 1921 20 Dec 1921 1day(s) (Ministry resigned same day) Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government 13 Apr 1922 17 Jun 1925 3yr(s) 2mth(s) 5day(s) Granted title of 'Honourable' for life. Saywell’s Tramway Bill Committee No.6 17 Mar 1887 23 Mar 1887 7days 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman Mittagong Coal Mining Company’s Railway Act Amendment Bill Committee No.24 18 May 1887 8 Jun 1887 22days 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman Parliamentary Hansard Committee No.28 9 Jun 1887 12 Jul 1887 1mth 4days 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 20 Sep 1887 20 Sep 1887 1day 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.8 28 Sep 1887 18 Oct 1887 21days 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman Combination Trucks Committee No.25 8 Nov 1887 20 Jul 1888 8mths 13days 13th (1887 - 1889) The Chinese Committee No.37 20 Dec 1887 24 Jul 1888 7mths 5days 13th (1887 - 1889) Saint Saviour’s Glebe Land Leasing Bill Committee No.40 22 Dec 1887 1 Mar 1888 2mths 9days 13th (1887 - 1889) Deduction from Wages of Employees for Medical Attendance Committee No.50 27 Mar 1888 24 Jul 1888 3mths 28days 13th (1887 - 1889) Trades Conciliation Bill Committee No.53 17 Apr 1888 2 Oct 1890 2yrs 5mths 16days 14th (1889 - 1891) Sydney and Suburban Hydraulic Power Company’s Bill Committee No.57 2 May 1888 6 Jun 1888 1mth 5days 13th (1887 - 1889) Work of Unemployed on Roads at Hornsby and Holt Sutherland Estate Committee No.7 15 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 2mths 2days 13th (1887 - 1889) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 1 Mar 1889 25 Apr 1889 1mth 25days 13th (1887 - 1889) Working of the Fisheries Act Committee No.13 21 May 1889 27 Aug 1889 3mths 7days 14th (1889 - 1891) Tumut School of Arts Site Sale Bill Committee No.30 27 Aug 1890 4 Sep 1890 9days 14th (1889 - 1891) Hay Athenaeum Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.48 18 Dec 1890 20 Dec 1890 3days 14th (1889 - 1891) Albury Mechanics Institute Enabling Bill Committee No.6 30 Jul 1891 6 Aug 1891 8days 15th (1891 - 1894) Casino School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.9 5 Aug 1891 17 Sep 1891 1mth 13days 15th (1891 - 1894) Australasian Mining Exchange of Sydney Bill Committee No.35 15 Feb 1892 23 Feb 1892 9days 15th (1891 - 1894) Vice Suppression Bill Committee No.11 25 Oct 1892 18 Oct 1892 15th (1891 - 1894) Calaghan’s Conditional Purchases, Braidwood and Queanbeyan Committee No.22 1 Mar 1893 2 Mar 1893 2days 15th (1891 - 1894) Children’s Protection Act Amendment Bill Committee No.9 20 Feb 1894 5 Jun 1894 3mths 17days 16th (1894 - 1895) Homestead Protection Bill Committee No.12 3 Apr 1894 18 Apr 1894 16days 16th (1894 - 1895) Selection made by James Connolly, at Tamworth. Standing Orders Committee No. 6 4 Sep 1894 5 Jul 1895 10mths 2days 16th (1894 - 1895) Cootamundra Racecourse Bill. Committee No. 7 30 Oct 1894 5 Jul 1895 8mths 6days 16th (1894 - 1895) Nepean Cottage Hospital Bill. Committee No. 8 13 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 23days 16th (1894 - 1895) Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 9 13 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 23days 16th (1894 - 1895) Presbyterian Church Property Management Amendment Bill. Committee No. 10 22 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 14days 16th (1894 - 1895) Conditional Purchase made by George Vincent, in the District of Gundagai. Committee No. 17 19 Apr 1895 5 Jul 1895 2mths 17days 16th (1894 - 1895) Selection made by Martin Tully Committee No.8 17 Sep 1895 17 Oct 1895 1mth 1day 17th (1895 - 1898) Narrandera Roman Catholic Church Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.15 2 Jul 1896 22 Jul 1896 21days 17th (1895 - 1898) Annual Leases of Owen McCosker, Cope’s Creek Committee No.16 14 Jul 1896 29 Oct 1896 3mths 16days 17th (1895 - 1898) Land fronting Throsby and Cottage Creeks, sold by A.A Dangar, Esquire Committee No.18 28 Jul 1896 16 Nov 1896 3mths 20days 17th (1895 - 1898) Ryan’s Conditional Purchase in the Wagga Wagga Land District Committee No.21 4 Aug 1896 10 Sep 1896 1mth 7days 17th (1895 - 1898) Gore and Artarmon Estates, North Shore Committee No.22 11 Aug 1896 12 Nov 1896 3mths 2days 17th (1895 - 1898) Pitt Town Settlement Committee No.30 6 Oct 1896 12 Nov 1896 1mth 7days 17th (1895 - 1898) Selection made by James Connelly, at Tamworth Committee No.35 20 Oct 1896 11 Nov 1896 23days 17th (1895 - 1898) Land Fronting Throsby and Cottage Creek sold by A.A. Dangar, Esq. Committee No. 9 30 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3mths 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Estate of the late S.M Swift of Petersham Committee No.3 1 Aug 1899 21 Dec 1899 4mths 21days 18th (1898 - 1901) Library Committee No.4 8 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4mths 13days 19th (1901 - 1904) Claims of Robert Roberts, late bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Office Committee No.14 20 Nov 1901 19 Dec 1901 30days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.3 17 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.5 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Standing Orders Committee No.4 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Standing Orders Committee No.3 21 Sep 1904 9 Nov 1904 1mth 20days 19th (1901 - 1904) Printing Committee No.6 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Refreshment Committee No.5 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.4 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Government Savings Bill Committee No.13 2 Dec 1904 6 Dec 1904 5days 19th (1901 - 1904) Chairman Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 12days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.3 28 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 12days 20th (1904 - 1907) Claim of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder, Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.16 12 Sep 1905 25 Oct 1905 1mth 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Sydney Corporation Amendment Bill Committee No.22 15 Nov 1905 28 Nov 1905 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.3 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 9days 20th (1904 - 1907) Library Committee No.2 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 9days 20th (1904 - 1907) Claim of Electric Tram-driver Arthur Simpson for improvements fitted to Steam Motors Committee No.8 13 Sep 1906 13 Nov 1906 2mths 1day 20th (1904 - 1907) David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.14 22 Nov 1906 6 Dec 1906 15days 20th (1904 - 1907) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.4 9 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4days 20th (1904 - 1907) Library Committee No.3 9 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4days 20th (1904 - 1907)

Community Activity

Foundation Member of the University Debating and Literary Society 1874 (it is assumed that this refers to Sydney University; unfortunately the Parliamentary Archives can find no mention of this Society in the Sydney University Archives). Member Sydney School of Arts Debating Society. Founder St George School of Arts. Trustee National Park from 1891 and of National Art Gallery from 1899. Chairman of trustees of Cook's Landing Place, Kurnell. Represented Australia at celebrations of Cook's landing, Hawaii, 1928. President of New South Wales Chamber of Agriculture. Member Royal Agriculture Society of New South Wales. President of New South Wales Cricket Association 1907, Chairman of Trustees. Senior Vice President of Rugby Football Union.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (solicitor). Educated at William Street and Fort Street schools, Sydney; then boarder at George Metcalf's Goulburn High School. University of Sydney (B.A 1876, M.A 1878). Articled to A.H. McCulloch (q.v.); Admitted as solicitor 28 June 1879 and started practice. Soon began to invest in land and acquired grazing properties Jindabyne W. and Hiawatha in the Monaro district, and other country and city property. Trustee Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company Limited 1911- 1932. Director of Kembla Grange Racecourse Limited, Moorefield Racecourse Limited, Timor Oil Company, National Insurance Company, Mudgee Slate Company, Monaro Community Settlement Co-operative Society, and Australia Widows' Fund. Associated with 'Million Farms' campaign after World War I. Active in instituting Empire Day (now Commonwealth Day) in 1905. Author of 'Captain James Cook Royal Navy: one hundred and fifty years after', 1930. Estate valued for probate at £19,490. Recreational interests included bowls, shooting and fishing.

Honours Received

Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 1904 (KCMG). Honorary LLD at St Andrews University, Scotland in 1908.

Personal

Fifth son of John Carruthers, farmer and Scottish immigrant, and his wife Charlotte Prince. Married (1) Louise Marion Roberts on 10 December 1879, daughter of William Roberts, solicitor, and they had issue. Divorced in 1895. Married (2) Alice Burnett on 15 January 1898, daughter of Alexander Burnett, Superintendent of Mails in Sydney, and had issue, 3 sons and 4 daughters. Protestant.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7 Beverly Earnshaw, 'One Flag, One Hope, One Destiny: Sir Joseph Carruthers and Australian Federation' 2000 Carruthers Collection, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (ML MSS 1638 and ML MSS 2914; pictorial material at Picture Acc. 1422) PRS 84.LA/P - Legislative Assembly, Carruthers Collection, 1889 - 1905 (New South Wales Parliamentary Archives). Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. J.H Carruthers - papers, 1870 - 1924 (MLMSS 2914); 2. J.H Carruthers - papers, 1778 - 1948 (MLMSS 1638); 3. J.H Carruthers - letterbook 1910 August 3 - 1911 March 9 (MLMSS 3141). Photographs in the PICMAN Database.

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