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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 Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly12 Feb 188722 Apr 190821yr(s) 2mth(s) 11day(s)
Member of the NSW Legislative Council28 Oct 190810 Dec 193224yr(s) 1mth(s) 13day(s)Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 7 October 1908.
Member for Canterbury12 Feb 188719 Jan 18891yr(s) 11mth(s) 8day(s)13th (1887 - 1889)
Member for Canterbury2 Feb 18898 Mar 18891mth(s) 7day(s)14th (1889 - 1891)
Member for Canterbury18 Mar 18896 Jun 18912yr(s) 2mth(s) 20day(s)14th (1889 - 1891)
Member for Canterbury17 Jun 189125 Jun 18943yr(s) 9day(s)15th (1891 - 1894)
Member for St George17 Jul 18943 Aug 189418day(s)16th (1894 - 1895)
Member for St George8 Aug 18945 Jul 189510mth(s) 28day(s)16th (1894 - 1895)
Member for St George24 Jul 18958 Jul 18982yr(s) 11mth(s) 15day(s)17th (1895 - 1898)
Member for St George27 Jul 189811 Jun 19012yr(s) 10mth(s) 16day(s)18th (1898 - 1901)
Member for St George3 Jul 190116 Jul 19043yr(s) 14day(s)19th (1901 - 1904)
Member for St George6 Aug 190430 Aug 190425day(s)20th (1904 - 1907)
Member for St George6 Sep 190419 Aug 19072yr(s) 11mth(s) 14day(s)20th (1904 - 1907)
Member for St George10 Sep 190722 Apr 19087mth(s) 13day(s)21st (1907 - 1910)
Minister of Public Instruction8 Mar 188922 Oct 18912yr(s) 7mth(s) 15day(s)
Secretary for Lands3 Aug 18943 Jul 18994yr(s) 11mth(s) 1day(s)
Colonial Treasurer3 Jul 189913 Sep 18992mth(s) 11day(s)
Colonial Treasurer29 Aug 19041 Oct 19073yr(s) 1mth(s) 3day(s)
Premier of New South Wales30 Aug 19041 Oct 19073yr(s) 1mth(s) 2day(s)
Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government20 Dec 192120 Dec 19211day(s)(Ministry resigned same day)
Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government13 Apr 192217 Jun 19253yr(s) 2mth(s) 5day(s)Granted title of 'Honourable' for life.
Saywell’s Tramway Bill Committee No.617 Mar 188723 Mar 18877days13th (1887 - 1889)Chairman
Mittagong Coal Mining Company’s Railway Act Amendment Bill Committee No.2418 May 18878 Jun 188722days13th (1887 - 1889)Chairman
Parliamentary Hansard Committee No.289 Jun 188712 Jul 18871mth 4days13th (1887 - 1889)Chairman
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.120 Sep 188720 Sep 18871day13th (1887 - 1889)Chairman
Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.828 Sep 188718 Oct 188721days13th (1887 - 1889)Chairman
Combination Trucks Committee No.258 Nov 188720 Jul 18888mths 13days13th (1887 - 1889)
The Chinese Committee No.3720 Dec 188724 Jul 18887mths 5days13th (1887 - 1889)
Saint Saviour’s Glebe Land Leasing Bill Committee No.4022 Dec 18871 Mar 18882mths 9days13th (1887 - 1889)
Deduction from Wages of Employees for Medical Attendance Committee No.5027 Mar 188824 Jul 18883mths 28days13th (1887 - 1889)
Trades Conciliation Bill Committee No.5317 Apr 18882 Oct 18902yrs 5mths 16days14th (1889 - 1891)
Sydney and Suburban Hydraulic Power Company’s Bill Committee No.572 May 18886 Jun 18881mth 5days13th (1887 - 1889)
Work of Unemployed on Roads at Hornsby and Holt Sutherland Estate Committee No.715 Nov 188816 Jan 18892mths 2days13th (1887 - 1889)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.21 Mar 188925 Apr 18891mth 25days13th (1887 - 1889)
Working of the Fisheries Act Committee No.1321 May 188927 Aug 18893mths 7days14th (1889 - 1891)
Tumut School of Arts Site Sale Bill Committee No.3027 Aug 18904 Sep 18909days14th (1889 - 1891)
Hay Athenaeum Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.4818 Dec 189020 Dec 18903days14th (1889 - 1891)
Albury Mechanics Institute Enabling Bill Committee No.630 Jul 18916 Aug 18918days15th (1891 - 1894)
Casino School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.95 Aug 189117 Sep 18911mth 13days15th (1891 - 1894)
Australasian Mining Exchange of Sydney Bill Committee No.3515 Feb 189223 Feb 18929days15th (1891 - 1894)
Vice Suppression Bill Committee No.1125 Oct 189218 Oct 189215th (1891 - 1894)
Calaghan’s Conditional Purchases, Braidwood and Queanbeyan Committee No.221 Mar 18932 Mar 18932days15th (1891 - 1894)
Children’s Protection Act Amendment Bill Committee No.920 Feb 18945 Jun 18943mths 17days16th (1894 - 1895)
Homestead Protection Bill Committee No.123 Apr 189418 Apr 189416days16th (1894 - 1895)
Selection made by James Connolly, at Tamworth. Standing Orders Committee No. 64 Sep 18945 Jul 189510mths 2days16th (1894 - 1895)
Cootamundra Racecourse Bill. Committee No. 730 Oct 18945 Jul 18958mths 6days16th (1894 - 1895)
Nepean Cottage Hospital Bill. Committee No. 813 Nov 18945 Jul 18957mths 23days16th (1894 - 1895)
Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 913 Nov 18945 Jul 18957mths 23days16th (1894 - 1895)
Presbyterian Church Property Management Amendment Bill. Committee No. 1022 Nov 18945 Jul 18957mths 14days16th (1894 - 1895)
Conditional Purchase made by George Vincent, in the District of Gundagai. Committee No. 1719 Apr 18955 Jul 18952mths 17days16th (1894 - 1895)
Selection made by Martin Tully Committee No.817 Sep 189517 Oct 18951mth 1day17th (1895 - 1898)
Narrandera Roman Catholic Church Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.152 Jul 189622 Jul 189621days17th (1895 - 1898)
Annual Leases of Owen McCosker, Cope’s Creek Committee No.1614 Jul 189629 Oct 18963mths 16days17th (1895 - 1898)
Land fronting Throsby and Cottage Creeks, sold by A.A Dangar, Esquire Committee No.1828 Jul 189616 Nov 18963mths 20days17th (1895 - 1898)
Ryan’s Conditional Purchase in the Wagga Wagga Land District Committee No.214 Aug 189610 Sep 18961mth 7days17th (1895 - 1898)
Gore and Artarmon Estates, North Shore Committee No.2211 Aug 189612 Nov 18963mths 2days17th (1895 - 1898)
Pitt Town Settlement Committee No.306 Oct 189612 Nov 18961mth 7days17th (1895 - 1898)
Selection made by James Connelly, at Tamworth Committee No.3520 Oct 189611 Nov 189623days17th (1895 - 1898)
Land Fronting Throsby and Cottage Creek sold by A.A. Dangar, Esq. Committee No. 930 Aug 189823 Dec 18983mths 24days18th (1898 - 1901)
Estate of the late S.M Swift of Petersham Committee No.31 Aug 189921 Dec 18994mths 21days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.48 Aug 190120 Dec 19014mths 13days19th (1901 - 1904)
Claims of Robert Roberts, late bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Office Committee No.1420 Nov 190119 Dec 190130days19th (1901 - 1904)
Library Committee No.317 Jun 190220 Dec 19026mths 4days19th (1901 - 1904)
Library Committee No.51 Jul 19031 Dec 19035mths 1day19th (1901 - 1904)
Standing Orders Committee No.41 Jul 19031 Dec 19035mths 1day19th (1901 - 1904)
Standing Orders Committee No.321 Sep 19049 Nov 19041mth 20days19th (1901 - 1904)
Printing Committee No.621 Sep 190424 Dec 19043mths 4days19th (1901 - 1904)
Refreshment Committee No.521 Sep 190424 Dec 19043mths 4days19th (1901 - 1904)
Library Committee No.421 Sep 190424 Dec 19043mths 4days19th (1901 - 1904)
Government Savings Bill Committee No.132 Dec 19046 Dec 19045days19th (1901 - 1904)Chairman
Library Committee No.428 Jun 19059 Dec 19055mths 12days20th (1904 - 1907)
Standing Orders Committee No.328 Jun 19059 Dec 19055mths 12days20th (1904 - 1907)
Claim of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder, Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.1612 Sep 190525 Oct 19051mth 14days20th (1904 - 1907)
Sydney Corporation Amendment Bill Committee No.2215 Nov 190528 Nov 190514days20th (1904 - 1907)
Standing Orders Committee No.310 Jul 190618 Dec 19065mths 9days20th (1904 - 1907)
Library Committee No.210 Jul 190618 Dec 19065mths 9days20th (1904 - 1907)
Claim of Electric Tram-driver Arthur Simpson for improvements fitted to Steam Motors Committee No.813 Sep 190613 Nov 19062mths 1day20th (1904 - 1907)
David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.1422 Nov 19066 Dec 190615days20th (1904 - 1907)Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.49 Jul 190712 Jul 19074days20th (1904 - 1907)
Library Committee No.39 Jul 190712 Jul 19074days20th (1904 - 1907)

Community Activity

Foundation Member of University of Debating and Literary Society 1874. 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 include 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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