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Member Details

Sir Joseph Hector McNeil CARRUTHERS, KCMG, MA, LLD (1857 - 1932)

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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
Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government 13 Apr 1922 17 Jun 1925 3 years 2 months 5 days Granted title of 'Honourable' for life.
Vice-President of Executive Council and Representative of Government 20 Dec 1921 20 Dec 1921 1 day (Ministry resigned same day)
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 28 Oct 1908 10 Dec 1932 24 years 1 month 13 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 7 October 1908.
Member for St George 10 Sep 1907 22 Apr 1908 7 months 13 days
Library Committee No.3 09 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 09 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4 days
David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.14 22 Nov 1906 06 Dec 1906 15 days Chairman
Claim of Electric Tram-driver Arthur Simpson for improvements fitted to Steam Motors Committee No.8 13 Sep 1906 13 Nov 1906 2 months 1 day
Library Committee No.2 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5 months 9 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5 months 9 days
Sydney Corporation Amendment Bill Committee No.22 15 Nov 1905 28 Nov 1905 14 days
Claim of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder, Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.16 12 Sep 1905 25 Oct 1905 1 month 14 days
Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1905 09 Dec 1905 5 months 12 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 28 Jun 1905 09 Dec 1905 5 months 12 days
Government Savings Bill Committee No.13 02 Dec 1904 06 Dec 1904 5 days Chairman
Library Committee No.4 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3 months 4 days
Printing Committee No.6 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3 months 4 days
Refreshment Committee No.5 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3 months 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 21 Sep 1904 09 Nov 1904 1 month 20 days
Member for St George 06 Sep 1904 19 Aug 1907 2 years 11 months 14 days
Premier of New South Wales 30 Aug 1904 01 Oct 1907 3 years 1 month 2 days
Colonial Treasurer 29 Aug 1904 01 Oct 1907 3 years 1 month 3 days
Member for St George 06 Aug 1904 30 Aug 1904 25 days
Library Committee No.5 01 Jul 1903 01 Dec 1903 5 months 1 day
Standing Orders Committee No.4 01 Jul 1903 01 Dec 1903 5 months 1 day
Library Committee No.3 17 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6 months 4 days
Claims of Robert Roberts, late bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Office Committee No.14 20 Nov 1901 19 Dec 1901 1 month
Library Committee No.4 08 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4 months 13 days
Member for St George 03 Jul 1901 16 Jul 1904 3 years 14 days
Estate of the late S.M Swift of Petersham Committee No.3 01 Aug 1899 21 Dec 1899 4 months 21 days
Colonial Treasurer 03 Jul 1899 13 Sep 1899 2 months 11 days
Land Fronting Throsby and Cottage Creek sold by A.A. Dangar, Esq. Committee No. 9 30 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3 months 24 days
Member for St George 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2 years 10 months 16 days
Selection made by James Connelly, at Tamworth Committee No.35 20 Oct 1896 11 Nov 1896 23 days
Pitt Town Settlement Committee No.30 06 Oct 1896 12 Nov 1896 1 month 7 days
Gore and Artarmon Estates, North Shore Committee No.22 11 Aug 1896 12 Nov 1896 3 months 2 days
Ryan’s Conditional Purchase in the Wagga Wagga Land District Committee No.21 04 Aug 1896 10 Sep 1896 1 month 7 days
Land fronting Throsby and Cottage Creeks, sold by A.A Dangar, Esquire Committee No.18 28 Jul 1896 16 Nov 1896 3 months 20 days
Annual Leases of Owen McCosker, Cope’s Creek Committee No.16 14 Jul 1896 29 Oct 1896 3 months 16 days
Narrandera Roman Catholic Church Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.15 02 Jul 1896 22 Jul 1896 21 days
Selection made by Martin Tully Committee No.8 17 Sep 1895 17 Oct 1895 1 month 1 day
Member for St George 24 Jul 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 15 days
Conditional Purchase made by George Vincent, in the District of Gundagai. Committee No. 17 19 Apr 1895 05 Jul 1895 2 months 17 days
Presbyterian Church Property Management Amendment Bill. Committee No. 10 22 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 14 days
Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 9 13 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 23 days
Nepean Cottage Hospital Bill. Committee No. 8 13 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 23 days
Cootamundra Racecourse Bill. Committee No. 7 30 Oct 1894 05 Jul 1895 8 months 6 days
Selection made by James Connolly, at Tamworth. Standing Orders Committee No. 6 04 Sep 1894 05 Jul 1895 10 months 2 days
Member for St George 08 Aug 1894 05 Jul 1895 10 months 28 days
Secretary for Lands 03 Aug 1894 03 Jul 1899 4 years 11 months 1 day
Member for St George 17 Jul 1894 03 Aug 1894 18 days
Homestead Protection Bill Committee No.12 03 Apr 1894 18 Apr 1894 16 days
Children’s Protection Act Amendment Bill Committee No.9 20 Feb 1894 05 Jun 1894 3 months 17 days
Calaghan’s Conditional Purchases, Braidwood and Queanbeyan Committee No.22 01 Mar 1893 02 Mar 1893 2 days
Vice Suppression Bill Committee No.11 25 Oct 1892 18 Oct 1892 0 days
Australasian Mining Exchange of Sydney Bill Committee No.35 15 Feb 1892 23 Feb 1892 9 days
Casino School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.9 05 Aug 1891 17 Sep 1891 1 month 13 days
Albury Mechanics Institute Enabling Bill Committee No.6 30 Jul 1891 06 Aug 1891 8 days
Member for Canterbury 17 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3 years 9 days
Hay Athenaeum Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.48 18 Dec 1890 20 Dec 1890 3 days
Tumut School of Arts Site Sale Bill Committee No.30 27 Aug 1890 04 Sep 1890 9 days
Working of the Fisheries Act Committee No.13 21 May 1889 27 Aug 1889 3 months 7 days
Member for Canterbury 18 Mar 1889 06 Jun 1891 2 years 2 months 20 days
Minister of Public Instruction 08 Mar 1889 22 Oct 1891 2 years 7 months 15 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 01 Mar 1889 25 Apr 1889 1 month 28 days
Member for Canterbury 02 Feb 1889 08 Mar 1889 1 month 7 days
Work of Unemployed on Roads at Hornsby and Holt Sutherland Estate Committee No.7 15 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 2 months 2 days
Sydney and Suburban Hydraulic Power Company’s Bill Committee No.57 02 May 1888 06 Jun 1888 1 month 5 days
Trades Conciliation Bill Committee No.53 17 Apr 1888 02 Oct 1890 2 years 5 months 16 days
Deduction from Wages of Employees for Medical Attendance Committee No.50 27 Mar 1888 24 Jul 1888 3 months 28 days
Saint Saviour’s Glebe Land Leasing Bill Committee No.40 22 Dec 1887 01 Mar 1888 2 months 9 days
The Chinese Committee No.37 20 Dec 1887 24 Jul 1888 7 months 5 days
Combination Trucks Committee No.25 08 Nov 1887 20 Jul 1888 8 months 13 days
Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.8 28 Sep 1887 18 Oct 1887 21 days Chairman
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 20 Sep 1887 20 Sep 1887 1 day Chairman
Parliamentary Hansard Committee No.28 09 Jun 1887 12 Jul 1887 1 month 4 days Chairman
Mittagong Coal Mining Company’s Railway Act Amendment Bill Committee No.24 18 May 1887 08 Jun 1887 22 days Chairman
Saywell’s Tramway Bill Committee No.6 17 Mar 1887 23 Mar 1887 7 days Chairman
Member for Canterbury 12 Feb 1887 19 Jan 1889 1 year 11 months 8 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 12 Feb 1887 22 Apr 1908 21 years 2 months 11 days
Political Party Activity
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.
Military Service
Honours Received
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 1904 (KCMG). Honorary LLD at St Andrews University, Scotland in 1908.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
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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