Parliamentary activity
Information about members' parliamentary service including their positions held and biography.
Positions
| Position | Start | End | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Legislative Council | Tue 08 July 1873 | Wed 20 January 1892 | 18 years 6 months 13 days | |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council | Tue 02 July 1867 | Wed 20 January 1892 | 24 years 6 months 19 days | Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 26 June 1867. |
| Fisheries Act Amendment Bill Committee No.20 | Fri 02 November 1866 | Sun 02 December 1866 | 1 month 1 day | |
| Alleged Irregularity in Registration of a Deed Committee No.17 | Wed 31 October 1866 | Thu 08 November 1866 | 9 days | |
| Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.18 | Wed 31 October 1866 | Thu 08 November 1866 | 9 days | |
| Railway from Echuca to Deniliquin Committee No.10 | Fri 21 September 1866 | Thu 20 December 1866 | 3 months | |
| Church of England Property Management Bill Committee No.8 | Thu 26 July 1866 | Wed 22 December 1886 | 20 years 4 months 27 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 25 July 1866 | Mon 18 March 1867 | 7 months 22 days | |
| Library Committee No.2 | Wed 25 July 1866 | Mon 18 March 1867 | 7 months 22 days | |
| Reserves under Crown Lands Alienation Act Committee No.15 | Fri 23 February 1866 | Wed 04 April 1866 | 1 month 13 days | |
| Library Committee No.2 | Wed 25 October 1865 | Sat 07 April 1866 | 5 months 14 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 25 October 1865 | Wed 06 December 1865 | 1 month 12 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Wed 08 March 1865 | Wed 21 June 1865 | 3 months 14 days | |
| Library Committee No.5 | Wed 08 March 1865 | Wed 21 June 1865 | 3 months 14 days | |
| Member for Central Cumberland | Sat 26 November 1864 | Mon 27 May 1867 | 2 years 6 months 2 days | |
| Library Committee No.3 | Wed 19 October 1864 | Wed 09 November 1864 | 22 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Wed 19 October 1864 | Wed 09 November 1864 | 22 days | |
| Library Committee No.3 | Wed 24 June 1863 | Thu 31 March 1864 | 9 months 8 days | The Speaker |
| Library Committee No.3 | Wed 24 June 1863 | Thu 31 March 1864 | 9 months 8 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Wed 24 June 1863 | Thu 10 December 1863 | 5 months 17 days | The Speaker |
| Library Committee No.3 | Tue 24 March 1863 | Thu 31 March 1864 | 1 year 8 days | The Speaker |
| Speaker of the Legislative Assembly | Tue 14 October 1862 | Tue 31 October 1865 | 3 years 18 days | |
| Mount Pleasant Tramroad Bill Committee No.36 | Tue 07 October 1862 | Fri 17 October 1862 | 11 days | |
| Morehead and Young’s Railway Bill Committee No.28 | Tue 02 September 1862 | Wed 15 October 1862 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Gibson’s Estate Bill Committee No.27 | Tue 02 September 1862 | Thu 04 September 1862 | 3 days | |
| Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.25 | Tue 12 August 1862 | Tue 18 November 1862 | 3 months 7 days | |
| Slaughter of Cattle under Cattle Disease Prevention Act Committee No.17 | Tue 05 August 1862 | Tue 02 December 1862 | 3 months 28 days | |
| Mr J.E Liardet Committee No.14 | Tue 22 July 1862 | Sat 20 December 1862 | 4 months 29 days | |
| Management of the Central Police Office Committee No.13 | Tue 08 July 1862 | Fri 12 December 1862 | 5 months 5 days | |
| Pilot Board Committee No.9 | Tue 17 June 1862 | Tue 07 October 1862 | 3 months 21 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 | Tue 10 June 1862 | Tue 02 September 1862 | 2 months 24 days | |
| Land Titles Declaration Bill Committee No.8 | Tue 10 June 1862 | Tue 02 September 1862 | 2 months 24 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 | Thu 29 May 1862 | Tue 17 June 1862 | 20 days | Chairman |
| Library Committee No.3 | Wed 28 May 1862 | Fri 01 August 1862 | 2 months 5 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Wed 28 May 1862 | Wed 28 May 1862 | 1 day | |
| System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 | Tue 12 November 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 2 months 9 days | |
| Presbyterian Church Temporalities Act of 1837 Committee No.17 | Fri 01 November 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 2 months 20 days | |
| Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Supplementary Bill Committee No.14 | Fri 18 October 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 3 days | |
| Maitland and Morpeth Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.12 | Wed 09 October 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 12 days | |
| Mr A.E Bush Committee No.13 | Tue 08 October 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 13 days | |
| Mr F.W Birmingham Committee No.10 | Tue 01 October 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 20 days | |
| Richmond Bridge Company’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.11 | Tue 01 October 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 20 days | |
| Benevolent Asylum, Sydney Committee No.8 | Fri 27 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 25 days | |
| Wagga Wagga Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.7 | Fri 27 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 3 months 25 days | |
| Distribution of Relief to Sufferers by last Flood at Windsor Committee No.5 | Tue 17 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 4 months 4 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 | Fri 06 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 4 months 15 days | |
| Library Committee No.3 | Wed 04 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 4 months 17 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Wed 04 September 1861 | Mon 20 January 1862 | 4 months 17 days | |
| Privilege Committee No.29 | Thu 04 April 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 1 month 8 days | |
| Sydney Revenues Improvement Bill Committee No.25 | Fri 01 March 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 2 months 11 days | |
| State and Management of the Sydney Domain Committee No.20 | Tue 19 February 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 2 months 23 days | |
| Wahgunyah Murray Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.21 | Tue 19 February 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 2 months 23 days | Chairman |
| Colonial Bank of Australasia Incorporation Bill Committee No.6 | Fri 18 January 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 3 months 24 days | |
| Shoalhaven Municipality – (Petition of Alex Berry, Esquire) Committee No.5 | Thu 17 January 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 3 months 25 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.9 | Wed 16 January 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 3 months 26 days | Chairman |
| Library Committee No.3 | Tue 15 January 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 3 months 27 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Tue 15 January 1861 | Sat 11 May 1861 | 3 months 27 days | |
| Member for Murray | Wed 19 December 1860 | Thu 10 November 1864 | 3 years 10 months 23 days | |
| Petition of Mr Alexander Berry Committee No.9 | Fri 12 October 1860 | Fri 09 November 1860 | 29 days | |
| Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.5 | Fri 28 September 1860 | Fri 09 November 1860 | 1 month 13 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Thu 27 September 1860 | Fri 09 November 1860 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Library Committee No.3 | Thu 27 September 1860 | Fri 09 November 1860 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.41 | Fri 13 April 1860 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 2 months 22 days | Chairman |
| Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.38 | Tue 03 April 1860 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 3 months 2 days | |
| Hawkesbury Benevolent Society’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.35 | Thu 16 February 1860 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 4 months 19 days | |
| Petition of Alexander Berry, Esquire, Committee No.30 | Fri 03 February 1860 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 5 months 2 days | |
| Railway Management Committee No.28 | Tue 13 December 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 6 months 22 days | |
| St Andrew’s College Bill Committee No.24 | Fri 14 October 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 8 months 21 days | Chairman |
| Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 | Thu 13 October 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 8 months 22 days | |
| Wesley College Bill Committee No.21 | Wed 12 October 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 8 months 23 days | |
| Condition of the Working Classes of the Metropolis Committee No.19 | Fri 30 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 6 days | |
| Pitt-street Tramway Bill Committee No.18 | Thu 29 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 6 days | |
| Case of James Hibburd Committee No.16 | Fri 23 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 12 days | |
| Claims of Mr David Morris and others Committee No.11 | Tue 20 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 15 days | |
| Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.7 | Wed 14 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 21 days | |
| Sydney Grammar School Committee No.6 | Tue 13 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 9 months 22 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 | Fri 02 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 10 months 3 days | |
| Library Committee No.3 | Thu 01 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 10 months 4 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Thu 01 September 1859 | Wed 04 July 1860 | 10 months 4 days | |
| Member for Murray | Wed 22 June 1859 | Thu 10 November 1864 | 5 years 4 months 20 days | |
| Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.10 | Thu 17 March 1859 | Sat 09 April 1859 | 24 days | |
| Vacant Seat – Question of Privilege Committee No.9 | Thu 03 March 1859 | Sat 09 April 1859 | 1 month 7 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 | Thu 09 December 1858 | Sat 09 April 1859 | 4 months 1 day | |
| Railway Accident Committee No.28 | Wed 14 July 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 4 months 13 days | |
| Proposed Presbyterian College (petition) from the Reverend John Dunmore Lang Committee No.26 | Tue 13 July 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 4 months 14 days | |
| Seizure of Gold on board the ‘Ethereal’ and ‘May Nicholson’ Committee No.21 | Tue 15 June 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 5 months 12 days | |
| Australian Gas Light Company’s Bill Committee No.18 | Tue 18 May 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 6 months 9 days | |
| Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.19 | Tue 18 May 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 6 months 9 days | |
| Management of the Survey Department Committee No.15 | Fri 30 April 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 6 months 28 days | |
| Bathurst School of Arts Bill Committee No.16 | Fri 30 April 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 6 months 28 days | |
| Registration and Preservation of Records Committee No.13 | Fri 23 April 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 7 months 4 days | |
| Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 | Fri 16 April 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 7 months 11 days | |
| Navigation of the Murray, & c. Committee No.8 | Tue 13 April 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 7 months 14 days | |
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 | Fri 26 March 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 8 months 1 day | |
| The Library Committee No.3 | Thu 25 March 1858 | Fri 26 November 1858 | 8 months 2 days | |
| Member for Murrumbidgee | Tue 09 February 1858 | Mon 11 April 1859 | 1 year 2 months 3 days | |
| Seizure of Gold Dust on board the “Ethereal” Committee No.18 | Fri 04 December 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 15 days | |
| Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.13 | Fri 30 October 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 1 month 19 days | |
| Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 | Fri 30 October 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 1 month 19 days | |
| Navigation of the Murray and its Effluents Committee No.10 | Tue 27 October 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 1 month 22 days | |
| Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 | Thu 27 August 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 3 months 22 days | |
| Audit of the Accounts of the Revenues Committee | Wed 12 August 1857 | Fri 18 December 1857 | 4 months 7 days | |
| Governor General’s Opening Speech | Tue 11 August 1857 | Tue 11 August 1857 | 1 day | |
| Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.27 | Fri 20 February 1857 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 27 days | |
| Railway Terminus and Wharfs at Newcastle Committee No.25 | Tue 09 December 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 3 months 10 days | |
| Sole Commissioner of Railways Incorporation Bill Committee No.22 | Wed 19 November 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 4 months | |
| Civil Service Superannuation Fund Committee No.19 | Tue 11 November 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 4 months 8 days | |
| Administration of Justice and Conduct of Official Business in Country Districts Committee No.20 | Tue 11 November 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 4 months 8 days | |
| Native Police Force Committee No.17 | Sat 08 November 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 4 months 11 days | |
| Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 | Fri 31 October 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 4 months 19 days | |
| Member for Murrumbidgee | Tue 14 October 1856 | Sat 19 December 1857 | 1 year 2 months 6 days | |
| Secretary for Lands and Works | Fri 03 October 1856 | Mon 07 September 1857 | 11 months 5 days | |
| Australian Trust Company’s Bill Committee No.13 | Fri 19 September 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 6 months | |
| Additional Ministerial Department Committee No.12 | Wed 20 August 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 6 months 27 days | |
| City Commissioners’ Department Committee No.7 | Tue 12 August 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 7 months 7 days | |
| Audit of the Revenue Accounts Committee No.6 | Wed 06 August 1856 | Wed 18 March 1857 | 7 months 13 days | |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly | Wed 16 April 1856 | Mon 27 May 1867 | 11 years 1 month 12 days | |
| Member for Murrumbidgee | Wed 16 April 1856 | Fri 03 October 1856 | 5 months 18 days |
Biography
Honours Received
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1878.
Personal information
Son of John Hay, farmer, and Jean Mair. Married in 1838 with Mary Chalmers and had no issue. Anglican.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist . Educated at King's College, University of Aberdeen (MA 1834). Studied law in Edinburgh, but abandoned it. Arrived in Sydney with wife l July 1838. Soon settled at Welaragang, 22,250 acres on Upper Murray, in partnership with brother-in-law James Chalmers. By 1857 had other runs in Murrumbidgee district totalling over 200,000 acres; also had Boollowkeena in Albert district, 28,800 acres. Chairman of the Mercantile Bank of Sydney, 1874. Director of the Australian Mutual Provident Society and of European Assurance Society. Lived in Sydney after 1856. President of the Highland Society of New South Wales. Vice-President of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales. Vice-President of the Australian Club. A founder Union Club; Vice-President of the New South Wales commissions for exhibitions at Philadelphia, Paris, Sydney, and Amsterdam. Opposed Riverina separation.
Additional information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1.
David Berry - papers, 1808 - 1946, including papers of Alexander and John
Berry, and of the trustees of the estates of David Berry and Sir John Hay (A
5373); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. David Perry - papers of the
trustees of the Berry and Hay Estates, 1875 - 1951 (A5374). 3. Berry and Hay
Estates - records, 1884 - 1950 (MLMSS676) 4. Berry family - papers of the
Berry, Wollstonecraft and Hay afmilies, 1741 - 1941. (MLMSS 15). Photographs in
the PICMAN Database.
Text from the book "The Presiding Officers of Parliament of New South Wales"
Sydney 1995
John Hay was born on 22 June 1816 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He abandoned a
promising legal career and emigrated with his new wife, Mary Chalmers, to New
South Wales in 1838. Settling on the Upper Murray, he became a successful and
wealthy squatter with pastoral interests spread throughout the Murrumbidgee and
Albert districts.
In 1856 he entered the first Legislative Assembly under responsible Government
as the Member for The Murrumbidgee, and in 1859 was elected as the Member for
The Murray. After vigorous opposition to the division of the Riverina district,
he resigned as the Member for The Murray and successfully contested the seat of
Central Cumberland. Despite the success of his no confidence motion against the
Cowper Government in 1856, Hay declined to form his own ministry, but accepting
the portfolio of Secretary of Lands and Works in the Parker Ministry. Elected
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1862, he held this position until 1865
and two years later resigned from the Assembly to take up an appointment in the
Upper House. As a vocal critic of John Robertson's land policy, Hay actively
sought to block the passage of the act through the Parliament and was
successful in preventing the policy of `free selection before survey' from
becoming part of the Crown Lands Alienation Bill. Appointed President of the
Council in 18'73, Hay worked within the framework of the newly constituted
Council and conducted his responsibilities with great fairness and
impartiality; he held this position until his death in 1892. As a central
figure in the first decades of responsible government he provided direction
through his rulings and a basis for the development of procedural traditions.
He died 20 January 1892 at Rose Bay in Sydney.