Dictionary of Australian Biography R

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always known as H. van Raalte, was born in London in 1881. His parents came from Holland. He was educated at the city of London school, at the Royal Academy schools, and later in Belgium and Holland. In 1901 he was elected an associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers, and in the same year had a picture hung at the Royal Academy exhibition. In 1902 there were full-page reproductions of an etching, and a dry-point by van Raalte in Modern Etching and Engraving, published by the Studio at London, highly competent and assured pieces of work, though he was then aged only 21. In 1910 he went to Western Australia and founded a school of art at Perth. He did many etchings and acquatints, often taking gum trees for his subjects, but it was some time before his work became known in the eastern states. He had an exhibition of his work at Perth in 1919 which was followed by another at Adelaide. In 1921 he was appointed curator of the art department at Adelaide, and in 1922 his title was changed to curator of the art gallery. He resigned in January 1926 owing to differences of outlook between him and the board of governors. He established a studio at Second Valley, South Australia, and lived there for the last three years of his life. Except for occasional fits of depression van Raalte was apparently in good health, and it was intended that he should hold an exhibition of his work at Adelaide about the end of 1929. On 4 November of that year he was found in the grounds of his house shot through the head, and he died on the same day, leaving a widow and three sons. Little is known of his painting in Australia but his etchings are often excellent. Examples of them will be found in the print-collections at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and at the British Museum, London.

was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, on 9 January 1813, and was educated at the grammar school, Marischal College, and Aberdeen university. He graduated M.A. in 1832. He studied law and in 1839 went to Australia to take up the position of secretary and accountant to the North British Australasian Loan and Investment Company. He arrived in Sydney on 8 December 1839 and became interested in the mechanics' school of arts; he delivered in connexion with it a series of lectures on "Taste" and "The English Language" in 1841. In 1842 he was responsible for the letterpress for Sydney Illustrated, and was appointed town clerk of Sydney on 27 July 1843, the second to occupy that position, but the first had been in office for only a few months. In August 1844 a fancy dress ball was given by the mayor of Sydney, the first of its kind in Australia. Rae wrote a long humorous and satirical poem on this event which was printed anonymously in four issues of the Sydney Morning Herald in April 1845. His first acknowledged publication was The Book of the Prophet Isaiah rendered into English Blank Verse, which was published in 1853. At the end of this year the Sydney corporation was abolished, and from 1 January 1854 the city was managed by three commissioners, of whom Rae was one. In 1856 J. T. Smith (q.v.), then mayor of Melbourne, endeavoured to have Rae appointed town clerk of Melbourne, but E. G. Fitzgibbon (q.v.) was chosen for the position. In April 1857 the city council of Sydney was again constituted, and in July Rae was appointed secretary and accountant to the railway commissioners. In January 1861 he became under-secretary for works and commissioner for railways. He published in 1869, Gleanings from my Scrap-Book in two series, collections of his work in verse, which were followed by Gleanings from My ScrapBook: Third Series, dated 1874. This consisted of the "The Mayor's Fancy Ball" already referred to. The three series were printed by the author himself, and are remarkably good examples of amateur printing. In 1877 Rae gave up the office of commissioner for railways, and in 1888 he became a member of the civil service board. He retired in 1893 at the age of 80, but retained his active mind until his death at Sydney on 15 July 1900. He married in 1845 Elizabeth Thompson and was survived by four sons and two daughters.

Rae has been called the "Admirable Crichton" of his time. He was a good public servant in all his positions, he wrote excellent verse; the "Mayor's Fancy Ball" can still be read with pleasure, and in its own way was not excelled in the following 100 years. He was also a good amateur painter in water-colours; a series of 26 views of the streets of Sydney may be seen in the Dixson gallery at the Mitchell library, Sydney.

son of David Ramsay, M.D., was born at Sydney on 3 December 1842. He was educated at St Mark's Collegiate School, The King's School, Parramatta, and the university of Sydney. He left the university without taking a degree, and in December 1867 opened the Dobroyd plant and seed nursery. He had been taking an interest in botany, entomology and ornithology for some time. He was treasurer of the Entomological Society of New South Wales in 1863, contributed a paper on the "Oology of Australia" to the Philosophical Society in July 1865, and when this society was merged in the Royal Society of New South Wales, he was made a life member in recognition of the work he had done for the Philosophical Society. In 1868 he joined with his brothers in a sugar-growing plantation in Queensland which, however, was not successful. Ramsay was one of the foundation members of the Linnean Society of New South Wales when it was formed in 1874, and a member of its council from the beginning until 1892. On 22 September 1874 he was appointed curator of the Australian museum and held this position until 31 December 1894. He took great interest in its ethnological collection and built up a remarkable variety of native weapons, dresses, utensils and ornaments illustrating the ethnology of Polynesia and Australia. This collection was lent to the Sydney international exhibition of 1879, was left in the building, and was unfortunately totally destroyed by fire on 22 September 1882. Ramsay set energetically to work to replace the lost specimens, and four years later had got together another fine collection. He was one of the commissioners for New South Wales for the fisheries exhibition held in London in 1883, and prepared A Catalogue of the Exhibits in the New South Wales Court. In 1890 he began the publication of the Records of the Australian Museum and edited some of the early volumes. In 1893 his health began to decline, and he was given extended leave. He resigned his curatorship on 31 December 1894 but became consulting ornithologist to the museum until February 1909. His work as an ornithologist was very important. He compiled a Catalogue of the Australian Birds in the Australian Museum (Parts I to IV, 1876-1894), and during his connexion with the institution about 17,600 skins of birds were added to the collection. Ramsay died at Sydney on 16 December 1916. He married in 1876 a daughter of Captain Fox who survived him with two sons and four daughters. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Geological Society, a corresponding member of the Zoological Society, and a member of the Royal Irish Academy. The university of St Andrews gave him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1886, and the Italian government made him a knight of the crown of Italy.

Ramsay was a genial man with a keen sense of humour, who though at first inclined to be conservative, was a good director of the Australian Museum. He wrote a large number of papers, the index of the first 10 volumes of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society lists 148 items by him and he also contributed to later volumes. Other papers appeared in the Ibis and the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Some of his papers were printed as pamphlets. His Hints for the Preservation of Specimens of Natural History went into several editions.

was born at Glasgow, Scotland, on 25 May 1877. He came to Australia with his parents when one year old. His father, John Ramsay, was a sworn valuer, his mother's name was originally Margaret Thomson. Hugh Ramsay was educated at the Essendon Grammar School, and at the age of 16 joined the classes at the national gallery, Melbourne, under L. Bernard Hall (q.v.) and became one of the most brilliant students ever trained there. He won several first prizes, and at the competition for the travelling scholarship held in 1899 was narrowly beaten by Max Meldrum, another student of unusual ability. In September 1900 he went to Europe and was fortunate in finding a kindred spirit, George Lambert (q.v.), on the same vessel. Arrived at Paris he entered at Colarossi's school and was soon recognized as a student of great promise. He sent five pictures to the 1902 exhibition of La Société Nationale des Beaux Arts and the four accepted were hung together. No greater compliment could have been paid to a young student. Another Australian student whose studio was in the same building, Ambrose Patterson, was a nephew of Madame Melba (q.v.), then at the height of her fame. Ramsay was introduced to Melba, who gave him a commission for a portrait and would no doubt have been able to help him in his career. Unfortunately Ramsay fell ill in Paris, and it became necessary for him to return to the warmer climate of Australia. Before leaving Europe he had exhibited four pictures at the British Colonial Art Exhibition held in London at the Royal Institute galleries.

Back in Australia, in spite of failing health, Ramsay succeeded in doing some remarkable work including "The Sisters" now in the Sydney gallery, the "Lady with a Fan", the portrait of David Mitchell, and his own portrait now in the Melbourne gallery. He gradually became weaker and died on 5 March 1906 a few weeks before completing his twenty-ninth year. A brother, Sir John Ramsay, born in 1872, became a well-known surgeon at Launceston, Tasmania, and was knighted in 1939.

Ramsay's death was a great loss to Australian art. The student who painted the "Study of Girl-half nude" at 18 and "The Toper" at 19 might have become one of the great masters of his time. How far he travelled may be seen in the examples of his work in the Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide galleries. He was of the school of Whistler among the moderns, of Velasquez among the old masters, but owed them no more than any serious student should. When in 1918 his works were gathered together for an exhibition only 54 pictures could be found and many of them were studies. A similar collection was shown at the national gallery, Melbourne, in March 1943, and at its conclusion seven pictures were presented to the gallery by his relatives. A Hugh Ramsay prize in the painting school was founded by his father in 1906.

There are no stories about Ramsay, his health demanded a retired life and the saving of what strength he had for his art. He was tall and slender and fond of music. The light of his genius shone on his period quietly and steadily, only to be too quickly quenched.

son of W. B. Randell, one of the sub-managers of the South Australian Company, was born at Sidbury, Devonshire, England, on 2 May 1824. He arrived in Adelaide in October 1837 with his father, who subsequently took up land on which the son worked. A milling business was afterwards established at Gumeracha. There, between July 1852 and February 1853, Randall, though entirely without previous experience, built a steamer, the Mary Ann, of 30 tons, and on 15 August 1853 a long voyage up the Murray began. The South Australian border was crossed on 1 September and three days later Marrum was reached. Between this point and Swan Hill F. Cadell (q.v.) in the Lady Augusta, a larger and more powerful boat, caught and passed the Mary Ann, but the latter eventually went much farther up the river and made the return journey of 1600 miles without accident. Cadell received the reward offered by the South Australian government because he had carried out the conditions regarding horse-power, but the honour of having navigated the first steamer on the Murray belongs to Randell. The government made him a special award of £600 (A. G. Price, Founders and Pioneers of South Australia, p. 228), and a further sum of £400 was presented to him by public subscription. Other steamers were afterwards built or purchased, and for many years much trade of importance was carried on along the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers. Randell was elected a member of the house of assembly for Gumeracha in 1893 and sat until 1899. He retired to Adelaide in April 1910 and died there on 4 March 1911. He married and was survived by five sons and four daughters.

the son of a navy surgeon, was born in Somerset, England, on 18 June 1858. He was educated at Brighton and Reading and arrived at Perth in 1882. He became a member of the firm of Rason Webster and Company, storekeepers, but retired from the firm in 1891. He had been elected a member of the legislative council in 1889 but entered the assembly when responsible government was established. He was minister for works in the second Leake (q.v.) ministry from December 1901 to July 1902, and minister for works and railways in the James ministry, between July 1902 and August 1904. He was also treasurer for a few weeks in 1904. In August 1905 he became premier, treasurer, and minister for justice, but resigned in May 1906 to become agent-general for Western Australia at London. Three years later he resigned the agent-generalship and became a director of public companies. He was afterwards appointed secretary of Bovril's Limited, and was still in that position when he died at London on 15 March 1927. He married in 1884, Mary E. Terry. He was knighted in 1909. He was president of the royal commissions on mining (1898) and immigration (1905), and showed ability as an administrator.

was probably born in 1778. He qualified as a medical man by passing the examinations of the Company of Surgeons, London, and was a surgeon's mate in the navy at the time of the mutiny at the Nore in 1797. It is not known exactly what part he played in the mutiny, but after being condemned to death the sentence was altered to transportation for life. He arrived at Sydney in December 1801, and from June 1802 to May 1804 acted as an assistant surgeon at Norfolk Island. He was given a free pardon in 1803, and in 1808 was examined in medicine and surgery by a board of medical men, who certified that he was "qualified to exercise the profession of a surgeon, etc.". In the same year Colonel Foveaux (q.v.) appointed him to act as an assistant surgeon, evidently desiring to regularize his position. Foveaux, in asking that this appointment should be confirmed, stated that Redfern's "skill and ability in his profession are unquestionable, and his conduct has been such as to deserve particular approbation". Macquarie (q.v.) soon after his arrival stated that he found that hitherto no transported men had been received into society at Sydney. He felt, however, "that emancipation, when united with rectitude and long-tried good conduct, should lead a man back to that rank in society which he had forfeited". He was aware that the attempt to do this would need much caution and delicacy, and stated that up to then he had "admitted only four men of that class to his table", of whom Redfern was one. When D'Arcy Wentworth became principal surgeon in 1811 Redfern succeeded him as assistant surgeon. In 1817 he became one of the founders of the Bank of New South Wales.

Redfern expected to succeed D'Arcy Wentworth as principal surgeon and in 1818 Macquarie recommended him for the position, which was, however, given to James Bowman in 1819. Redfern immediately resigned from the Colonial Medical Service. In this year Macquarie made him a magistrate, but this was objected to by Commissioner Bigge (q.v.) and the appointment was not sanctioned. Redfern had a large private practice as a physician, and though somewhat brusque in manner was much liked and trusted. He visited England in 1821 as a delegate for the emancipists endeavouring to obtain relief from their disabilities, and in January 1824 he was at the island of Madeira for the benefit of his health. His wife, who was then in London, made application on his behalf for an additional grant of land, which was granted. He was evidently then in good circumstances. He retired from practising as a physician in 1826, and for about two years engaged in scientific farming which had been a hobby of his for some time. He went to Edinburgh about the end of 1828 and died there towards the close of July 1833. He married in 1811 Sara Wills, who survived him with a son.

Flanagan in his History of New South Wales states that Redfern's offence at the time of the mutiny at the Nore "consisted in advising the mutineers to be more united". In spite of all Macquarie's efforts and Redfern's general good conduct and standing as a physician, it was impossible to entirely break down the prejudice against him, and Flanagan also tells us that "a stringent rule was necessary to keep the junior officers at the table when he appeared in the mess-room as the guest of the colonel". The naming of a suburb of Sydney after Redfern may perhaps be taken as a tardy apology to the memory of a good physician and worthy Australian pioneer.

was born at Launceston, Tasmania, on 24 September 1821. His father, Thomas Reibey, was a prosperous grazier who married Richenda, daughter of Richard Allen, M.D., and his grandmother, Mary Reibey, was a well-known early resident of Sydney. At an early age Reibey was sent to England to be educated, and he matriculated and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in May 1840. The death of his father brought him back to Tasmania before he could graduate, and in 1843 he was admitted to Holy Orders by Bishop Nixon (q.v.). He was for some years rector of Holy Trinity church, Launceston, and afterwards rector of Carrick, where he built and partly endowed a church. About 1858 he became archdeacon of Launceston. He drew no stipend during the whole of his clerical life. About 1870, on account of a disagreement with Bishop Bromby (q.v.), he retired from active life in the church, though he continued to take much interest in it. In 1874 Reibey entered the Tasmanian house of assembly as member for Westbury and continued to represent it for 29 years. From March 1875 to July 1876 he was leader of the opposition and then became premier and colonial secretary. But parties were not clearly defined, there was much faction, and his ministry lasted only a little more than a year. He was again leader of the opposition from August 1877 to December 1878 when he became colonial secretary in the W. L. Crowther (q.v.) ministry until October 1879. In July 1887 he was elected speaker of the house of assembly and competently filled the position until July 1891. He was minister without portfolio in the Braddon (q.v.) ministry from April 1894 to October 1899. Four years later he retired from politics and confined his interests to country pursuits for the remainder of his long life. He had two estates and kept a stud of horses which he raced purely for the love of sport. In 1882 he had just failed to win the Melbourne cup with Stockwell and he also at one time owned Malua which won in 1884. He retired from racing towards the end of his life on account of his disapproval of some incidents that had occurred in connexion with it. He was president of more than one racing club and gave much energy to the improvement of agriculture as president of the Northern Agricultural Society. Keeping his faculties to the end he died in his ninety-first year on 10 February 1912. He married in 1842 Catherine McDonall, daughter of James Kyle of Inverness, who pre-deceased him. He had no children.

Reibey was a courteous and kindly man, everywhere respected and revered. He was nearly 30 years in the church and a similar period in politics, where he did his best to keep things moving during an obstructive period. He had little party spirit and was interested chiefly in what would be good for the colony. He was a good influence in the sporting community and few men have had a life so useful and varied.

born at Johnstone, near Paisley, Scotland, on 25 February 1845, was the son of the Rev. John Reid, a Presbyterian clergyman, who came to Melbourne with his family in May 1852. At Melbourne Reid was sent to the recently established Melbourne Academy which afterwards became the Scotch College. In 1858, when Reid was 13 years of age, his father removed to Sydney to become the colleague of the Rev. John Dunmore Lang (q.v.), and the boy immediately obtained a position as junior clerk in a Sydney merchant's office. At 15 he joined a debating club and began to learn how little he knew. He tells us in his autobiography, that a more crude novice than he was never began the practise of public speaking. In July 1864 he obtained a position in the colonial treasury and remained in that department until 1878, when he was appointed secretary to the crown law offices. So far back as 1866 he had been advised by Sir Julian Salomons (q.v.) to study for the bar, and Reid long dallied with the idea. It was not until 1879 that he passed his final examination and was admitted to practise. In 1875 he had published his Five Essays on Free Trade, which brought him an honorary membership of the Cobden Club, and in 1878 the government published his New South Wales, the Mother Colony of the Australias, for distribution in Europe. In November 1880 he resigned from the crown law offices and became a candidate for an East Sydney seat in the legislative assembly. There were several candidates for the four seats, including Sir Henry Parkes (q.v.), and Reid, though previously almost unknown, headed the poll. He was to represent East Sydney, except for one defeat, for the remainder of his Australian political life.

Reid was an active member of parliament from the beginning. As a private member in his first parliament he submitted three bills, succeeded in passing one of them, the width of streets and lanes act, and moved for an inquiry into the working of the land laws. After 20 years of free selection, 96 people owned 8,000,000 acres of land in New South Wales and there was often evasion of the law by dummying. After much pressure the Parkes-Robertson (q.v.) government brought in an amending bill which was felt to be quite inadequate and led to the defeat of the government. At the subsequent election it lost many seats. The new premier, Alexander Stuart (q.v.), offered Reid the position of colonial treasurer in January 1883, but he thought it wiser to accept the junior office of minister for public instruction. He was 14 months in office and succeeded in passing a much improved education act, which included the establishment of high schools in the leading towns, technical schools, and the provision of evening lectures at the university. He lost his seat in parliament owing to a technicality; the requisite notice had not appeared in the Government Gazette declaring that the minister for public instruction was capable of sitting. At the new election Reid was defeated by a small majority. In 1885 he was elected again and took a great part in the free trade or protection issue. He supported Sir Henry Parkes on the free trade side but, when Parkes came into power in 1887, declined a seat in his ministry. Parkes offered him a portfolio two years later and Reid again refused. He did not like Parkes personally and felt he would be unable to work with him. When payment of members of parliament was passed Reid, who had always opposed it, paid the amount of his salary into the treasury.

By this time federation was much in the air. After the Melbourne conference of 1890 it was debated in the New South Wales parliament and Reid adopted a critical attitude; he was not prepared to sacrifice the free trade policy of New South Wales, and suggested that the constitution when drafted should be submitted to the various parliaments. After the convention he took a similar position, objecting strongly to what he considered to be the neglect of the special interests of New South Wales by its delegates. In September 1891 the Parkes ministry was defeated, the Dibbs (q.v.) government succeeded it, and Sir Henry Parkes retired from the leadership of his party. Reid was elected leader of the opposition in his place. Though he had never accepted office under Parkes, Reid had always worked against any suggestion to form a "cave" in the party. At the 1894 election he made the establishment of a real freetrade tariff with a system of direct taxation the main item of his policy, and had a great victory. Barton (q.v.) and other well-known protectionists lost their seats, the Labour following was reduced from 30 to 18, and Reid formed his first cabinet. One of his earliest measures was a new lands bill which provided for the division of pastoral leases into two halves, one of which was to be open to the free selector, while the pastoral lessee got some security of tenure for the other half. Classification of crown lands according to their value was provided for, and the free selector, or his transferee, had to reside on the property. Sir Henry Parkes at an early stage of the session raised the question of federation again, and Reid invited the premiers of the other colonies to meet in conference on 29 January 1895. As a consequence of this conference an improved bill was drafted which ensured that both the people and the parliaments of the various colonies should be consulted. Meanwhile Reid had great trouble in passing his land and income tax bills. When he did get them through the assembly the council threw them out. Reid obtained a dissolution, was victorious at the polls, and eventually succeeded in passing his acts. They appear very moderate now, but the council fought them strenuously, and it was only the fear that the chamber might be swamped with new appointments that eventually wore down the opposition. Reid was also successful in bringing in reforms in the keeping of public accounts and in the civil service generally. Other acts dealt with the control of inland waters, and much needed legislation relating to public health, factories, and mining, was also passed.

At the election of 10 delegates from New South Wales for the federal convention of 1897 held at the beginning of that year, Reid was returned second to Barton. The convention met on 22 March at Adelaide and adjourned a month later. In the interval much important business was done, the work being facilitated by constitutional, finance and judiciary committees formed from the members. It is possibly significant that Reid was not a member of any committee. In his My Reminiscences he prints the complimentary remarks on his work made at the close of the conference by Deakin (q.v.), Kingston (q.v.), Barton, Braddon (q.v.), and Turner (q.v.) He probably deserved them but he was always looked upon as uncertain in his support of federation. On 10 May 1897 he left for England to attend the diamond jubilee celebrations, and during his absence the federal bill was considered by the New South Wales assembly and council. Soon after his arrival in England Reid was made a privy councillor. He heard some of the most distinguished speakers of the day and was complimented on his own speaking by Lord Rosebery. At the premiers' conference where such difficult problems as preferential trade, coloured immigration, and naval subsidies, were considered he had a full share in the discussions, but realized that as Great Britain and New South Wales both had a freetrade policy there was little scope for preference in their cases. At his native town of Johnstone Reid had a tumultuous reception, and characteristically gave as his reason for leaving it at the age of two months, that he wished to make more room for his struggling fellow countrymen.

Reid returned to Sydney on 1 September 1897 and the federal convention immediately resumed its sittings. The amendments proposed by the various legislatures were in most cases not important, and some of the more contentious clauses were postponed until the convention should meet again in Melbourne in January 1898. In the meantime a bill was introduced by a private member in the New South Wales house requiring an absolute majority of the electors in favour of federation. An amendment substituting 100,000 was moved, and as a compromise 80,000 was suggested by Reid. He has been blamed for this but stated afterwards that had he not suggested that number it would have been 100,000. At the Melbourne convention Sir George Turner in Reid's absence carried an amendment that the parliament of the Commonwealth shall take over the debts of the individual colonies. On Reid's arrival he had the question re-opened, and eventually carried by one vote the substitution of "may" for "shall". After the close of the convention Reid, on 28 March, made his famous "Yes-No" speech at the Sydney town hall. He told his audience that he intended to deal with the bill "with the deliberate impartiality of a judge addressing a jury". After speaking for an hour and three-quarters the audience was still uncertain about his verdict. He ended up by saying that while he felt he could not become a deserter to the cause he would not recommend any course to the electors. He consistently kept this attitude until the poll was taken on 3 June 1898. The referendum in New South Wales resulted in a small majority in favour, but the yes votes fell about 8000 below the required number of 80,000. At the general election held soon after Barton accepted Reid's challenge to contest the East Sydney seat and Reid defeated him, but his party came back with a reduced majority. When parliament met resolutions were passed providing that the federal capital should be in New South Wales, that the use of rivers for irrigation should be safeguarded, that the senate should not have power to amend money bills, and that the Braddon clause should be removed. Of these it was agreed at the next meeting of the convention that the capital should be in New South Wales with the added proviso that it must be at least 100 miles from Sydney, and the Braddon clause was limited to a period of 10 years. Reid fought for federation at the second referendum and it was carried in New South Wales by a majority of nearly 25,000, 107,420 Votes being cast in favour of it. If Reid could have held his position as premier of New South Wales for another year he might possibly have been the first federal prime minister, but he was at the mercy of the Labour party, in September 1899 he was defeated, and Sir William Lyne (q.v.) formed a ministry.

Reid did his most useful work in New South Wales in the years 1895-9. Though there were drought conditions for part of the time he afterwards claimed that "the loads upon our current year caused by the annual charges in respect of past deficiencies were all paid and a surplus of £135,000 remained". He also did excellent work in breaking down the opposition of an extremely conservative upper house to any new measures brought forward that affected financial interests. After the first federal election Reid as leader of the free trade section had a party of 26 out of 75 in the house of representatives, in the senate he had 17 Out of 36. In the long tariff debate Reid was at a disadvantage as parliament was sitting in Melbourne and he could not entirely neglect his practice as a barrister in Sydney, but his party succeeded in getting a number of reductions in the proposed duties. At the second federal election, held in 1903, Labour was the only party to make gains, but the opposition had suffered less than the ministry. When Deakin brought in his conciliation and arbitration bill, Reid supported the ministry in resisting the amendment to include the public services in the bill. But many of his supporters voted for the amendment, and J. C. Watson's (q.v.) Labour government came into power. It in turn was defeated a few months later, and a coalition government was formed in August 1904 by Reid's party and a large section of the followers of Deakin who, however, declined to take office himself. This ministry never had a majority of more than two but managed to keep going until the recess which ended in June 1905. On 24 June Deakin made a speech at Ballarat which Reid and his fellow ministers felt could only be taken as a withdrawal of his support. Reid decided to abandon the policy speech he had prepared and substitute one which simply proposed electoral business. Deakin moved and carried as an amendment to the address in reply the addition of the words "But we are of opinion that practical measures should be proceeded with". Reid asked for a dissolution but it was refused, and Deakin immediately formed a new administration. At the election held in November 1906 Deakin was returned with a reduced following, but carried on with Labour support until November 1908 when the first Fisher (q.v.) ministry came in. Reid as leader of the opposition had been unable to have much influence on the legislation that was passed, but often showed himself to be a formidable opponent. He now found it necessary to resign the leadership of his party and was succeeded by Joseph Cook, who joined forces with Deakin in June 1909 to defeat the Labour government and form what was known as the "Fusion Government". The office of high commissioner in London was created towards the close of 1909, and the position was offered to Reid who accepted it. He arrived in London in February 1910 and carried out his duties with success for about six years. He visited many cities on the continent with business objects in view, and made a tour of Canada and the United States. He retired on 21 January 1916 and though 70 years of age felt full of energy. A few days before he had been elected without opposition for the St George's Hanover Square seat in the house of commons. He found the atmosphere of that house very different from that of Australian parliaments, and had scarcely had time to adapt himself to this when he died at London on 12 September 1918. Made a privy councillor in 1897 he was created K.C.M.G. (1909), G.C.M.G. (1911), and G.C.B. (1916). He married in 1891, Flora, daughter of John Bromby, who survived him with two sons and a daughter.

Portly in middle life Reid became even more so as he grew older, and full advantage was taken of this by the caricaturists. Yet it is doubtful whether any of them succeeded in disclosing the real man, he remained something of an enigma. A first-rate tactician his opponents thought him unreliable, selfish, and coarse-grained; his own statements about his youth might be considered by some to support this view. He said in his Reminiscences that "A thinner skin, a keener sense of shame, a less resolute endurance, a more diffident estimate of my abilities might have spoilt my chances for life". But Reid was not doing himself justice. He was not over-sensitive, he was not strictly speaking an idealist, yet his refusing for a period to accept his salary as a legislator, his loyalty to Parkes, and the financial sacrifices incurred by the neglect of his practice while in politics, do not suggest a selfish nature. He claimed with truth that he was the first man in New South Wales to make wealth pay a fair share towards the burdens of the community, and he was the first legislator to bring in laws to break up the virtual land monopoly. As a barrister he was an excellent advocate, as a politician he was a great platform speaker and an admirable debater. Many stories of his powers of repartee and readiness are told. One that has appeared in more than one form may help to explain his success with popular audiences. Once at an open-air meeting a bag of flour was thrown at him which burst all over his capacious waistcoat. Without a pause Reid went on "When I came into power the people had not enough flour to make bread for themselves and now (displaying himself) they can afford to throw it about like this". His autobiography was disappointing but his proverbial good temper shines through the book, and his accounts of past conflicts have no trace of bitterness. He was extremely shrewd, knew how to appeal to the average man, and took his politics seriously. But he never took himself too seriously, and no man could say that he ever endeavoured to obtain advantages for himself while working for his country.

son of A. E. Rennie, afterwards auditor-general of New South Wales, was born at Sydney on 19 August 1852. Educated at the Fort-street public school, Sydney Grammar School, and the university of Sydney, he graduated B.A. in 1870 and M.A. in 1876. He was a master at Sydney Grammar School for five years and at Brisbane Grammar School for about 18 months, and then went to London to study chemistry. He was for two years assistant to Dr C. R. Alder Wright in the chemical department of St Mary's hospital medical school, did some teaching at the Royal College of Science, South Kensington, and graduated D.Sc. Lond. in 1881. Returning to Australia in 1882 he was two years in the government analyst's department at Sydney, and was then appointed first Angas professor of chemistry in the university of Adelaide. He began his duties in February 1885, and for many years had to work in makeshift conditions. Rennie however, made the best of the position, and also gave much time to the conduct of the university. He was a member of the council from 1889 to 1898, when he resigned because he was leaving Australia for 12 months to study the development of chemical manufacture, and was again a member of the council from 1909 to the time of his death. During 1924-5 and 1925-6 he was acting vice-chancellor. He was also an active member of the council of the school of mines. He was for 36 years a member of the council of the Royal Society of South Australia, was its president from 1886 to 1889 and 1900 to 1903, and vice-president from 1903 to 1919. He was for a time president of the Australian Chemical Institute, and chairman of the state committee of the Commonwealth advisory council of science and industry. In August 1926 he was elected to one of the highest offices open to a scientific man in Australia--that of president of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science. Rennie was also a fellow of the Chemical Societies of London and Berlin, and a fellow of the Institute of Chemists of Great Britain and Ireland. Though in his seventy-fifth year he was still carrying on the duties of his chair, when he died suddenly at Adelaide on 8 January 1927. He married a daughter of Dr Cadell of Sydney, who survived him with a son, E. J. C. Rennie, afterwards a senior lecturer in engineering at the university of Melbourne, and two daughters.

Of simple and somewhat austere tastes, and a sincerely religious man, Rennie was much liked by his students and associates. As a scientist he kept abreast of his subject, but had little time for writing and few facilities for research. Some early papers by him will be found in the Transactions of the Chemical Society for the years 1879-82 and a list of his papers in the Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia is given on page 426 of volume LI. A few of his papers were reprinted separately as pamphlets.

son of the Rev. James B. Rentoul, D.D., was born at Garvah, County Derry, Ireland, in 1846. He was educated at Queen's College, Belfast, and Queen's University, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1867 and M.A. in 1868, with first-class honours and the gold medal for English literature, history and economic science. He also did post-graduate work at Leipzig. Entering the Presbyterian ministry, he became incumbent of St George's church, Southport, Lancashire, and while there married Annie Isobel, daughter of D. T. Rattray. Early in 1879 he came to St George's church, St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne. Five years later he was appointed professor in the theological hall, Ormond College, university of Melbourne, his subjects being Hebrew and Old Testament Criticism, New Testament Greek, and Christian Philosophy. While still under 40 years of age he was given the degree of D.D. by the Theological Faculty of Ireland. At Ormond he exercised a great influence over many generations of candidates for the Presbyterian ministry, and was a conspicuous figure in all the counsels of his church. He showed great ability in conducting religious controversies, for which he was equipped with wide reading and knowledge of the languages of the original texts. He stated once that he never entered on a fight willingly, but once the contest had started he fought with great vigour and, many of his friends thought, with a full appreciation of the joy of combat. It was not for nothing that he was popularly known as "Fighting Larry"; but he had no ill-will to his opponents and never bore rancour. He was made moderator-general of his church for 1912-14, and when war broke out was appointed chaplain-general of the A.I.F. His last years were clouded by the long illness of his wife following an accident, and the break-down of his younger son, a youth of extraordinary promise, while studying for his examinations. Rentoul died suddenly on 15 April 1926 leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. He was the author of From Far Lands; Poems of North and South, published in 1914, and At Vancouver's Well and Other Poems of South and North, 1917. His poetry has been praised, a good example of it is "Australia" which was included in The Oxford Book of Australasian Verse, but though fervid and deeply felt, it is seldom of high quality. In prose Rentoul published in 1896, The Early Church and the Roman Claims, which ran into six editions. He also wrote The Church at Home; Prayers for Australian Households, and several pamphlets.

Rentoul was somewhat frail-looking but was in reality strong and active, showing much endurance during his yearly trout-fishing holidays in New Zealand. He was interested in the aborigines and all oppressed people, and incurred some odium by taking up the cause of the Boers at the time of the South African war. He was a fine scholar, learning all his life, and his erudition, keen wit, versatility, strength of conviction, and scorn of compromise, made him a remarkable preacher and lecturer. As a debater he had great readiness in retort, and in developing his argument his words flowed with an almost volcanic passion. He was not without foibles and there was a streak of genius in him. In private life he was courteous, kindly and generous, a man who would do anything to help a friend--or a foe. His elder daughter, Annie Rattray Rentoul, wrote verse with some ability. A list of volumes of her songs which were set to music will be found in Serle's A Bibliography of Australasian Poetry and Verse. The younger daughter, Ida Sherbourne, afterwards Mrs Outhwaite, became well-known as an illustrator of fairy tales.

son of George Renwick, was born at Glasgow on 30 May 1837. He was brought to Sydney as a child and was one of the early students of the university of Sydney, where he graduated B.A. in 1857. Going on to Edinburgh he qualified for the medical profession graduating M.B., M.D., and F.R.C.S. He returned to Sydney, where he established a rapidly growing practice, becoming eventually one of the leading physicians and the first president of the local branch of the British Medical Association. He was elected a member of the legislative assembly for East Sydney in 1879, and became secretary for mines in the third Parkes (q.v.) ministry on 12 October 1881, but lost his seat at the election held in December 1882. He was elected for Redfern in October 1885 and was minister for public instruction in the Jennings (q.v.) ministry front 26 February 1886 to 19 January 1887. In this year he was nominated to the legislative council and was a member for the remainder of his life, though never in office again. As a politician he was one of the earliest to realize the responsibility of the state towards the poor. He was the author of the Benevolent Society's incorporation act, he founded the state children's relief department, and as president of the original committee he had much to do with the bringing in of old-age pensions in New South Wales. In spite of his heavy practice as a physician, he gave much time to Sydney hospital, was its president for 29 years, was also president for about the same period of the Benevolent Society of New South Wales, and he took much interest in the Deaf Dumb and Blind Institution, and the Royal Hospital for Women at Paddington. He became a member of the senate of the university of Sydney in 1877, and was vice-chancellor on several occasions. He was an early advocate for the foundation of a medical school at the university, and in 1877 gave £1000 to found a scholarship in the faculty of medicine. After the medical school was established in 1883 he provided the west stained-glass window in the upper hall of the medical school building. He in fact took the greatest interest in all movements for the welfare of the community, and his ability as an organizer led to his acting as a commissioner for New South Wales for the Melbourne international exhibition in 1880, and in similar positions for exhibitions held at Adelaide, Amsterdam, and Chicago. He died at Sydney on 23 November 1908. He married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. John Saunders, who survived him with six sons and a daughter. He was knighted in 1894. His aptitude for business led to his being placed on the boards of various important financial companies, but his really important work was his philanthropy, to which he brought a scholarly mind, much energy, and a far-sighted understanding of what could and should be done for suffering humanity.

was born in England in 1817 or 1818, and on leaving school had experience in the grocery business. He came to South Australia as an early colonist at the invitation of his brother, who had a draper's shop at Adelaide. Soon afterwards Reynolds opened a grocer's shop, was successful for a time, but like many others fell into financial difficulties when the gold-rush began. He recovered his position, became an alderman in the Adelaide city council in 1854, but a few months afterwards resigned to enter the legislative council. In 1857 he was elected for Sturt in the first house of assembly. From September 1857 to June 1858 he was commissioner of public works in the Hanson (q.v.) ministry, and in May 1860 he became premier and treasurer. Twelve months later his ministry was reconstructed and he resigned on 8 October 1861. He was treasurer in the second Waterhouse (q.v.) ministry from October 1861 to February 1862, and in the second Dutton (q.v.) ministry from March to September 1865. He held the same position in the fourth and fifth Ayers (q.v.) ministries from May 1867 to September 1868 and from October to November 1868. He was commissioner of crown lands in the seventh Ayers ministry from March 1872 to July 1873. Early in the latter year he visited Darwin, where there was a gold-rush, and found matters completely disorganized. Many of the official staff had not only taken up claims but had been allowed leave of absence to look after their mines. Reynolds did his best to restore order and returned to Adelaide where he reported favourably on the mineral resources of the north. Not finding himself in agreement with his colleagues in the ministry he retired from parliament and went to Darwin. He was not successful there, and was returning to Adelaide on the Gothenburg which was wrecked on 24 February 1875, and he was drowned. He married Miss Litchfield, who lost her life with him. He was survived by two sons.

Reynolds was a shrewd business man, a hard worker, and a good treasurer, but was of too sanguine and fiery a temperament to be a politician of the first rank. He was a pioneer in jam-making and raisin-curing in South Australia, but his devotion to his parliamentary duties led sometimes to the neglect of his own financial interests. He was also a leader in the total abstinence movement in Adelaide.

was born at Islington, London, on 9 July 1853, the son of John Richardson a painter of figure subjects. He came to Victoria with his parents in 1858 and was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne. On leaving school, having been apprenticed to a firm of lithographic printers, he studied at schools of design and the national gallery, Melbourne, and in 1881 went to London. He entered at the Royal Academy schools and was successful in winning the second prize for painting in 1883. In the following year he won the Armitage medal for painting and first prize for sculpture. Examples of his work in both painting and sculpture were shown at the Royal Academy exhibitions of 1885 and 1888.

In 1889 Richardson returned to Australia. He took an interest in the Victorian Artists' Society and for some time was its honorary secretary. In 1898 he founded the Yarra Sculptors' Society and was its president for several years. In 1916 he was elected president of the Victorian Artists' Society and held the position for 12 years, a longer term than that of any other artist. As president he showed a kindly interest in the work of younger men. He died at Brighton, near Melbourne, on 15 October 1932. He married in 1914, Margaret Baskerville (1861-1930) sculptor, who had been his pupil. The two large reliefs in the vestibule of the Capitol theatre, Melbourne, were their joint work.

Richardson did his best work in sculpture, but his gentle and unassuming nature made it impossible for him to push his claims, and his merits were too often overlooked. His largest work "The Discovery of Gold at Bendigo" scarcely shows him at his best. Of his war memorial work examples may be found in the shrine at All Saints', St Kilda, Strathalbyn, South Australia, and at Wangaratta, Kerang, Mount Dandenong and the Commercial Travellers' Association, Melbourne. Some of his best work, such as "The Cloud", "Cain", and "The Mirage", was never put into permanent form. He spent much of his time doing hack work, of which the copy of the Mercury of John of Bologna for the Age office, Collins-street, Melbourne, is an example. He painted in both oils and water-colours but his work in these mediums too often lacked strength. Several examples of Richardson's work may be seen at the municipal collection at Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne.

was born in London in December 1845. The date of birth is sometimes given as 1847, but the earlier date is more likely to be correct. His father, Benjamin Leete, was chief engineer of the Egyptian railways, and his son was also intended to be an engineer. He had been forbidden during his apprenticeship to attend theatres, but developing a talent for comic singing he was engaged as a vocalist at a music hall, where he appeared under the name of "Harry Rickards". He established a reputation as a singer of comic songs, and coming to Australia in November 1871 made his first appearance there at the St George's hall, Melbourne, on 9 December. He then went to Sydney where he also appeared with success. Returning to England he was a successful "lion comique" at the music halls and a good comedian in pantomime, especially in the provinces. He again visited Australia in 1885, and for some years toured Australia with a vaudeville company with much success. About 1893 he bought the Garrick theatre, Sydney and renamed it the Tivoli, took control of the Opera House, Melbourne, and was also lessee of theatres in other state capital cities. Every year he visited England, and during the next 18 years he engaged for the Australian variety stage great artists like Marie Lloyd, Peggy Pryde, Paul Cinquevalli, Little Tich and a host of others of great talent. Rickards died in England on 13 October 1911. He was married twice and left a widow and two daughters. He was an excellent singer of such songs as "Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road" and "His Lordship Winked at the Counsel", and was a first-rate business man whose hobby was his work. For 25 years his name was a household word in Australia, and at the time of his death his business as a single-handed manager and proprietor was possibly the largest in the world.

was born near West Boldon, Durham, England, on 26 May 1806. His father and mother, John and Mary Ridley, were first cousins, and were probably related to the same family as Bishop Ridley's. John Ridley the elder was a miller who died when his son was five years old. His widow carried on the business and when Ridley was 15 he began to share in its management. He had come across an encyclopaedia soon after he was able to read, and took the greatest interest in the scientific articles which he read again and again. Science and theology were to be the great interests of his life. In September 1835 he married Mary Pybus, in November 1839 sailed for South Australia with his wife and two infant children, and immediately after his arrival obtained a piece of land at Hindmarsh, close to Adelaide. There he built a flour-mill and installed the first steam engine in South Australia able to cut wood and grind meal. In 1842 he had a well-stocked farm of 300 acres, but finding the management of his mills took tip too much of his time, let the farm on the shares system. Being much interested in mechanical inventions he spent some time on a horizontal windmill to be used for raising water. It was said of him at this period that if his child cried in the night his first thought would be how to make an apparatus for rocking the cradle. There was some shortage of labour and Ridley gave much time to the problem of devising a mechanical method of harvesting the wheat. Other people were working on the same problem. In 1843 the corn exchange committee offered a prize of £40 to anyone submitting a model or plans of a reaper of which the committee would approve. On 23 September 1843 it was reported that several models and plans had been submitted, but no machine had been exhibited which the committee felt justified in recommending for general adoption. Ridley had not exhibited any plans or model but he had been constructing a machine, and on 18 November 1843 the Adelaide Observer announced that "a further trial of Mr Ridley's machine has established its success". This machine, which both reaped and threshed corn, has been of inestimable benefit to Australia. Though no doubt it was improved in detail as the years went by, no substantial advance was made on it until H. V. McKay (q.v.) constructed his harvester some 40 years later. Ridley not only declined to patent his machine, but refused all suggestions of reward.

Early in 1853 Ridley returned with his family to England. He was in comfortable circumstances, partly by the success of his mills and partly by fortunate investments in copper-mining. He travelled for some years in Europe and then settled down in England. He did some inventing but finished nothing of great importance. He retained his interest in scientific and religious questions and spent much of his income on charity. He was greatly worried in his later years by a claim made by J. Wrathall Bull that he was the real inventor of Ridley's reaping machine. Mr Bull's claims are set out in his volume Early Experiences of Colonial Life in South Australia. He was one of the men who had sent in models that were rejected by the committee, and his contention was that Ridley had seen his model and constructed his machine on its principles. Ridley, who was a man of the greatest probity, denied this, and his denial is borne out by the fact that his machine had had two successful trials within two months of the models being exhibited. In those days a machine could be constructed in Adelaide only by primitive methods, and it would have been quite impossible to make a machine, overcome all the practical difficulties of adjustment, and have it in working order in so short a period. In his final letter to the Adelaide Register written in 1886 Ridley said that the first suggestion of his machine had come from a notice of a Roman invention given in London's Encyclopaedia of Agriculture, and that "from no other source whatever did I receive the least help or suggestion". In his last days Ridley spent much money and time in distributing literature relating to temperance and religious questions. He died on 25 November 1887 and was survived by two daughters. A silver candelabrum presented to him by old South Australian colonists in 1861 is now at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute; there is a scholarship in his memory at the Roseworthy Agricultural College; and in 1933 the John Ridley Memorial Gates at the Agricultural Showground, Adelaide, were opened. (Fred Johns, An Australian Biographical Dictionary).

was born at Hartford End, Essex, England, on 14 September 1819. He was educated at King's College and London university where he graduated B.A. He was brought to Australia by Dr Lang (q.v.) and for a time taught languages at the Australian College. He entered the Presbyterian ministry and at various times was stationed at Balmain, Brisbane, Portland, and Manning River, spent three years as a missionary to the aborigines, and in 1856 published in pamphlet form Gurre Kamilaroi or Kamilaroi Sayings. In 1866 he published Kamilaroi Dippil, and Turrubul; Languages spoken by Australian Aborigines. He spent a few weeks among the aborigines in 1871 endeavouring to increase his knowledge of their languages and traditions, and in 1875 published a revised and enlarged edition of the 1866 volume under the title of Kamilaroi and Other Australian Languages. For many years he was a regular contributor to the Sydney newspapers including the Empire, the Evening News and the Town and Country Journal. He began studying Chinese in 1877 intending to take charge of the Chinese mission at Sydney, but died after an attack of paralysis, possibly the result of over work, on 26 September 1878. He was a modest, unselfish and able man, much liked both by the aborigines and by his many friends. He married Isabella Cotter who survived him with three sons and five daughters. In addition to the works already mentioned Ridley published as pamphlets, The Aborigines of Australia. A Lecture (1864), and Will Evil Last for ever? A Lecture (1872).

was born at Leicester, England, in 1839. His father, William Rignold, was an actor and small theatrical manager, whose wife, Patience Blaxland, was a leading stock actress at Birmingham. Their son, George, was taught the violin, but brought notice on himself by his playing of a small part, the messenger in Macbeth. He joined the Bath and Bristol circuit and came into touch with the Terrys, Robertsons, Madge Milton, Henrietta Hodson and Charles Coghlan, all of whom were to make their mark in London. The experience was invaluable, Rignold quickly rose in his profession, and on going to London played William in Black-Eyed Susan, Caliban in >The Tempest, and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet to the Juliet of Adelaide Neilson when she made her debut. In 1875 he opened at Booth's Theatre, New York, in Henry V and made an immediate success. This was followed by a tour in the leading cities of U.S.A. which made a great sensation; a reference in the Atlantic Monthly in 1938 shows that the memory of him still lingered 60 years later. From America Rignold went to Australia and again met with great success. In Australia a syndicate was formed to give him backing for a season at Drury Lane, London. He appeared there successfully in November 1879 in Henry V and subsequently played it in the provinces. Further tours in U.S.A. followed, and he then went to Australia and settled there. Her Majesty's Theatre at Sydney was built for him in 1886, and opening with Henry V he made this theatre his headquarters for nine years. Among his leading parts were Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Caliban in The Tempest, Falstaff, Bottom, Romeo and Macbeth. He had also an extensive repertory in melodrama playing the hero in Youth, In the Ranks, and The Lights o' London among others. His Paolo Macari in Called Back was an interesting example of his versatility. In his last production Othello at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, in 1899, he was considered by many to have surpassed himself both as actor and manager. He retired in 1900 and lived at Sydney where his home became a meeting place for visiting artists. In 1902, on hearing of the blindness of his brother, William, he went to London and took part in his brother's benefit. In 1907 he came from his retirement to successfully play Jason in Bland Holt's production of The Bondman. His last appearance was at a benefit performance for G. S. Titheradge (q.v.) in December 1910. He died at Sydney after an operation on 16 December 1912. He married (1) Marie B. Henderson, an actress and (2) somewhat late in life, Miss Coppin, daughter of Geo. S. Coppin (q.v.) who died in 1911. There were no children by either marriage.

Rignold was moderately tall with handsome features and great dignity of bearing. His bluff imperious yet kindly manner endeared him to his friends. He had a fine voice and was the ideal hero of melodrama, not shy of the limelight and well aware that he was generally known as "Handsome George". He was a great Henry V. Only people who had actually seen him in this part could realize how far below him were other exponents of it. His Caliban was another admirable study. He was an excellent producer, knowing what he wanted and determined to get it. His production of The Tempest was especially memorable.

the son of Rev. Lawrence William Riley, vicar of St Cross, Knutsford, England, was born at Birmingham on 26 May 1854. Educated at Owen's College, Manchester, and Caius College, Cambridge, he graduated B.A. in 1878, M.A. in 1881, and was given the honorary degree of D.D. in 1894. He was ordained deacon in 1878 and priest in 1879, and was curate at Brierly, Yorkshire, 1878-80, Bradford, 1880-2, and Lancaster, 1882-5. He became vicar of St Paul's, Preston, in 1885, and during the following nine years his sympathy and benevolence made him beloved by all classes, and not least by the mill hands and other factory workers. In 1894 he was appointed bishop of Perth, then the largest Anglican diocese in the world, with an area of 1,000,000 square miles and a scattered population of about 100,000. He was consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey on 18 October 1894.

When Riley arrived in Australia he found that the diocese had few clergy, little money, and poor means for organizing religious services for the now rapidly increasing population. He was young and vigorous and quickly made himself acquainted with large areas of his diocese. It was realized that the diocese must be subdivided, but it was not until 1904 that it was found possible to establish the diocese of Bunbury. Other dioceses were subsequently founded in the north-west and the eastern goldfields, and Riley became archbishop of Perth in 1914. With many difficulties a grammar school at Guildford was taken over by the Church and firmly established, and Riley also worked hard for the establishment of the university. He was senior chaplain of the Commonwealth military forces in Western Australia in 1913; he became chaplain-general in the same year and was at the front from July 1916 to February 1917. He was chancellor of the university from 1916 to 1922 and was also president of the trustees of the public library, museum and art gallery at Perth. In 1927 he suffered a great grief when his son, Frank Basil Riley, a young man of great promise, mysteriously disappeared while acting as special correspondent to The Times in China. Riley's usually robust health began to fail, and his impending retirement was announced shortly before his death on 23 June 1929. He married in 1886 Elizabeth Merriman, who survived him with two sons and three daughters. One of the sons, Charles Lawrence Riley, born in 1888, subsequently became bishop of Bendigo, Victoria.

Riley had a stalwart, dignified and charming personality. He was fortunate in having a keen sense of humour, he would tell with joy how on his first visit to a southern port the officiating clergyman took as his text, "And when they saw his face they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts." He was charitable in thought and deed, though his methods of distributing money would not always have gained the approval of charity organization societies. He was neither a great preacher nor a great scholar, but his common sense, balanced judgment and overflowing humanity more than made up for that. When he died a thousand returned soldiers marched in his funeral, and there was a general feeling that the greatest personality in the west since Forrest had departed. His place in the religious and social life of the community could scarcely be filled, and no man of his time in the west had more influence for good.

was born at Plymouth, England, in 1859, and studied at the Slade school, London. He exhibited one picture at the Royal Academy in 1884, and emigrated to Australia in 1889. He was director of the technical college, Brisbane, from 1890 to 1915, and, becoming president of the Queensland Art Society in 1892, held the position with two breaks of a year each, until 1911. He was also honorary curator of the Queensland national gallery from 1895 to 1914. He established a local reputation as a portrait painter, and portraits by him of Sir Samuel Griffith (q.v.) and others hang in the supreme court at Brisbane. He removed to Hobart in 1915 and endeavoured to rouse interest in the Hobart gallery. He died in 1925. Examples of his outdoor work are in the national galleries at Sydney and Brisbane.

fourth son of Sir William Robe, colonel, royal artillery, was born probably in 1801. He entered the army in 1817, was promoted lieutenant in 1825, captain in 1833, and brevet-major in 1841. He fought with distinction in the Syrian campaign in 1840-1, became military secretary at Mauritius, and was holding the same office at Gibraltar when he was appointed governor of South Australia. He arrived at Adelaide on 14 October 1845, a blunt honest soldier, without previous experience as a governor. He came into conflict with the legislative council because the Imperial government endeavoured to charge royalties on the mineral wealth that had been discovered in the colony. This was felt to be a breach of faith on the government's part, the four non-official members of the council strenuously opposed the proposed royalties, and, when they were carried by the casting vote of the governor, walked out of the chamber leaving the council without a quorum. Eventually the bill was withdrawn, but Robe, who had merely been trying to carry out his instructions from London, incurred much unpopularity. He had more trouble over the question of State aid to religion, which he favoured, but which was strongly opposed. Having asked to be relieved of his position, his tenure as governor came to an end in August 1848, and he was appointed deputy-quartermaster and general at Mauritius, with a salary of £1000 a year and a seat in the legislative council. He was made a C.B. and promoted colonel in 1854 and major-general in 1862. He died on 4 April 1871.

Though an honourable man with the courage of his convictions, a high sense of duty, and good administrative talents, Robe was too autocratic and conservative to be a suitable choice as governor of a rising young colony.

son of H. Roberts, a superintending inspector of income tax, was born at London on 29 December 1857, and was educated at Bedford school, and Owens College, Manchester. Towards the end of 1876 he took a steerage passage to Australia and landed at Melbourne in January 1877. The next three years were spent in obtaining colonial experience, mostly on sheep stations in New South Wales, and Roberts then returned to London. For a time he worked in the war office and other government departments, but again went on his travels and had varied occupations in the United States and Canada between 1884 and 1886. He subsequently travelled in the South Seas, Australia, South Africa, and many other parts of the world. He used his experiences freely in his books, the first of which, The Western Avernus, appeared in 1887 and in 1890 he began his long series of novels and short stories. Of his novels, Rachel Marr, published in 1903 was highly praised by W. H. Hudson, and The Private Life of Henry Maitland, based on the life of George Gissing the novelist, was possibly his best known book. Roberts also wrote essays, biography, drama and verse, and did some competent work in biology. He married Alice, daughter of A. R. Selous, and died in London in his 85th year on 8 June 1942.

Roberts was a voluminous and able writer, about 80 of his books are recorded in Miller's Australian Literature. He was only a comparatively short time in Australia, but there are many Australian references both in his novels and his short stories.

always known as Tom Roberts, was born at Dorchester, England, on 9 March 1856. His father, Richard Roberts, had been editor of the Dorset County Chronicle, and had married Matilda Evans. When he died at the age of 43 his widow and three children were left in poor circumstances, and it was decided that they should emigrate to Australia where they arrived in 1869. Tom Roberts had been educated at Dorchester Grammar School and received the classical training of the period. He had few memories of his schooldays except that he was generally happy; one incident that remained in his mind was his being sent with a note to Thomas Hardy who was then living close to Dorchester. When Mrs Roberts and her children arrived in Melbourne they found a house in the industrial suburb of Collingwood, and were for some time very poor. Tom found work with a photographer in Smith-street, Collingwood, and afterwards obtained a position with Stewart and Company, well-known photographers in Bourke-street, Melbourne. He afterwards became their head operator. Long before this he had begun to study drawing at the local school of design, and in 1875 he joined the national gallery school where he studied under Thomas Clark and Eugene von Guerard (q.v.). Roberts received inspiration and encouragement from Clark, who was master of the drawing school, but it is doubtful whether the practice of copying pictures in the national gallery which was encouraged by von Guerard had much value. An important reform was the establishment of a life class, and the tradition is that Roberts was the leader of the students in the agitation which brought this into being.

In 1881 when Roberts was 25 he sold a few of his pictures and went to London for further study. He entered at the Royal Academy classes and succeeded in getting some black and white work accepted by the Graphic and other periodicals. A little later he came under the influence of Bastien Lepage, and two artists Barrau and Casas whom he met while travelling in Spain. Impressionism was making itself felt, and when Roberts came back to Australia his work showed its influence. This influence was to be extended to the work of Conder (q.v.), Streeton and other Australian artists. Conder had come to Melbourne in 1888, and he and Streeton, Davies (q.v.), McCubbin (q.v.) and Roberts often met in painting camps on the outskirts of Melbourne. Roberts was getting a certain amount of portrait painting about this time, and in 1889 the famous exhibition of impressions was held at Melbourne. The size of the paintings had been limited to nine inches by five, and of the 182 exhibits Roberts contributed 62, Streeton 40, and Conder 46. The critics fumed and raged, some members of the public even laughed, but the controversy that ensued at least advertized the exhibition, and the works, which were all low-priced, sold well. In 1890 Roberts painted his large picture, "Shearing the Rams" and hoped that it might be purchased by the national gallery of Victoria. It was bought by Mr. C. W. Trenchard and it was not until 40 years later that his wish was fulfilled. It was the first of a series of pictures of station life to be painted. Two others, "The Golden Fleece" and "The Breakaway", are now in the national galleries of New South Wales and South Australia respectively. In 1891 Streeton and Roberts went to Sydney and camped on the shores of the harbour. They lived on eight shillings a week each and did much good painting, but there had been a financial crisis and it was as difficult to sell pictures in Sydney as in Melbourne. There was great rejoicing a little later when the Sydney national gallery bought one of Roberts's paintings for £75. For a time he had a studio in Sydney with Streeton, and did some teaching. He also obtained some commissions for portraits, one of the best of these being a portrait of Sir Henry Parkes, which has since been presented to the Sydney gallery. When the Society of Artists was formed in Sydney in 1895 Roberts was elected president and remained in that position until 1897. Among the portraits painted during this period were those of Lord Beauchamp, now in the Sydney gallery, and Lord Linlithgow, now at Adelaide. In April 1896 he was married to Elizabeth Williamson.

Towards the end of 1900 Roberts decided to go to London and held a farewell one-man show at Sydney. He went first to Melbourne, and soon afterwards the suggestion was made that he should paint a picture of the opening of the first federal parliament. Eventually he agreed to do so for the sum of 1000 guineas. He was to spend about two years in painting this picture (it was 21 feet by 11 feet), and most of the work was done in a studio in the exhibition building, Melbourne. It was a thoroughly conscientious piece of work but it is practically impossible to make a picture of this kind a success as a work of art. It was finished in London in 1903, exhibited at the Royal Academy, and subsequently presented to His Majesty the King. After the completion of this picture Roberts had studios at Warwick Square and South Kensington and a trying period followed when nothing would go right with his painting, possibly he was having difficulty in getting accustomed to the English light. He afterwards spoke gratefully of the help he had obtained from James Quinn, the Australian portrait painter. In 1910 he went to live at Golders Green and began to get more confidence, although he felt the difficulty of obtaining recognition in England. His pictures were sometimes well-placed in the academy but sales were few. In February 1914 he had a one-man show in Bond-street and obtained appreciative notices from the critics. He was very pleased when the Queen paid a surprise visit to this show. Then came the war and Roberts could not paint. "I saw the boys in the trenches between me and my canvas." One day at the Chelsea Arts Club an officer walked in and asked for volunteers. Roberts was approaching 60 years of age, but he volunteered and worked as a hospital orderly for three and a half years. Towards the end of the period he was made a sergeant and assisted in the patching up of face wounds.

Directly the war was over Roberts came back to his painting with renewed zest. A year later he was able to say, "They may say I am old-fashioned nowadays. Well I'm proud that since the war I have exhibited with some of the modern London societies that are the most exclusive in the selection of their pictures." In November 1919 he went to Australia for a holiday and in March 1920 a successful exhibition of his work was opened at the Athenaeum gallery, Melbourne. His admirers noted that though his work had been affected by his residence in Europe, it still retained its old merits with at times an added refinement in colour. In August he had another show at Hordern's gallery in Sydney, which was also successful. Greatly encouraged he went back to England at the end of 1920 and two years later returned finally to Australia, having waited to see his only son married and settled in a home of his own.

Roberts, now 67 years of age, built a studio at Kallista in the ranges some 30 miles out of Melbourne. Most of his later painting was in landscape and he found no difficulty in again capturing the Australian atmosphere. He held occasional small shows which were received with appreciation by both press and public, and he was glad to see his friends around him. His wife dying early in 1928 he was a lonely man for a time, but subsequently married an old friend, Jean Boyes of Tasmania. In May 1931 he had to undergo an operation and was slow in recovering. He died at Kallista on 14 September 1931 and was buried in the churchyard of Illawarra, Tasmania. He was survived by his second wife and his only son, Caleb G. Roberts, B.Sc., M.C., who had settled in Victoria before his father's death.

Tom Roberts had a great influence on Australian art and more than anyone else showed his fellow artists the value and beauty of light. His portraits are often excellent, firmly drawn and modelled and showing much grasp of character. His landscapes are well designed and full of light and colour. He has a high place in the list of Australian artists. A fellow artist has described his appearance when he came to Sydney in his thirties as "an elderly young man who stooped slightly but was slim enough to appear above the average height" (he was five feet ten inches but looked taller), "lean, scant-bearded and prematurely bald, with eyes set deep beneath a domed brow". He had not altered much when he returned to Australia in his sixties. He then sometimes showed signs of restlessness as though he felt he had still much to do, and was not sure how much time he had to do it in. In his early days he was given the name of "Bulldog", perhaps because of a certain tenacity in his character. A forceful leader with an independent outlook, he was always ready to help a student, and never resentful of criticism of his own work. The largest collection of his pictures is in the national gallery of New South Wales. He is also represented at the National library, Canberra, in the national galleries of Victoria and South Australia, and in the galleries at Castlemaine and Geelong.

was born at Glasgow, Scotland, in 1825. When four years of age his parents took him to Dublin where subsequently he became apprenticed to a firm of publishers. He worked for a time with Currey and Company, booksellers and afterwards in Scotland. In Dublin he had become friendly with Samuel Mullen (q.v.) and the two young men decided to emigrate to Australia. They reached Melbourne on the Great Britain in 1852, bringing with them a collection of books. Robertson opened first in Russell-street but soon moved to Collins street, and about 1861 built a three storey building at 69 Elizabeth-street. The business was developing fast, principally on the wholesale side. In those days there were no publishers' representatives in Australia, and the great problem for the bookseller was to forecast what would be popular, and order a sufficient number of copies to meet the demand. About 1873 large premises were built in Little Collins-treet, with provision for stationery, book-binding, lithography, etc., and branches were opened in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Auckland. In 1890 Robertson retired and the business was carried on by his son, Charles Robertson. It was eventually formed into a company which in 1922 was amalgamated with Melville and Mullens under the name of Robertson and Mullens Ltd.

George Robertson died on 23 March 1898. He was married twice and left a large family. He was purely a business man and did not enter much into the life of Melbourne, though generous to hospitals and charities. His personality remains elusive, but he did great service to the public by bringing much good literature to a young colony whose culture had of necessity to be imported. The need for encouraging local literature was not then fully appreciated, but Robertson published some interesting Australian books, including Kendall's Leaves from Australian Forests, Gordon's Sea Spray and Smoke Drift, and J. Brunton Stephens's The Black Gin and other Poems.

son of the Rev. John Robertson, was born at Halstead, Essex, England, on 14 April 1860. He was educated at the South-western Academy, Glasgow, and was trained as a bookseller with James Maclehose, bookseller to the university of Glasgow. He emigrated to New Zealand as a young man and two years later (in 1882) came to Sydney, where he obtained employment at the local branch of George Robertson and Company, booksellers of Melbourne. He was in no way related to the founder of that firm. In January 1886 he joined D. M. Angus in partnership, at first in Market-street and afterwards in Castlereagh-street, Sydney. After Angus's death in 1900 Robertson continued in partnership with Frederick Wymark and Richard Thomson who had acquired Angus's share of the business, until in 1907 the partnership was converted into a public company and continues under the name of Angus & Robertson Ltd. About 1895 the publishing side of the business began to be developed and many successful volumes were launched. Among the earlier authors were Henry Lawson (q.v.), A. B. Paterson (q.v.), and Victor Daley (q.v.). Robertson could recognize quickly a promising author and was willing to take considerable risks in backing his judgment. During the last 30 years of his life the number of volumes he published exceeded the total number brought out in the same period by all the other publishers in Australia. The Australian Encyclopaedia, published in two volumes in 1926, is one of the most important books published in Australia. Robertson died on 27 August 1933. He was married twice, (1) in 1881 to Elizabeth Stewart Bruce and (2) in 1910 to Eva Adeline Ducat. His widow survived him. There were three daughters and a son by the first marriage.

Robertson was a keen man of business with a feeling for good literature. He would frequently buy the right to issue an Australian edition of an English or American book, not only because he thought it would sell, but because he considered it was the kind of book that should be widely read. He could drive a keen bargain, but he also did many kindnesses to the literary men of his time.

was born at Bow, London, on 15 October 1816. His father was Scotch, his mother English, and the family emigrated to Australia in 1820 on the advice of Sir Thomas Brisbane (q.v.). They were apparently in good circumstances, for, according to the custom of the time, anyone bringing to the colony a sum of not less than £2500 was entitled to a first class grant of 2500 acres of land, and this they received in the upper Hunter district. Robertson at five years of age was sent to the school in Sydney just opened by Dr Lang (q.v.). Subsequently he attended schools kept by Messrs Bradley Gilchrist and W. T. Cape (q.v.). Among his schoolfellows were two other boys destined to become premiers of New South Wales (Sir) James Martin (q.v.) and William Forster (q.v.). On leaving school about the year 1833 Robertson went to sea and worked his passage to England where, through the medium of some letters of introduction, he accidentally came in contact with Lord Palmerston. The personality of the young man so impressed Palmerston that he invited him to stay with him for a few days in the country. There he introduced him to various distinguished people, and afterwards when he was leaving England gave him a letter to the governor, Sir Richard Bourke (q.v.). Robertson visited France and South America, and, after an absence of two years, left the sea and joined his family in northern New South Wales. He engaged in squatting and farming for some years, married at 21, and made himself prominent in the struggle between the squatters and Governor Sir George Gipps (q.v.). With the establishment of responsible government he was elected a member of the legislative assembly in 1856, and took his seat with the Liberal party. His views were then considered extremely radical, his policy including manhood suffrage, vote by ballot, the abolition of state aid to religion, national education, and free selection over the public lands of the colony. His personal investments were more largely in pastoral properties than in agriculture, but he felt strongly that agriculture was being unfairly handicapped by the then state of the land laws. In January 1858 he joined the second Cowper (q.v.) ministry as secretary for lands and public works. This ministry was defeated in October 1859, but Robertson came into office again, this time as premier, in March 1860. He introduced a land bill which was rejected, but coming back from a general election with a majority in January 1861, he went into the upper house as secretary for lands, while Cowper became premier again. The bill duly passed the assembly and Robertson skilfully piloted it through the council. The resulting act remained the law of the country for many years. He became involved in financial difficulties through the failure of some properties he held in northern Queensland, and was out of parliament for a while, but in February 1865 was again secretary for lands in the fourth Cowper ministry. In January 1868, holding the offices of premier and colonial secretary, Robertson formed his second ministry, but two years later he left office and Cowper took his place. Robertson rejoined the ministry in August 1870 as secretary for lands. This government had a very small majority in the house, and when Cowper was appointed agent-general in London it resigned. Sir James Martin was sent for and to the surprise of the country Robertson joined him as colonial secretary in his ministry. At the general election held early in 1872 three members of the government were defeated, and Parkes (q.v.) came into power on 14 May 1872, There was a constant struggle between the parties under Robertson and Parkes for some years. Robertson was premier again in February 1875, Parkes in March 1877, Robertson in August 1877; but this ministry only lasted until December. The coming-in of the J. S. Farnell (q.v.) ministry in 1877 gave the main contestants time to take breath and consider the position, and in December 1878 a coalition was made between Parkes and Robertson which led to a ministry which lasted for over four years and did some really useful work. Parkes was premier, and Robertson went to the legislative council as vice-president of the executive council. During Parkes's absence in England, between December 1881 and August 1882, Robertson was acting-premier and colonial secretary. The general election held in December 1882 was adverse to the government and it resigned. Robertson formed his fifth ministry in December 1885 but resigned in the following February, and shortly afterwards retired from parliament. A grant of £10,000 was made to him by the government. Henceforth he lived in retirement, his health was impaired and he was unable to take part in public life. He was strongly against federation, almost his last act was the sending of a letter opposing it to the Sydney Morning Herald, which appeared on the day preceding his death. He died in the early morning of 8 May 1891 and was accorded a public funeral. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1877. His wife pre-deceased him and he was survived by a family of grown-up sons and daughters. A statue to his memory is in the botanical gardens at Sydney.

B. R. Wise (q.v.), a contemporary of Robertson's later days, has left a striking description of him after his retirement. His "long experience of affairs and keen insight into character made him still the political oracle of a large circle; while his chivalrous loyalty . . . attached with the closest ties all who came under his influence. His presence was strikingly handsome--the features clear-cut, flowing white hair and agile figure--while a natural gift of profanity and an uncompromising directness of speech, expressed in husky tones--(he had no palate)--have enriched our annals with many pleasant anecdotes". As a young man he was independent and forceful, with a quick observant mind and much practical experience, which was of great use in dealing with the difficulties of political questions. No man of his period was more often in office, and he closed a useful life high in the opinions of the country he had served so long.

was the son of Thorburn Robertson and Sheila, daughter of William Brailsford. He was born in Edinburgh in 1884 and at eight years of age was brought to South Australia, where his father had received an appointment as a mining engineer. He was educated at Miss Stanton's school at Glenelg, and later was privately tutored for the university. He entered on the science course at the university of Adelaide in 1902, and was at once recognized as a brilliant student. In April 1905 he graduated B.Sc. with first-class honours in physiology. As a student he had given some evidence of his quality in a paper on the "Sham-death reflex in spiders", published in the Journal of Physiology for August 1904, and in a remarkable paper, "An Outline of a Theory of the Genesis of Protoplasmic Motion and Excitation", read at a meeting of the Royal Society of South Australia on 4 April 1905 and published on pages 1-56 of its Transactions and Proceedings, vol. XXIX. He had been much interested in the work of Professor Jacques Loeb of the university of California, one of the ablest biochemists of his time, and immediately after graduation obtained a position in his laboratory. There he worked for five years, contributing during this period about 40 papers to leading scientific journals, and establishing a reputation as an authority on proteins. He never lacked courage, and thus early in his career attacked and subsequently refuted many of the doctrines then generally accepted. In 1910 when Loeb went to the Rockefeller Institute, New York, Robertson became assistant professor of bio-chemistry and pharmacology. He published in 1912 Die Physikalische Chemie der Proteine, which was translated into Russian, and, extended and revised, was published in English in 1918. Between 1910 and 1918 he sent a steady stream of papers to the scientific journals, many of them concerned with the factors that govern the growth and longevity of animals. He became professor of bio-chemistry and pharmacology at the university of California in 1916 and two years later was given the chair of bio-chemistry at Toronto. In 1919 the death of his old teacher, Sir Edward Stirling (q.v.), led to his return to Adelaide, where he became professor of bio-chemistry and general physiology in 1920. There his energetic personality soon became apparent in the medical school. His influence was felt in a remodelling of the early years of the medical course, and he persuaded the council that the teaching would have to be divided. In 1922 the new chair of zoology was established. He published in 1920 at New York his Principles of Biochemistry (2nd ed. 1923), and in 1923 appeared The Chemical Basis of Growth and Senescence. He had been experimenting on these problems since 1914, and though he was devoting much time to other work, they remained a constant hobby with him for the rest of his life. He was one of the earliest in Australia to investigate the use of insulin for diabetes, and in 1923 he discovered tethelin, a growth controlling substance which has been found of great value in the treatment of slow-healing wounds and ulcers of long standing.

In 1927 Robertson was asked by the Commonwealth Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to take charge of investigations into the nutrition of animals. An animal nutrition laboratory was built at Adelaide, and field stations were established in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Some especially valuable research work was done in connexion with the growth of wool on sheep, and the value of cystine and phosphates as supplementary feeding. He was working with great energy, with much mapped out for the coming years, when he contracted pneumonia and died after a short illness on 18 January 1930. He married in 1910 Jane Winifred, third daughter of Sir Edward Stirling, who survived him with two sons and a daughter. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and of many other important societies. He was elected a foreign member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, in 1926. In addition to the books already mentioned he published in 1914 The Universe and the Mayonnaise and other Stories for Children, and in 1931 a collection of excellent articles of more general appeal than his scientific papers was published under the title The Spirit of Research. He was the virtual founder and was managing editor of the Australian Journal of Experimental Biololgy and Medical Science from its beginning until his death. Its ninth volume published in 1932, "The Robertson Memorial Volume", is made up of scientific papers contributed by former colleagues and pupils, with a short memoir by Hedley R. Marston, and a bibliography of his work which lists 174 of his articles, and 26 others of which he was part author.

Apart from his life-work Robertson was a man of wide culture with a stimulating and unselfish personality, much interested in art, literature, music, and philosophy. He had a great sense of justice, complete loyalty and tolerance, qualities which endeared him to his co-workers and students. In his work his commonsense, courage, vision and imagination were always present. It is possible that, as has been suggested, his practical work was of less significance than his work in the realm of ideas where he was constantly evolving fresh thoughts or throwing new light on old ones. He was only 45 when he died, and given a few more years would no doubt have succeeded in rounding off much that was still incomplete. He left a body of disciples who have carried on his work and established a tradition that will be a lasting memorial of a great scientist.

was born probably in England about the year 1788. Nothing is known of his early life or when he came to Tasmania. He was a builder in a small way at Hobart in 1829, when Governor Arthur (q.v.) advertised for a man of good character who would take charge of the aborigines on Bruni Island. Robinson applied for the position but pointed out that he could not possibly keep his family on a salary of £50 a year. He was appointed at £100 a year, subsequently raised to £250. His mission was not a success. Whalers, sealers and others had access to the settlement, and Robinson had much trouble with them. At the beginning of 1830 he suggested that he should go unarmed among the blacks on the mainland of Tasmania, and endeavour to conciliate them. Taking a party with him, including some friendly aborigines, he walked several hundred miles over the island, camping with the natives on occasions and endeavouring to win their confidence. Presently he was able to persuade a party of them to come with him to Hobart. In February 1832 he inspected Flinders Island, and afterwards recommended it as a suitable place on which to found a home for the aborigines. He then went searching for other aborigines and brought in two parties, including altogether 58 aborigines. In September he met some warlike blacks and was in great danger of being murdered. During the next two years he brought in several other parties. By the end of January 1835 practically all the remaining blacks had surrendered. Robinson was rewarded in various ways to the total value of £8000 (Fenton). The aborigines were placed on Flinders Island but, removed from their regular hunting grounds, they gradually pined away and died. In 1838 it was decided to bring in a scheme to protect the aborigines on the mainland of Australia. Robinson was appointed chief protector at a salary of £500 a year, and he was given four assistants. He came to Port Phillip, but though thoroughly well-meaning and a voluminous writer of reports, he was not a success as an administrator. He would make long trips round the country and get completely out of touch with the authorities. In 1842 Governor Gipps (q.v.) reported that the assistant protectors were incompetent, and that though Robinson is "efficient so far as his own mode of holding intercourse with the Blacks is concerned, he is quite unequal to the control of what is becoming a large and expensive department; and moreover is already advanced in years and far beyond the prime of life". The question of the abolition of Robinson's office was being considered in February 1848 and on 31 December 1849 this was brought about. In 1853 he returned to England and died at Bath on 18 October 1866. He was married twice and was survived by children.

Robinson was a sincerely religious man of limited education. He showed great courage and tact in dealing with the borigines, and did valuable work in Tasmania when the relations between the blacks and the whites were as bad as possible. He endeavoured to use the same conciliatory methods in Victoria but he was unfortunate in his assistants, and he had not had the necessary training to become a good administrator. Collections of his papers are at the Mitchell library, Sydney, and the public library, Melbourne.

was born in 1747. He was an educated man and appears to have practised as a lawyer; Governor King on one occasion referred to him as "one of those itinerant practisers who are a disgrace to the honourable profession of the law" (H.R. of A., ser. I, vol. V, p. 535). In February 1796 he was charged at the Old Bailey, London, for attempting to extort money from James Oldham, a Holborn ironmonger, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Subsequently the death penalty, was changed to transportation, and he arrived at Sydney on the ship Barwell on 18 May 1798. Richard Dore, the judge-advocate, who had come out on the same vessel, stated that Robinson could be very useful to him and applied for his conditional emancipation. This was granted by Governor Hunter (q.v.) and nearly two years later Dore made an application on Robinson's behalf for an absolute pardon. Robinson had been his clerk and had conducted himself properly in the meantime, but the second application was refused. In August 1803 Governor King mentioned in a dispatch that Robinson had committed perjury and had been ordered to be transported to Norfolk Island. This sentence, however, was not carried out at the time on account of the difficulty of finding another assistant for the judge-advocate. Governor King (q.v.) sent Robinson to Norfolk Island in 1805, but in December 1806 he was back in Sydney. In April 1810 he was made first clerk of the government secretary's office and in this year published the first of his patriotic odes, Ode on His Majesty's Birthday, 1810. This and the 19 other odes published on the King's and Queen's birthdays between 1810 and 1820 were first printed in the Sydney Gazette, and were then published separately, printed on three sides of a large folder. Another Ode for the First of January 1811 was published as a broadside. An Ode for His Majesty's Birthday, which was printed in the Sydney Gazette for 18 August 1821, does not appear to have been printed separately. Governor Macquarie took Robinson up and encouraged him, and he appears to have held to a straight course for the rest of his life. In July 1819 he was appointed provost-marshall but resigned this position in May 1821. In December of this year he advertised in the Sydney Gazette that he proposed to issue a volume of his poems at £1 1s. per copy. Similar advertisements appeared in 1822, 1824 and 1825, but the volume was never published. He continued to be in the employ of the government for the remainder of his life, and at the time of his death on 22 December 1826 he was principal clerk in the police office. He was married and was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. A list of his odes will be found in Serle's A Bibliography of Australasian Poetry and Verse. His verse is quite fluent but has little or no value as poetry.

son of Henry Barrow Rodway, was born at Torquay, Devonshire, England, on 5 October 1853. Educated at Birmingham, he served on the officers' training ship, Worcester, and obtained double first-class certificates. He served for three years as a midshipman in the merchant service, but decided to give up the sea. He obtained the licentiateship of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, and then went to Queensland for a short period. He arrived in Tasmania in 1880 and practised with success as a dental surgeon at Hobart. In 1896 he was appointed honorary government botanist for Tasmania, and held this position for 36 years. His work in this connexion was largely done at week-ends and during his holidays. In 1903 he published his comprehensive work, The Tasmanian Flora, illustrated with his own drawings of typical species. This was followed in 1910 by Some Wild Flowers of Tasmania, a useful and interesting book for students. He had become a member of the Royal Society of Tasmania in 1884, was elected to the council in 1911, and was for some years a vice-president of the society. He was chairman of the Field Naturalists' Club, the national park board, and was on the fisheries and the technical schools and other boards. He acted as an advisory officer to the forestry department and was for some years lecturer in botany at the university of Tasmania. He also did valuable work for the museum and botanical gardens. Failing health caused his retirement in 1932. In addition to the two works mentioned Rodway compiled a complete description of the mosses and hepatics of Tasmania, and contributed numerous papers to the Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. He died on 9 March 1936. He married (1) Louisa Phillips and (2) Olive Barnard, who survived him with four sons and a daughter of the first marriage. He was awarded the Clarke memorial medal of the Royal Society of New South Wales and the medal of the Royal Society of Tasmania, and was made C.M.G. in 1917. His botanical library was presented to the Royal Society of Tasmania by Mrs Rodway. His daughter, Florence Rodway, born at Hobart, became a successful and capable portrait painter. She is represented in the national galleries at Sydney and Hobart, and in the Commonwealth collection at Canberra.

DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALIAN BIOGRAPHY

Angus and Robertson--1949

R

RAALTE, HENRI BENEDICTUS VAN (1881-1929),

RAE, JOHN (1813-1900),

RAMSAY, EDWARD PIERSON (1842-1916),

RAMSAY, HUGH (1877-1906),

RANDELL, WILLIAM RICHARD (1824-1911),

RASON, SIR CORNTHWAITE HECTOR (1858-1927),

REDFERN, WILLIAM (1778-1833),

REIBEY, THOMAS (1821-1912),

REID, SIR GEORGE HOUSTON (1845-1918),

RENNIE, EDWARD HENRY (1852-1927),

RENTOUL, JOHN LAURENCE (1846-1926),

RENWICK, SIR ARTHUR (1837-1908),

REYNOLDS, TH0MAS (c. 1817-1875),

RICHARDSON, CHARLES DOUGLAS (1853-1932),

RICKARDS, HARRY, originally Henry Benjamin Leete (1845-1911),

RIDLEY, JOHN (1806-1887),

RIDLEY, WILLIAM (1819-1878),

RIGNOLD, GEORGE (1839-1912),

RILEY, CHARLES OWEN LEAVER (1854-1929),

RIVERS, RICHARD GODFREY (1859-1925),

ROBE, FREDERICK HOLT (1801-1871),

ROBERTS, MORLEY (1857-1942),

ROBERTS, THOMAS WILLIAM (1856-1931),

ROBERTSON, GEORGE (1825-1898),

ROBERTSON, GEORGE (1860-1933),

ROBERTSON, SIR JOHN (1816-1891),

ROBERTSON, THORBURN BRAILSFORD (1884-1930),

ROBINSON, GEORGE AUGUSTUS (c. 1788-1866),

ROBINSON, MICHAEL MASSEY (1747-1826),

RODWAY, LEONARD (1853-1936),

ROE, JOHN SEPTIMUS (1797-1878),