upon the provisions of the English Factory Acts, is in some respects greatly ahead of them in providing for the effective protection of women and children. Towards the end of 1885 the Coalition Government was dissolved by the resignations of Messrs. Service, Berry, and Kerferd. Mr. Deakin was then, by a unanimous choice, elected to succeed Mr. (now Sir) Graham Berry, who went home as Agent-General, in the leadership of the Liberal Party. In this capacity he formed a junction with Mr. Gillies' following, assuming (Feb. 18th, 1886) the post of Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Water Supply in that gentleman's cabinet. The new Government, in the absence of contentious topics, went to the country on Mr. Deakin's irrigation policy, which was endorsed by a decisive majority. In view of this result, Mr. Deakin, in June 1886, submitted to the Assembly a measure which, in addition to an alteration of the law of riparian rights, provided for the carrying out of a national system of irrigation, under which the Government were to construct head works, the task of distribution being allotted to the local bodies, who were ultimately to be reimbursed by the private beneficiaries, and in their turn to reimburse the central Government. The measure was adopted in its main features, and a loan floated to effectuate its provisions, which have been largely availed of in various parts of the colony. Perhaps the most important outcome of the irrigation policy launched under Mr. Deakin's auspices was the arrangement entered into with Messrs. Chaffey Brothers for the sale to them of 250,000 acres on the Murray frontage at Mildura for the formation of an irrigation settlement. Mr. Deakin was senior delegate for Victoria to the Colonial Conference held in London in 1887, and took a prominent and successful part in its proceedings; he, however, declined the honour of knighthood (K.C.M.G.) which was offered him during its sittings. Mr. Deakin visited Egypt and Italy, and wrote a second report on irrigation. He was Victorian delegate to the Chinese Conference in 1888, member of the Federal Council, session 1889, and was one of the two delegates of Victoria to the Federation Conference in Melbourne in 1890; being also one of the seven delegates of the colony to the Federation Convention of 1891. Mr. Deakin was appointed First Minister of Health in 1890 and Solicitor-General, taking the place of the Hon. H. J. Wrixon, Attorney-General, during his absence in England in that year. Mr. Deakin resigned office in Oct. 1890 along with the rest of his colleagues, and was joint leader of the Opposition until the dissolution in April 1892, prior to which he had intimated his intention to take up an independent rôle, apart from any party trammels. Mr. Deakin is now devoting the major part of his attention to the practice of his profession, and was leading counsel for the defence in the Deeming murder trial in April 1892. He visited India to study its irrigation systems in 1891.
De Boos, Charles, was born in London on May 24th, 1819, and educated at Addiscombe. He served in the British Legion during the Carlist war in Spain from 1835 to 1837, and emigrated to Australia in 1839. Having been Government shorthand writer in Victoria from 1851 to 1856, he became connected with the press, and removed to Sydney. Mr. De Boos was the author of numerous works, and was appointed Warden of the New South Wales Goldfields in Dec. 1874. He afterwards retired on a pension.
Deering, Samuel, J. P., Assistant Agent-General for South Australia, son of the late William Deering, of Gravesend, Kent, was born at Andover, Hants, on Oct. 11th, 1835. He was clerk in the Census Office, London, in 1851, and emigrated to South Australia, arriving at Adelaide on Sept. 1st, 1853. He has held the following appointments under the South Australian Government: clerk in the Audit Office, 1855; chief clerk, 1859; clerk of Executive Council, 1863; aide-de-camp to Sir D. Daly, Governor-in-Chief, 1867; captain Volunteer Military Staff, 1867; aide-de-camp to the Right Hon. Sir James Fergusson, Bart., Governor of South Australia, 1869; also clerk to the Court of Appeals, Jan. 1869; resigned the foregoing appointments on being made Secretary to the Attorney-General, July 1869; secretary to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Nov. 1870; a magistrate of the Province, Feb. 1874; a commissioner in London for taking affidavits in the Supreme Court
124
