Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/262

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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Jack, Robert Logan, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., Government Geologist, Queensland, is the son of Robert Jack and Margaret (Logan) his wife. He was born on Sept. 16th, 1845, at Irvine, Argyllshire, Scotland, and was educated at the Academy there and at Edinburgh University. He was employed on the Geological Survey of Scotland from 1867 to 1871, was married at Glasgow on April 10th, 1877, to Miss Janet Simpson, and arrived in Australia in July of that year, where he was employed by the Queensland Government as Geological Surveyor. In 1880 Mr. Jack explored some portion of the Cape York peninsula, principally with the view of ascertaining whether the country was auriferous. The party suffered greatly from the heavy rainfall, and the natives were also hostile, Mr. Jack being speared through the neck in the same locality where Kennedy lost his life in 1848. On this expedition Mr. Jack mapped in the river system up the peninsula, which had previously been traversed (on the west coast) only by the brothers Jardine in 1864. Mr. Jack is the author of numerous reports on the geology of Scotland and Queensland, of "The Handbook of Queensland Geology" (1886), "Mineral Wealth of Queensland" (1888), and conjointly with Mr. Robert Etheridge, Palaeontologist to the Australian Museum and Geological Survey of New South Wales, of "Geology and Palaeontology of Queensland and New Guinea" (1882). Mr. Jack was President of the Geology Section of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science at the meeting held in Sydney in 1888. His elder brother, William Jack, LL.D., is Professor of Mathematics in Glasgow University.

Jackson, John Alexander, eldest son of Major Jackson, barrack master at Sydney, went to Tasmania in 1830, and was barrack storekeeper at Ross. In 1833 he moved to Launceston to edit the Advertiser. He was recommended by Sir John Franklin to the Government of South Australia, and was Colonial Treasurer in the early days of that colony and Colonial Secretary (succeeding Mr. Robert Gouger) from Oct. 1841 to June 1843, when he resigned owing to a difference with the Governor of the colony, Captain (now Sir) George Grey. Returning to Tasmania, he went to London as the official representative of the anti-transportation movement, and contributed towards the success of the agitation for granting responsible government to the Australian colonies by his letters to Earl Grey. It was due to an intimation received from Mr. Jackson whilst in London in 1849 that the people of Port Phillip became aware of the intention of the imperial authorities to despatch a batch of convicts to their settlement. They were thus enabled to initiate the opposition which was successful in preventing Victoria becoming a convict colony. Later on Mr. Jackson resided in Melbourne as general manager of the English, Scottish, and Australian Chartered Bank, a post which he held till replaced by Mr. (now Sir) George Verdon in 1872. Mr. Jackson married a daughter of the late W. G. Walker, of Vron Estate, Bishopsbourne, Tas., and died at Ealing, near London, in May 1885.

Jackson, Hon. John Alexander, B.A., youngest son of John Alexander Jackson, an architect in Tasmania, was educated at Queen's College, Oxford, and entered as a student at the Middle Temple in Nov. 1864, being called to the bar in June 1868. He subsequently returned to Tasmania, and was admitted to the bar of that colony, practising at Hobart. He was Attorney-General in the Innes ministry from Nov. 1872 to August 1873, and died on Feb. 18th, 1889, aged forty-five years.

Jacob, Hon. Archibald Hamilton, M.L.C., was member for Gloucester in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, and succeeded Mr. Baker as Secretary for Mines in the Robertson Ministry in Nov. 1877, retiring with his colleagues the following month. He was nominated to the Legislative Council in Sept. 1883, and is Chairman of Committees of that body.

Jacobs, Very Rev. Henry, D.D., Dean of Christchurch, N.Z., son of William Hearne Jacobs, was born at Chale Abbey, Isle of Wight, on Jan. 3rd, 1824, and educated at the Charterhouse,

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