Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/281

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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successively defeated for South Grant and for North Melbourne in 1871, but was re-elected for the former constituency in 1875, and became Commissioner of Trade and Customs and Postmaster-General in Mr. (now Sir) Graham Berry's first Administration in August of that year, retiring with his colleagues on the formation of Sir James MᶜCulloch's fourth Ministry in October. He was reappointed to his former offices on Mr. Berry's return to power in May 1877, but resigned the Postmaster-Generalship to Mr. Cuthbert in the following July, continuing as Minister of Customs till March 1880, when the Government was defeated. On the assembling of the second Parliament of 1880, on July 22nd, Mr. Lalor was chosen Speaker in succession to Sir C. G. Duffy, and was re-elected in the two succeeding parliaments of 1883 and 1886. On Sept. 29th, 1887, he resigned, and was voted a sum of £4,000 by the Parliament of Victoria on retiring from public life, He died on Feb. 9th, 1889.

Lamb, Edward William, sometime Secretary of Lands, Queensland, second son of John Lamb, M.L.C., of New South Wales (formerly Commander R.N.) and Emma his wife, daughter of John Robinson of London, was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, and Secretary for Lands in the administration of Mr. (afterwards Sir) R. R. Mackenzie, from August 1867 to Sept. 1868. In this capacity he passed the Crown Lands Alienation Act.

Landsborough, William, was the son of a Scotch medical man, was born in Ayrshire and educated at Irvine. He went to Australia and commenced as a squatter in the New England district of New South Wales, subsequently removing to Queensland. He began a career of private exploration in 1856, and discovered Mount Nebo and Fort Cooper. He explored the Peak Downs and Nagoa in 1859, discovered the head of the Thomson in 1860, and traced the Gregory and Herbert rivers to their sources in 1861. In that year he was engaged by the Royal Society of Victoria to head an expedition from the Albert River in search of Burke and Wills. After several false starts the party left the depôt on Feb. 10th, 1862, and journeyed southward, discovering rich pastoral land extending along the waters of the Flinders to the Dividing Range, thence along the Thomson, from its source to the Victoria River (or Barcoo), and thence to the Warrego, whence they travelled by the Darling and Menindie to Melbourne, where Mr. Landsborough was presented with a piece of plate valued at £500, and, on his subsequently visiting London, with a gold watch by the Royal Geographical Society. After a tour in India and Europe he returned to Queensland, and was elected to the Assembly, but resigned his seat in 1865, and took the position of Government Resident in the Bourke District. Subsequently, in conjunction with Mr. G. Phillips, he discovered the Western River, and followed the course of the Diamantina to its source. In 1868 he was removed from his situation, and became Inspector of Brands for East Moreton. He died on March 16th, 1886.

Lang, Rev. John Dunmore, D.D., one of the ablest pioneers of Australian autonomy, was born at Greenock, in Scotland, on August 25th, 1799, and graduated at Glasgow University, of which he was made D.D. in 1825. His attention being early directed to Australia, then almost a terra incognita, he determined to leave Scotland, and in Sept. 1822 was ordained by the Irvine Presbytery minister for the Scotch National Church in Sydney. He arrived in the metropolis of New South Wales in 1823 and met with a warm welcome from his fellow-countrymen who had settled there. The Courthouse was placed at his disposal for holding services, and his preaching attracted what in those days might be styled large congregations. Subscriptions were liberally promised towards the erection of a church, the Governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane, heading the list; but, in consequence of a quarrel, the Governor declined to afford State endowment and withdrew his own subscription. Dr. Lang, undaunted by the want of official patronage, proceeded to build his church and went to England to lay his complaint before the Secretary of State for the Colonies. He was favourably received, and in 1826 returned to Sydney with a direction from Earl Bathurst to the authorities in New South Wales that one-third of the cost of the Presbyterian Church should be paid by the State, and a salary of £300 a year paid to Dr. Lang out of colonial

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