Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/333

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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when newly formed Bank of Victoria—an appointment he held for many years. In 1859 Mr. Matheson visited England, and established the Bank of Victoria's London office, rejoining the head office in Melbourne in 1861. In the meantime he became considerably interested in station property in Victoria and New South Wales. Upon the retirement of Mr. D. C. MᶜArthur he was elected chairman of the associated banks. In 1877 he again left for England, and died on May 10th, 1882.

Mathieson, John, Chief Commissioner of Railways, Queensland, was born at Cumnock, Glasgow, in 1846; and when a lad he entered the service of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway, working his way up through the various grades to the position of Superintendent of the line, an appointment he resigned in 1889 to take the post of Chief Commissioner of Queensland Railways—an office created under legislation similar to that previously adopted in the western colonies for abolishing political management. He is credited with possessing a special knowledge of the procedure for the promotion of new lines.

Matveieff, Alexey Froloff, Superintendent of Telegraphs, Queensland, was born in London on Jan. 3rd, 1833, and educated privately at Brighton and in Germany, and afterwards studied applied science at King's College, London. Mr. Matveieff, who is a member of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and Electricians, emigrated to Queensland in 1858 and joined the Native Force in 1860. In the following year he entered the Government Telegraph Department, of which he is now Superintendent.

Maunsell, Ven. Robert, B.A., LL.D., late Archdeacon of Auckland, New Zealand, born in Ireland in Oct. 1810, was one of the earliest missionaries sent to New Zealand by the Church Missionary Society, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B .A. in 1832. In 1834 he went out to New Zealand in connection with the Church Missionary Society, and for many years lived as a missionary among the Maoris. In 1840 he was one of those who were instrumental in framing the Treaty of Waitangi, and in getting the native chiefs to sign it. Subsequently, in 1846, he joined with Bishop Selwyn and Sir William Martin in a protest against Earl Grey's instructions, by which it was considered the treaty was violated. Archdeacon Maunsell is especially distinguished for his translation of the Bible into Maori, and also for his Maori Grammar. He shares with Mr. Colenso the honour of being the greatest living authority on the Maori tongue. After thirty years of labour as a missionary, Mr. Maunsell was appointed Incumbent of St. Mary's, Auckland, in 1865, and was Archdeacon of Auckland from 1870 to 1883. He has recently retired from active duty, having had the degree of LL.D. of Dublin University conferred on him for his Maori scholarship.

Maxwell, J. P., M.Inst.C.E., entered the Public Works Department of New Zealand in 1874, and became General Manager of the New Zealand Railways in 1880. In 1890 he was appointed one of the Railway Commissioners of the colony.

Meaden, John William, was born in London on August 12th, 1840, and arrived in Melbourne in 1854. Mr. Meaden, who was engaged in commercial pursuits, was the author of the prize cantata performed at the opening of the Melbourne Exhibition of 1880. He also secured prizes of £100 offered for an essay on the "Commercial History of Australasia," of £50 for an essay on "Protection in Victoria," and of smaller amounts for essays on the Sabbath question and other subjects. Mr. Meaden was one of the founders of the Victorian Alliance, and now holds the position of honorary secretary. He established the Alliance Record the organ of the "Local Option" party in Victoria. He was married at St. Mark's, Fitzroy, Victoria, on Nov. 17th, 1863, to Miss Mary Anne Bullock.

Meares, George, C.M.G., son of the late George Rochfort Meares, of co. Westmeath, Ireland, was born in 1825, and emigrated to Australia. He was Mayor of Melbourne in 1880 and 1881, and a commissioner and member of the executive committee for the Melbourne Exhibition of 1880 to 1881. He married in 1864 Miss Sarah Broadley Dixon, and was created C.M.G. in 1882.

Mein, Hon. Charles Stuart, M.A., sometime Puisne Judge, Queensland, was born on June 14th, 1841, at Maitland, N.S.W., and attended Mr. Cape's school, at Dar-

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