Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/423

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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Matthew. In Oct. 1891, on the formation of the Dibbs Ministry, Mr. See was appointed Colonial Treasurer, and in that capacity carried the Protectionist tariff of 1892.

Selby, Prideaux, Secretary of the Bank of Australasia, of the ancient family of the Selbys of Biddleston, Northumberland, through the Selbys of Beal, co. Durham, is the eldest son of George William Selby, by his marriage with Miss Penelope Earles, and was born in London, Dec. 9th, 1834. He arrived in Victoria with his parents by the ship China, May 2nd, 1840. Mr. Selby, sen., engaged in pastoral pursuits, and was one of the pioneers of the Anderson's Creek District, but removed to the Western District, whence he returned to Melbourne during the excitement which followed the gold discoveries in Victoria. Here he attained a high position in commercial and financial circles, and died at South Yarra, August 18th, 1890, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The subject of this notice joined the service of the Bank of Australasia in 1858, was appointed manager at Dunedin, N.Z., in 1868, accountant Melbourne in 1870, Travelling Inspector in 1876, Secretary (chief officer in London) in 1879. He has contributed articles on the Theory of Taxation to the Melbourne Review, and to the Journal of the Bankers Institute, London, and is otherwise known as an independent thinker on economical subjects. Mr. Selby was married at Christchurch, South Yarra, on August 31st, 1864, to Rose Anne, daughter of John Wise.

Selfe, Henry Selfe (originally Page), was born at Rose Hill near Worcester, on Nov. 15th, 1810, and educated at Glasgow University. In 1836 he was called to the Bar, and in 1854 was appointed stipendiary magistrate in Berks. Mr. Selfe became one of the promoters of the Canterbury Association, formed to found the settlement of Canterbury, N.Z., and for some years represented that province in England. He was intimately connected with the Association till it ceased to exist, but it was not till 1868 that he paid a visit to Christchurch.

Selwyn, Alfred Richard Cecil, C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S., son of the Rev. Townsend Selwyn, Canon of Gloucester, was born in 1824 and educated in Switzerland. From 1845 to 1852 he was employed on the geological Survey of Great Britain, and from 1853 to 1869 was Director of the Geological Survey of Victoria. He then had a disagreement with the Government of that colony, and accepted the post of Director of the Canadian Geological and Natural History Survey and Museum, which he took up in 1870 and has held ever since. He married in 1852 Matilda Charlotte, daughter of Rev. Edward Selwyn, rector of Hemingford Abbotts, Hunts, and was created C.M.G. in 1886.

Selwyn, Right Rev. George Augustus, D.D., first and last Anglican bishop of New Zealand, was the son of William Selwyn, Q.C., the eminent jurist, who was selected to instruct Prince Albert "in the constitution and laws of his adopted country." The Bishop's mother was Letitia Frances, daughter of Roger Kynaston, of Witham, Essex, and he was born at Church Row, Hampstead, Middlesex, on April 5th, 1809. His elder brother, the Rev. William Selwyn, was, it may be here mentioned, an eminent divine, who was offered the bishopric of New Zealand prior to its being proposed to himself. Another brother, the late Lord Justice Sir Charles Jasper Selwyn, was an eminent lawyer and judge. Bishop Selwyn was primarily educated at a large private school at Ealing, where the two Newmans, cardinal and theist, received their early training. Later on he went to Eton, where Mr. Gladstone was one of his schoolfellows and personal friends. His future coadjutor Bishop Abraham was also amongst his contemporaries at Eton, where Selwyn was equally prominent as a scholar and athlete. In 1827 he left Eton for Cambridge, where he was scholar and subsequently Fellow of St. John's. In 1829 he rowed seventh in the Cambridge boat in the first inter-university boat race. In 1831 he took his degree, coming out junior optime in mathematics and second classic of his year, and after a brief visit to the Continent settled down at Eton as private tutor to the sons of Lord Powis, who were at the school In 1833 Mr. Selwyn was ordained deacon, and acted as curate to the vicar of Eton. In June 1839 he married Sarah, daughter of Sir John Richardson, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas, a step which compelled him to resign his Fellowship at St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1841, whilst still curate of Eton, he was

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