Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/150

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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became a surgeon in the East India Company's service. He was married in April 1839 to Matilda, daughter of Major Thomas Brougham, H.E.I.C.S., of Penrith, Cumberland; and emigrating to Australia, was appointed a member of the Upper House in New South Wales, after being defeated as a candidate for the Legislative Assembly. He was Postmaster-General in the first Martin Administration, from Jan. 1866 to Sept. 1868, when he became Colonial Secretary, and retired with his colleagues in the following month. He was again Postmaster-General in Sir James Martin's second Ministry, from Dec. 1870 to May 1872. Whilst holding office on the first occasion he introduced and carried through the Upper House Mr. (now Sir) Henry Parkes' Public School Bill in 1866. He was Minister of Justice and Public Instruction in the Robertson Ministry, from Feb. 1875 to March 1877; and again, under the same Premier, from August to Dec. 1877. He died on Dec. 9th, 1884.

Dodds, Hon. John Stokell, C.M.G., Puisne Judge, Tasmania, was born in Durham, England, in 1848, and having emigrated to Tasmania, was admitted to the bar there in 1872. Having unsuccessfully contested South and North Hobart, Mr. Dodds succeeded Mr. Fysh as the representative of East Hobart in, 1878, and held the seat till 1887, when he assumed his present judicial position. Immediately after his election he accepted the post of Attorney-General in the Crowther Administration, which took office in Dec. 1878. On their defeat in Oct. 1879, Mr. Giblin undertook the formation of a Coalition Government, Mr. Dodds and Mr. O'Reilly being selected as representatives of their party. The office of Treasurer was offered to and declined by Mr. Dodds, who was unwilling to take any portfolio other than that of Attorney-General. Mr. Giblin then waived his own personal wishes, and consented to Mr. Dodds retaining the Attorney-Generalship, he taking the Treasury. Ultimately, however, Mr. Dodds changed places with him, and held the office of Treasurer until the Coalition Government oeased to exist on Mr. Giblin resigning, in August 1884, to become a Judge of the Supreme Court. The Administration was then reconstructed, and Mr. Dodds resigned the Treasurership and became Attorney-General again. In 1886, when Mr. Douglas proceeded to England as Agent-General, it was thought that Mr. Dodds would become Premier; but the Governor, Sir George Strahan, was advised by Mr. Dodds to send for Dr. Agnew^who assumed that position. But the real work of guiding the administration, and of leading the House of Assembly, fell upon Mr. Dodds, who safely steered his party through a general election and a stormy session of Parliament. When still Attorney-General, and whilst en route to England to represent the colony at the Colonial Conference held in London in 1887, he was appointed to the senior puisne judgeship, rendered vacant by the death of his old chief, Mr. Giblin. After attending the Conference, Mr. Dodds returned to Tasmania to assume the seat upon the bench to which he had been appointed in the previous February. In 1890, during the absence of Governor Hamilton, Mr. Dodds exercised for a short time the functions of Deputy Governor.

Dodery, Hon. William, M.L.C., Chairman of Committees, Legislative Council, Tasmania, was returned to the House of Assembly for Norfolk Plains in 1861, and was re-elected in Nov. 1862 and in Oct. 1866. In 1875 he resigned his seat in the Assembly, and in March 1877 was elected to the Council for Longford, now Westmoreland, and was re-elected in April 1883 and in May 1889.

Domett, Alfred, C.M.G., formerly Premier of New Zealand, was the fourth son of Nathaniel Domett, and was born at Camberwell Grove, Surrey, on May 20th, 1811. He was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1829, but left the University without graduating. He then spent a couple of years in America and travelled extensively on the Continent, occupying his time in literary pursuits, and contributing verse to the magazines. He entered at the Middle Temple, Nov. 7th, 1835, and was called to the bar Nov. 19th, 1841. In May of the following year he went out to New Zealand, and settled in the Nelson district, becoming, in 1848, Colonial Secretary for the province of New Munster. In 1851 he was made Civil Secretary for the whole of New Zealand, but resigning the conjoint offices in 1853, he became Commissioner of Crown Lands and Resi-

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