The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Sutherland, Hon. John
Sutherland, Hon. John, M.L.A., was born near Wick, in Scotland, on Feb. 16th, 1816, and emigrated to New South Wales, arriving in 1838. Having been very successful as a builder, he was elected an alderman of Sydney in 1857, and was mayor in 1861. His principal municipal work was in connection with the sewerage of the metropolis. In 1860 he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for Paddington, which included the constituency of Redfern, which, when subdivided and constituted a separate electorate, he represented down to the date of his death, with the exception of a short interval, during which he sat in the Legislative Council. Mr. Sutherland was Minister of Public Works on no less than five occasions—viz., in the Robertson and Cowper Administrations from Oct. 1868 to Dec. 1870, in the Parkes Ministry from May 1872 to Feb. 1875, in that of Mr. Farnell from Dec. 1877 to Dec. 1878, and in the fourth Parkes Government from Jan. 1887 to Jan. 1889. He died on June 23rd, 1889.