Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/196

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
Gar]
DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
[Gaw

nominated to the Legislative Council, and was appointed Colonial Treasurer, but exchanged this post for that of Postmaster-General in the following December. In June of the next year he was appointed Agent-General for Queensland, and for the first time in the history of the colony held that post in conjunction with a seat in the Government, of which he was a member without portfolio till Sir Samuel Griffith's resignation in June 1888. During his first tenure of office as Agent-General in London, he was a Royal Commissioner and Executive Commissioner for Queensland at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886, and was one of the representatives of the colony at the Colonial Conference in the next year. In 1885 he was created C.M.G., and K.C.M.G. in 1886. Sir James, who married in 1865 Kate, daughter of the late J. J. Cadell, M.D., was reappointed Agent-General in Dec. 1890. He is a member of the governing body of the Imperial Institute.

Garvan, Hon. James Patrick, M.L.A., has represented Eden in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales for some years past. He was Minister of Justice in the Jennings Government from Feb. 1886 to Jan. 1887, and Colonial Treasurer in that of Mr. Dibbs from Jan. to March 1889.

Gaunson, David, M.L.A., the fourth son of the late Francis Gaunson and Elizabeth his wife, was born in Sydney, N.S.W., on Jan. 19th, 1846, and educated in Sydney, and at Brighton, Victoria. Having served his articles to his brother-in-law, the late Hon. J. M. Grant, he was admitted an attorney of Victoria in 1869, and continues to practise his profession in Melbourne. After fighting two unsuccessful contests in 1871, and in 1872 unsuccessfully opposing the Hon. J. G. Francis, the then premier, at Richmond, he was returned to the Legislative Assembly in 1875 for Ararat, which constituency he continued to represent till July 1881. Mr. Gaunson was a prominent member of the "Stonewall" party, which, under Mr. (now Sir) Graham Berry, after an unparalleled agitation in Parliament and in the country, ultimately annihilated the followers of Sir James MᶜCulloch at the general election in 1877. Subsequently, however, he acted in opposition to Mr. Berry, and also opposed the Service Government formed in 1880. In the following year, on the formation of the O'Loghlen Ministry, Mr. Gaunson accepted a portfolio as President of the Board of Lands and Works and Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey. He was, however, defeated at Ararat by the Hon. Wm. Wilson on presenting himself for re-election after his acceptance of office, and at once resigned his position in the Ministry which he only held from July 9th to August 2nd. Mr. Gaunson was returned to the Assembly at the general election in March 1886; but on his contesting South Melbourne at the ensuing general election in March 1889 he was defeated by Mr. Mountain.

Gawler, Colonel George, K.H., second Governor of South Australia, was the only son of the late Captain Samuel Gawler of the 73rd Regiment, who led one of the storming parties at the siege of Seringapatam. He was born in 1796, and educated at the Military College, Great Marlow. Colonel Gawler joined the 52nd Light Infantry in Nov. 1811, and served to the end of the Peninsular War in 1814. During the course of the latter he led the forlorn hope at the storming of Badajoz, and was struck by a grape shot in the right knee, and fell from the parapet into the ditch below, where he lay all night, but was rescued by a private of his regiment, who had his own head shot off whilst in the act of saving his superior. When still under twenty he commanded the right company of the 52nd at Waterloo, and took part in the attack upon the Imperial Guards, for which he received the war medal, with clasps. He was appointed Governor of South Australia in 1838, and, arriving in the colony on the 12th, assumed office on the 17th of October in that year. The reaction from the over-speculation and extravagance which prevailed at the initiation of the colony set in during his term of office in full force, and resulted in an appalling state of depression, which Colonel Gawler sought to relieve by encouraging settlement on the country lands, which his predecessor had obstructed, and undertaking extensive public works with a view of giving employment to the urban population, whom he also assisted out of his private purse. With a view of meeting the Government outlay incurred,

180