The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Anderson, Hon. Robert Stirling Hore
Anderson, Hon. Robert Stirling Hore, M.L.C., was a native of Coleraine, Londonderry, Ireland, and was educated at the Belfast Academy and at the University of Dublin, where he graduated. After practising as a solicitor in Dublin for eight years he decided to emigrate, and arrived in Victoria in June 1854. Whilst practising as a solicitor in Melbourne he resided in the suburb of Emerald Hill, and was Chairman of the Municipal Council and representative of the district in Parliament. Mr. Anderson was Commissioner of Trade and Customs in the Heales Ministry from November 1860 to January 1861, when he resigned, owing to the policy of the Ministry being dictated by the opposition, Mr. Heales revising his budget in accordance with Sir John O'Shanassy's resolution that the public expenditure should be kept down to £3,000,000 per annum. Mr. Anderson, however, took office in the O'Shanassy Ministry which succeeded the Heales Government, being Commissioner of Trade and Customs from November 1861 to June 1863. When Mr. Haines died in 1864 Mr. Anderson succeeded him as member for the Eastern Province in the Legislative Council, and he was Commissioner of Public Works and vice-president of the Board of Land and Works in the Francis Ministry from May to July 1874, when the Cabinet was reconstructed under the premiership of the late Mr. Kerferd, under whom Mr. Anderson held the same offices till August 1875, when the first Berry Ministry was formed. The latter having been defeated, Mr. Anderson came back to office under Sir James McCulloch in October 1875 as Commissioner of Trade and Customs, and held that post till the Ministry was again displaced by Mr. (now Sir Graham) Berry in May 1877. From March to August 1880 Mr. Anderson was a member of Mr. Service's first cabinet, but held no portfolio. When the Service-Berry coalition was formed in March 1883 Mr. Anderson became Minister of Justice, and retained the post until his death on Oct. 26th of the same year.