The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Thompson, Hon. John Malbon
Thompson, Hon. John Malbon, is the son of John Thompson, sometime Deputy Surveyor-General for New South Wales by his marriage with the daughter of Charles Windeyer. He was born in Sydney on Dec. 24th, 1830, and educated at Cape's Grammar School. He was admitted an attorney and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1855, and removing to Queensland, where he was admitted to the Bar in June 1880, practised at Ipswich, for which town he was returned to the Assembly in 1868. Whilst representing this constituency he was Chairman of Committees for two years, Secretary for Lands in the Palmer Ministry from May 1870 to July 1873, and Secretary for Public Works from the latter date till Jan. 1874, when the Government retired. He was Minister of Justice in the first McIlwraith Administration from Jan. to May 1879. Mr. Thompson has resumed the practice of his profession as a solicitor in Sydney. During his tenure of office as Minister of Lands he carried the Homestead Areas Bill, and did a good deal to stop the "dummying" of the State lands.