John Hay (politician)

Sir John Hay KCMG (23 June 1816 – 20 January 1892) was a New South Wales politician.

Hay was the son of John Hay, and was born at Little Ythsie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He graduated with honours at King's College (now part of the University of Aberdeen), in 1834, and then studied law at Edinburgh, but did not finish it. In 1838 he married Mary Chalmers and they travelled to Sydney on the "Amelia Thompson", arriving on 1 July and settled at Welaregang on the Upper Murray. Coming to Sydney in 1838 he took up land in the Murrumbidgee district and became a successful squatter.cite web
first=Percival
last=Serle
title =Cowper, Sir Charles (1807 - 1875)
publisher =Project Gutenberg Australia
work=Dictionary of Australian Biography
url =http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogCl-Cu.html#cowper1
accessdate =2007-09-10] Australian Dictionary of Biography
last=Martin
first= A. W.
coauthor=
authorlink=
year=1972
id=A040410b
title= Hay, Sir John (1816 - 1892)
accessdate=2007-09-10]

Hay was a strong opponent of tariffs on trade between New South Wales and Victoria and was elected in April 1856 as the member for Murrumbidgee in the first Legislative Assembly and took up residence in Sydney. In September he moved a vote of no-confidence in the Cowper ministry, which brought the government down. Hay recommended to governor William Denison that Henry W. Parker should be asked to form a coalition ministry in which Hay was secretary for lands and works. This ministry was defeated in September 1857 and Hay did not again hold office. In 1859, he was elected as a member of the new seat of the Murray and strongly opposed John Robertson's land bills and sought to protect the interests of squatters. In the December 1860 elections, fought on the issue, he was one a few opponents of Robertson elected.cite web
title = Sir John Hay (1816 - 1892)
publisher = Parliament of New South Wales
url = http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/1fb6ebed995667c2ca256ea100825164/908a9596c3ae71edca256cb800126caf!OpenDocument
accessdate = 2007-09-10] In June 1860 Hay moved that negotiations should be opened up with Victoria for the purpose of establishing a uniformity of customs duties. This would have been a valuable step towards a federation system, but his motion was defeated. On 14 October 1862 Hay was unanimously elected speaker of the Legislative Assembly and carried out his duties impartially. In 1864, he successfully contested the seat Central Cumberland, near Sydney to make clear his opposition to the making of the Riverina into a separate colony. In October 1865, finding his health had been affected, he resigned as speaker. In June 1867 he was nominated a member of the Legislative Council and in July 1873 was appointed its president on the recommendation of Sir Henry Parkes. He held this position until his death in the Sydney suburb of Rose Bay, survived by his wife for ten days. They had no children.

Hay was not a party man but he had knowledge and wisdom, and though he originated little he was a good speaker and debater who had no little influence on the legislation of his time. He had a strong sense of justice, much kindliness and courtesy, and carried out his duties as speaker of the assembly and president of the council with great ability.

Honours

Hay was created KCMG in 1878 and Hay is named after him.

Notes

Persondata
NAME=Hay, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=New South Wales politician
DATE OF BIRTH= 23 June 1816
PLACE OF BIRTH= Little Ythsie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
DATE OF DEATH= 20 January 1892
PLACE OF DEATH= Rose Bay, New South Wales