James McColl (Australian politician)

James Hiers McColl (31 January 1844 – 20 February 1929) was an Australian politician.

McColl was born in South Shields, Durham, England and migrated with his family to Australia in 1853, but his mother died before they landed in Melbourne. He was educated at the Model School, Sandhurst and for a time at Scotch College, Melbourne. He married Emily Boyle in January 1867 and subsequently became an insurance agent and legal manager. Australian Dictionary of Biography
last= M. Rolfe
first= Amanda
authorlink=
year=1986
id=A100221b
title= McColl, James Hiers (1844 - 1929)
accessdate=2008-01-20 ]

Political career

McColl supported irrigation and closer settlement and won the seat of Mandurang in the Victorian Legislative Council in 1886, moving to the seat of Gunbower in 1889. He was Minister of Mines and of Water Supply from January 1893 to September 1894 and President of the Board of Land and Works, Commissioner Crown Lands and Survey and Minister Forests from December 1899 to November 1900. As minister, he was responsible for the first purchase of large estates so that they could be sub-divided for closer settlement.cite web
title=McColl, James Hiers
work=re-member
publisher=Parliament of Victoria
url=http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=537
accessdate=2008-01-20 ]

McColl was as stong supporter of Australian federation and won the Australian House of Representatives seat of Echuca at the first Australian election in 1901 as a Protectionist. At the Australian election in 1906, he moved to the Senate. He was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council in the Cook Ministry from June 1913 to September 1914. He was defeated at the Australian election in 1914.

McColl bought an irrigation farm at Gunbower (near Cohuna), but later retired to the Melbourne suburb of Deepdene. His first wife had died in 1898 and he remarried Sarah Ann Thomas in January 1900. He died in Melbourne, survived by his wife and their two sons and a daughter and two daughters from his first marriage.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = McColl, James Hiers
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH = 31 January 1844
PLACE OF BIRTH = South Shields, Durham, England
DATE OF DEATH = 20 February 1929
PLACE OF DEATH = Melbourne