DEATH OF SIR HENRY PARKES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 98, 27 April 1896, Page 2

DEATH OF SIR HENRY PARKES.

(BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Sydney, thi9 day. Sib H. Pabkes died ab 4.30 a.m., tho immediate cause of death being failure of the heart's action.

The only persons with Sir Henry Parkes at the time of his death were his wife and bhe Miaaea Parkea. At midnight a change for the worse set it, and the weakened. Restoratives were applied, and the venerable etatosman rallied, bub this jwaa only temporary, land he gradually sank bo a peaceful end. Towards the last he was unable to speak. He recognised his wife, bub none of tho others afc bhe bedside. His death, though not unexpected, created a profound impression in the city.

[Sir Henry Parkes was .he son of the late Thomas Parkea, a farmer on Lord Leigh's Warwickshire estate, and was born ab Stoneleigh in bbab county on May 27th, 1815. He acquired some rudimentary education afc a aatne's seheol at Kenilworth, and aba hardly more ambibioue academy aU Gloucester. The fact that his training ended at 11 years ot age will sufficiently illustrate the process of self-educa-tion which the most literary of Australasian Premiers has constantly been undergoing and extending. Abtracted by the freer range which colonial life seemed to oiler, Mr Parkes emigrated to New South Wales in March, 1839, and spent some portion of his early Ausbralian career as a farm labourer on tho Regentville estate of Mr John Jamieson, near Penrith. Ib was in Sydney, however that his most, remarkable vicissibudos wore experienced. For some time he was engaged in an iron store, and subsequently worked in a foundry. He then started business as an ivory turner, and was afterwards a dealer in toys in Hunter-street, Sydney. He now began to figure in the political arena as a leading agitator on bhe progressive side and a vehement opponent ol the transportation system. Responsible government having been conceded, Mr Parkea represented East Sydney in the Legislative Assembly from 1858 to 1861, when the late Right Hon. W. B. Dalley and himself were sent bo England as commissioners for promoting emigration. Their mission proved a comparative failure, owing to their having no power to granb assistance to emigrants, bub there are persons engaged in extensive businesses in the colony who came out in consequence of bhoir representations. Mr Parkei first took Ministerial office in January, 1866, when ho was appointed Colonial Secretary in the Administration of Mr (afterwards Sir) James Martin. He, however, resigned in September, 1868, owing to a difference with his colleagues on a minor matter of administration, but nob boforo he had signalised his term of office by passing tho Public Schools Act, on which the pre?enb educatiouul system of Now South Wales is based. After being for a fow months out of Parliament Mr Parkes was elected for Mudg.o in 1871, and in tho following year became Premier of the colony, with the post of Colonial Secretary. Mr Parkes had made himself prominent in Opposition -as tho staunch advocate of the free-trade policy to which New South Wales adhered till 1892. The Parkes Government, having been censured in relation to tho reluase of the prisoner Gardiner, resigned office in February, 1875, and tho ox-Premier for sonio time left the leadership of the Opposition to subordinates. In March, 1877, however, he again came to the front, and succeeded in carrying a vote of want-of-coniidoncein tho Robertson Administration, becoming Premier and Colonial Secretary until August. In bhe same year he was created K.C. M.G., .■ having previously refused tho C.M.G. Later (in 18S7) he coaleiced with his old opponent, Sir John Robertson, and formed a Ministry in conjunction with thab statesman, in which he was Premier and Colonial Secretary, and which lasted from December, 1878, to January, 1883. In 1882 Sir He»ry Parkes' visited England and was received with much distinction in political and literary circles, tin his return the Governmenb was defeated on a measure for amending the Land Act, and met with an unfavourable response when they appealed to bhe country, Sir Howry Parkes being himself defeated in East Sydney, and having to take refuge in a country electorate. For some time subsequently Sir Henry took very little active parb in politics, and in the interval again revisited England. On his return he swopb the country ab the general election in January, 1887, free t.rado being nominally tho question which decided the igsue, but tho result being really a vote of personal confidence in Sir Henry Parkes as the only man in the colony capable of grappling with the oxigenci6B of tho situation. He now formed his fourth Administration, again repoaling the ad valorem duties imposed by his predecessors, and held office until January, 1889, when he retired, owing to an adverse vote. Mr Dibbs, who succeeded him, only held office until March, when Sir Henry commenced his last memorable Premiership. In 1889, during Sir Henry Parkos' fifth term of office. General Edwards, who had been instructed to investigate the military defences of the Australasian colonies, handed in a recommendation thab bhe forces of the seven colonies should be federalisod for purposes of common dofence. Sir Henry Parkea cordially endorsed tho suggestion, aud seized the opportunity to inculcate tho desirability of a complete political federation of the Australasian colonies. An intercolonial conference was held in Melbourne in February, 1890, ab which, despite bhe fact thab Mr Gillies, tho Premier of Victoria, presided over its deliberation*, Sir Heniy Parkes, as the promoter of the conclave, was naturally the moab prominent and interesting figure. Tho greatest unanimity prevailed, and the Convention held in Sydney in March, 1891, was the outcome of the resolutions arrived ab, and of bhe subsequent action of the Colonial Legislatures. Sir Henry Parkes wae very libtingly elected to preside ever its deliberations. Sir Henry, who was awarded the gold medal of the Cobdon Club, and was created G.C.M.G. in 1888, married, in 1835, Miss Clarinda Varney, who died in 1888; and secondly, in 1889, Mra Dixon, He stands prominent amongst colonial statesmen for tho generous encouragement which he has afforded to struggling literary and artistic merit. In 1890 he broke his leg ; but, despite his advanced ago, apparently quite recovered from bhe effects of the accident. The general election of June to July, 1891, resulted in the return of a minority of Ministerial supporters, and gavo to the labour members the deciding voice in tbe New South Wales Assembly. For some time the latter supported Sir Henry Parkes, bub in Oebober, 1891, they threw their weight into the scale agiinab him, and he waa compelled to resign office. He subsequently retired from the leadership of the Opposition.