OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 271, 10 August 1920, Page 5

OBITUARY

SIR SAMUEL GRIFFITH (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. August 9, 9 p.m.) Brisbane, August 9. Obituary—Sir Samuel Griffith, formerly Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.—Press Assn. Tho Hon. Sir Samuel Walker' Griffith, G.C.M.G.. K.C.M.G., P. 0., was a prominent figure in Stato and Federal affairs for many years. He was the son of tho Rev. E. Griffith, Congregational minister, of Brisbane. He secured his M.A. degree at Sydney University, and subsequently ho was articled to a solicitor in Sydney, and after a trip to England was called to the Bar, and soon acquired a large practice. Sir Samuel ' entered politics in 1872, when ho was elected to tho Legislature for East Moroton. In 1873. after Uio dissolution, Oxley returned liim as its representative. He sat for this constituency .until 1878, when h« w.is elected by North Brisbane—tho scat he represented until his acceptance of tho Chief Justiceship of Queensland in 1893. During his. Parliamentary career Sir Samuel was one of the foremost men in politics in Queensland. Ho had only been threo years in politics when tho portfolio of Attorney-General was offered him. and was accepted. In 1875 ho in--traduced tho Education Act, whereby education was made free. This Act nerved afterwards as a model for similar measures in tlio sister States. Sir Samuel then was made the first Minister of Public Instruction, and in the year 1876 fras created a Q.C. In tho Thorn Ministry he hold the dual positions of Attor-nev-Genoral and Minister of Publio InBtruotion. In the following year, with Ministerial changes supervening, ho, exchanged his portfolios for that of Minister of Works. The Judicature Act and Local Government Act wore both passed during his term. These wore measures of great ntilitv, and proved models for other States. " Then followed further changes in the Government, and fir-four, yeais he sat in Opposition—as Leader. Theso were four years of keen, hard fighting, several important proposals being brought forward, but ultimately tlio Government was defeated by an overwhelming majority, and Sir Samuel then became Premier, Colonial Treasurer, and Secretary of Public Instruction. Several valuable measures were bimight forward and passed. In tlio 1888 elections his party suffered defeat, and Sir Samuel again sat at the head of the Opposition, until in 1800 the Morehead Government were ousted, and, in conjunction with a former opponent, Mr. M'llwraith, Sir Samuel formed a Ministry, which was practically the "continuous Government/'' which, with one slight interruption, sat until 1903. Sir Samuel, however, left tho Government in 1893 to take the position nf Chief Justice of Queensland, in succession to Sir Charles Lilley. He held the office with credit to himself and the col' I ony. and oiiy relinquished it in September, 1903, to assume the greater honour of Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, which then was brought Into existence. At that time ho was 58 years of age. It was he who drafted the rules of procedure for the new High Court.

DEATH OF MISS ESSIE JENYNS. CRec. August 9, 9 p.m.) Sydney, August 9. Obituary.-Mrs. Wood, formerly Miss Essie Jenyns, Shakespearean aotreßS — Press Assn.