SIR

See also:

• HENRY
• HENRY (1129-1195)
• HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G. heim, the Eng. home, and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig
• HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
• HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
• HENRY, EDWARD LAMSON (1841– )
• HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
• HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
• HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
• HENRY, PATRICK (1736–1799)
• HENRY, PRINCE OF BATTENBERG (1858-1896)
• HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
• HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
• HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)

HENRY

See also:

• PARKES, SIR HARRY SMITH (1828-1885)
• SIR HENRY PARKES (1815–1896)

PARKES (1815–1896)  , Australian statesman, was born at Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire, on the 27th of May 1815 . The son of parents in very humble circumstances, he received only a rudimentary education, and at an early age was obliged to earn his living as a common labourer . Failing to make his way in England, he emigrated to Australia in 1839, and after a time settled in Sydney as an ivory-turner . Conscious of his great powers, he worked unremittingly to repair the deficiencies of his education, and developed a genuine taste for literature, and a gift for versification which won the approval of so severe a judge as Tennyson . His first volume of poems was published in 1842, under the title of Stolen Moments . He now began to take an active part in politics, and soon showed himself the wielder of an incisive style as a leader-writer, and a popular orator of unrivalled influence . He took a prominentpart in the movement against the transportation of convicts, and in 1849 started the Empire newspaper to inculcate his policy of attacking abuses while remaining loyal to the Crown . The paper at once made its mark, but owing to financial difficulties ceased to appear in 1858 . One of the reforms for which Parkes fought most strenuously was the full introduction of responsible government . He was returned to the legislative council under the old constitution as member for Sydney, and on the establishment of a legislative assembly in 1856 was elected for East Sydney . His parliamentary career was twice interrupted by pecuniary embarrassments; indeed, he never acquired the art of maLing money, and in spite of a public subscription raised in 1887 died in absolute penury . He was elected for East Sydney in 1859 at the first general election under the new electoral act, and sat till 1861, when he was sent to England as a commissioner for promoting emigration .

He made a prolonged stay in England, and described his impressions in a

series of letters to the Sydney Morning Herald, some of which were reprintcd in 1869 under the title of Australian Views of England . He returned to Australia in 1863, and, re-entering the Assembly, became colonial secretary in the Martin ministry from 1866 to 1868 . He succeeded in passing the Public Schools Act of 1866, which for the first time instituted an efficient system of primary education in the colony . His great chance came in 1872, when the Martin ministry resigned on the question of the sum payable by Victoria in lieu of border duties . Parkes had for several years persistently advocated free imports as a remedy for the financial distress of the colony . He now became prime minister and colonial secretary; and rising to the height of his opportunity, he removed the cause of dispute by throwing the colony open to trade . He held office till 1875, and on the fall of the Robertson ministry again became premier and colonial secretary from March till August 1877 . At the end of this year he was made K.C.M.G . Finding that the state of parties did not allow of the existence of a stable ministry, he formed a coalition with Sir John Robertson, and became premier and colonial secretary for the third time from December 1878 to January 1883 . In 1882 and in 1883–1884 he paid prolonged visits to England . Already distinguished among Australian statesmen for breadth of outlook and passionate devotion to the Empire, he returned with those qualities enhanced . For a time he found himself almost in a position of isolation, but in 1887 the policy of protection adopted by his successors brought him again into office .

His free trade policy was once more successful . Other important

measures of his administration were the reform of the civil service, the prohibition of Chinese immigration, and the railways and public works acts . He fell from office in January 1889, but in the following March became for the fifth time premier and colonial secretary . The remainder of his life was chiefly devoted to the question of Australian federation . The Federal Convention at Melbourne in 1890 was mainly his work; and he presided over the convention at Sydney in 1891, and was chiefly responsible for the draft constitution there carried . Defeated in October 1891 on his refusal to accept an eight hours' day for coal-miners, he remained in opposition for the rest of his career, sacrificing even free trade in the hope of smoothing the path of federation . He died at Sydney on the 27th of April 1896; but though he did not live to see the realization of his efforts, he may justly be called the Father of the Australian Commonwealth . He published, in addition to the works already named and numerous volumes of verse, a collection of speeches on the Federal Government of Australia (189o), and an autobiography, Fifty Years in the making of Australian History (1892) .