MR, DEAKIN RETIRING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1643, 9 January 1913, Page 7

MR, DEAKIN RETIRING.

• • POLITICS TO' J3E ABANDONED.. : By Tcl'ocMDh—Prees AjMolation—OoDyrlght \Rec; -January 8,.'8.45r p.m.) , .... Melbourne, January .8. . Mr. Deakin has resigned the leadership of the Liberals in f the Commonwealth Parliament.. He has informed the' press, lrterviowers that his' action is solely due ; :to ill-health, and tint he will completely retire from politics the forthcoming, .'election- campaign, in which lie will participate; particularly • ; in' connection with . referendum proposals . ! . ' : llr.; Deakin'says jhat .during the 'past . Couple, of. years lie hus greatly felt. the strain of leadership. Tho Prime Minister,; Mr. Fisher, has 'expressed profound regret at the cause ;of the retirement, :andappreciation of tho ' groat services rendered to Australia by . .Mr;. Deakin. : "'' ' Tho Right Hon. Alfred Deakin, threa. times Prim® Minister for Australia, has ! te'eh' barrister, journalist,'orator, and' pol--1 itlcian, and has. Shown conspicuous bril-. (Hanco in all departments. He is . a native of -Victoria,- was. born, on .-Augustus,: , 1856, arid was educated at the Church of ' England Grammar ' School, Melbourne. ■ and Melbourne University. He : was called to the .Victorian Bar in 1877, and scon becaino a: prominent politician. Elected'as ' in 1878, he was Minister for Pub- : lie Works in the Victorian Cabinet—lßß3, ' Chief Secretary 188G-90, : Minister for •JHfcalth 1890; and afterwards Solioitor- ' General. He made a study of the irrigation question, and in 1887 visited England as a Victorian, representative at tho Colonial' Conference. He strongly advocated the Federation. cause, and pursued his profession as-a barrister with . marked . sucoess; In 1900 he again ,visif,ed. England, representing Victoria during the . the Commonwealth-Act. Ho became Attorncy-Gerieial in the first Com--monwealth Ministry under. Sir Edmund. Barton as Prim© Minister, and on tho retirement of the latter an 1903 Mr. Deakin succeeded him. His administration was defeated in April, 1904, but he again became Prime Minister in. July, 1905, and represented the, Common wealth at the Imperial Conference in 1907. In November, i 1908, the Labour Prime Minister, Mr. Fisher, .'succeeded Mr. ; Deakin, and in 1909 Mr; Deakin succeeded Mr. Fisher for. a third-brief term of office;.