Death of Sir Henry Parkes.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 250, 27 April 1896, Page 2

Death of Sir Henry Parkes.

(Per Press Association.) Sydney, This Day. Sir H. Purkes died at 4.30 a.m., the immediate cause of death being failure of the heart's action. [Sir Henry Parkes was born at Stonelei»b, in the county of Warwickshire, England, on May 27, 1815. His father was a farmer. He emigrated to New South Wnles in 1839, and was engaged as a farm labourer, as a worker in an iron store, and a foundry. He then started business as an ivory turner, and afterwards as a dealer of toys in Sydney. He then began to figure as a leading agitator in the progressive, and a vehement opponent of the transportation system. A year later he started the " Empire " newspaper, which he edited until 1857. In 1853 he was elected to Parliament. He represented Enst Sydney in the Legislative Assembly from 1858 to 1861, when the Rt. Hon." W. B. Dalley and himself were sent to England as Commissioners for promoting emigration. Mr Parkes acted as correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald during the tour. On hie return to Sydney in 1863 he was reelected to the Assembly in the following year for a country constituency. In 1866 he was appointed Colonial Secretary in 'the administration of Mr (afterwards Sir) James Martin. In 1872 he became Premier of the colony. He was a staunch advocate of the Free trade policy, to which New South Wales adhered until 1892. In 1877 he was created K.C.M.G., having previously refused the CM G. In 1882 he visited England and was received with much distinction in political and literary circles. On his return to the colony be did not take an active part in politics, and after an. interval he again visited England. On hia return be swept the country at the general elections in 1887, Free-trade being nominally the question which decided the issue, but the result was really a vote of pei^Kal,confidence in Sir Henry as the Wtnan in the colony capable of grappling with the exigencies of the situation. Sir Henry was thrice married. Latterly he has not been actively employed politically. He stood prominent aznong colonial statesmen for the generous encouragement which he afforded to struggling literary and artistic merit. By his death the most notable statesman and politician New South Wales has yet seen has been removed. |