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Former Member Details

Sir John HAY, K.C.M.G (1816 - 1892)

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Date of Birth: 22/06/1816
Place of Birth: Little Ythsie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Date of Death: 20/01/1892
Place of Death: Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
President of the Legislative Council 08 Jul 1873 20 Jan 1892 18 years 6 months 13 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 02 Jul 1867 20 Jan 1892 24 years 6 months 19 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 26 June 1867.
Fisheries Act Amendment Bill Committee No.20 02 Nov 1866 02 Dec 1866 1 month 1 day
Alleged Irregularity in Registration of a Deed Committee No.17 31 Oct 1866 08 Nov 1866 9 days
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.18 31 Oct 1866 08 Nov 1866 9 days
Railway from Echuca to Deniliquin Committee No.10 21 Sep 1866 20 Dec 1866 3 months
Church of England Property Management Bill Committee No.8 26 Jul 1866 22 Dec 1886 20 years 4 months 27 days
Library Committee No.2 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days
Reserves under Crown Lands Alienation Act Committee No.15 23 Feb 1866 04 Apr 1866 1 month 13 days
Library Committee No.2 25 Oct 1865 07 Apr 1866 5 months 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Oct 1865 06 Dec 1865 1 month 12 days
Library Committee No.5 08 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3 months 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 08 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3 months 14 days
Member for Central Cumberland 26 Nov 1864 27 May 1867 2 years 6 months 2 days
Library Committee No.3 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9 months 8 days The Speaker
Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9 months 8 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Jun 1863 10 Dec 1863 5 months 17 days The Speaker
Library Committee No.3 24 Mar 1863 31 Mar 1864 1 year 8 days The Speaker
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 14 Oct 1862 31 Oct 1865 3 years 18 days
Mount Pleasant Tramroad Bill Committee No.36 07 Oct 1862 17 Oct 1862 11 days
Gibson’s Estate Bill Committee No.27 02 Sep 1862 04 Sep 1862 3 days
Morehead and Young’s Railway Bill Committee No.28 02 Sep 1862 15 Oct 1862 1 month 14 days
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.25 12 Aug 1862 18 Nov 1862 3 months 7 days
Slaughter of Cattle under Cattle Disease Prevention Act Committee No.17 05 Aug 1862 02 Dec 1862 3 months 28 days
Mr J.E Liardet Committee No.14 22 Jul 1862 20 Dec 1862 4 months 29 days
Management of the Central Police Office Committee No.13 08 Jul 1862 12 Dec 1862 5 months 5 days
Pilot Board Committee No.9 17 Jun 1862 07 Oct 1862 3 months 21 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 10 Jun 1862 02 Sep 1862 2 months 24 days
Land Titles Declaration Bill Committee No.8 10 Jun 1862 02 Sep 1862 2 months 24 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 29 May 1862 17 Jun 1862 20 days Chairman
Library Committee No.3 28 May 1862 01 Aug 1862 2 months 5 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 28 May 1862 28 May 1862 1 day
System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 12 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 9 days
Presbyterian Church Temporalities Act of 1837 Committee No.17 01 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 20 days
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Supplementary Bill Committee No.14 18 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 3 days
Maitland and Morpeth Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.12 09 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 12 days
Mr A.E Bush Committee No.13 08 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 13 days
Mr F.W Birmingham Committee No.10 01 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 21 days
Richmond Bridge Company’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.11 01 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 21 days
Benevolent Asylum, Sydney Committee No.8 27 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 25 days
Wagga Wagga Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.7 27 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 25 days
Distribution of Relief to Sufferers by last Flood at Windsor Committee No.5 17 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 4 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 06 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 15 days
Library Committee No.3 04 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 17 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 04 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 17 days
Privilege Committee No.29 04 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 1 month 8 days
Sydney Revenues Improvement Bill Committee No.25 01 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 13 days
State and Management of the Sydney Domain Committee No.20 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
Wahgunyah Murray Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.21 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days Chairman
Colonial Bank of Australasia Incorporation Bill Committee No.6 18 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 24 days
Shoalhaven Municipality – (Petition of Alex Berry, Esquire) Committee No.5 17 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 25 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.9 16 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 26 days Chairman
Library Committee No.3 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Member for Murray 19 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 10 months 23 days
Petition of Mr Alexander Berry Committee No.9 12 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 29 days
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.5 28 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 13 days
Library Committee No.3 27 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 27 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 14 days
Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.41 13 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 22 days Chairman
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.38 03 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 3 months 2 days
Hawkesbury Benevolent Society’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.35 16 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 4 months 19 days
Petition of Alexander Berry, Esquire, Committee No.30 03 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 5 months 2 days
Railway Management Committee No.28 13 Dec 1859 04 Jul 1860 6 months 22 days
St Andrew’s College Bill Committee No.24 14 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 21 days Chairman
Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 13 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 22 days
Wesley College Bill Committee No.21 12 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 23 days
Condition of the Working Classes of the Metropolis Committee No.19 30 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 5 days
Pitt-street Tramway Bill Committee No.18 29 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 6 days
Case of James Hibburd Committee No.16 23 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 12 days
Claims of Mr David Morris and others Committee No.11 20 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 15 days
Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.7 14 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 21 days
Sydney Grammar School Committee No.6 13 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 22 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 02 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 10 months 3 days
Library Committee No.3 01 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 10 months 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 01 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 10 months 4 days
Member for Murray 22 Jun 1859 10 Nov 1864 5 years 4 months 20 days
Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.10 17 Mar 1859 09 Apr 1859 24 days
Vacant Seat – Question of Privilege Committee No.9 03 Mar 1859 09 Apr 1859 1 month 7 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 09 Dec 1858 09 Apr 1859 4 months 1 day
Railway Accident Committee No.28 14 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4 months 13 days
Proposed Presbyterian College (petition) from the Reverend John Dunmore Lang Committee No.26 13 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4 months 14 days
Seizure of Gold on board the ‘Ethereal’ and ‘May Nicholson’ Committee No.21 15 Jun 1858 26 Nov 1858 5 months 12 days
Australian Gas Light Company’s Bill Committee No.18 18 May 1858 26 Nov 1858 6 months 9 days
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.19 18 May 1858 26 Nov 1858 6 months 9 days
Bathurst School of Arts Bill Committee No.16 30 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 6 months 28 days
Management of the Survey Department Committee No.15 30 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 6 months 28 days
Registration and Preservation of Records Committee No.13 23 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 4 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 11 days
Navigation of the Murray, & c. Committee No.8 13 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 14 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 26 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8 months 1 day
The Library Committee No.3 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8 months 2 days
Member for Murrumbidgee 09 Feb 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 2 months 3 days
Seizure of Gold Dust on board the “Ethereal” Committee No.18 04 Dec 1857 18 Dec 1857 15 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.13 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Navigation of the Murray and its Effluents Committee No.10 27 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 22 days
Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 27 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3 months 22 days
Audit of the Accounts of the Revenues Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4 months 7 days
Governor General’s Opening Speech 11 Aug 1857 11 Aug 1857 1 day
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.27 20 Feb 1857 18 Mar 1857 27 days
Railway Terminus and Wharfs at Newcastle Committee No.25 09 Dec 1856 18 Mar 1857 3 months 10 days
Sole Commissioner of Railways Incorporation Bill Committee No.22 19 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months
Administration of Justice and Conduct of Official Business in Country Districts Committee No.20 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 8 days
Civil Service Superannuation Fund Committee No.19 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 8 days
Native Police Force Committee No.17 08 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 11 days
Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 18 days
Member for Murrumbidgee 14 Oct 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 2 months 6 days
Secretary for Lands and Works 03 Oct 1856 07 Sep 1857 11 months 5 days
Australian Trust Company’s Bill Committee No.13 19 Sep 1856 18 Mar 1857 6 months
Additional Ministerial Department Committee No.12 20 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 6 months 27 days
City Commissioners’ Department Committee No.7 12 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months 7 days
Audit of the Revenue Accounts Committee No.6 06 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months 13 days
Member for Murrumbidgee 16 Apr 1856 03 Oct 1856 5 months 18 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 16 Apr 1856 27 May 1867 11 years 1 month 12 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist . Educated at King's College, University of Aberdeen (MA 1834). Studied law in Edinburgh, but abandoned it. Arrived in Sydney with wife l July 1838. Soon settled at Welaragang, 22,250 acres on Upper Murray, in partnership with brother-in-law James Chalmers. By 1857 had other runs in Murrumbidgee district totalling over 200,000 acres; also had Boollowkeena in Albert district, 28,800 acres. Chairman of the Mercantile Bank of Sydney, 1874. Director of the Australian Mutual Provident Society and of European Assurance Society. Lived in Sydney after 1856. President of the Highland Society of New South Wales. Vice-President of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales. Vice-President of the Australian Club. A founder Union Club; Vice-President of the New South Wales commissions for exhibitions at Philadelphia, Paris, Sydney, and Amsterdam. Opposed Riverina separation.
Military Service
Honours Received
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1878.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of John Hay, farmer, and Jean Mair. Married in 1838 with Mary Chalmers and had no issue. Anglican.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4 Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. David Berry - papers, 1808 - 1946, including papers of Alexander and John Berry, and of the trustees of the estates of David Berry and Sir John Hay (A 5373); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. David Perry - papers of the trustees of the Berry and Hay Estates, 1875 - 1951 (A5374). 3. Berry and Hay Estates - records, 1884 - 1950 (MLMSS676) 4. Berry family - papers of the Berry, Wollstonecraft and Hay afmilies, 1741 - 1941. (MLMSS 15). Photographs in the PICMAN Database. Text from the book "The Presiding Officers of Parliament of New South Wales" Sydney 1995 John Hay was born on 22 June 1816 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He abandoned a promising legal career and emigrated with his new wife, Mary Chalmers, to New South Wales in 1838. Settling on the Upper Murray, he became a successful and wealthy squatter with pastoral interests spread throughout the Murrumbidgee and Albert districts. In 1856 he entered the first Legislative Assembly under responsible Government as the Member for The Murrumbidgee, and in 1859 was elected as the Member for The Murray. After vigorous opposition to the division of the Riverina district, he resigned as the Member for The Murray and successfully contested the seat of Central Cumberland. Despite the success of his no confidence motion against the Cowper Government in 1856, Hay declined to form his own ministry, but accepting the portfolio of Secretary of Lands and Works in the Parker Ministry. Elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1862, he held this position until 1865 and two years later resigned from the Assembly to take up an appointment in the Upper House. As a vocal critic of John Robertson's land policy, Hay actively sought to block the passage of the act through the Parliament and was successful in preventing the policy of `free selection before survey' from becoming part of the Crown Lands Alienation Bill. Appointed President of the Council in 18'73, Hay worked within the framework of the newly constituted Council and conducted his responsibilities with great fairness and impartiality; he held this position until his death in 1892. As a central figure in the first decades of responsible government he provided direction through his rulings and a basis for the development of procedural traditions. He died 20 January 1892 at Rose Bay in Sydney.

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.