Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/118

 acknowledged authority on Maori arts, antiquities, myths, and legendary lore. He has also paid much attention to the natural history of the islands, and has been for the last twenty years or more an active contributor to "The Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." Since his retirement from active missionary work he has filled important public offices. In 1861 he was elected to represent Napier in the first General Assembly and retained the seat for many years. Under the old provincial system he was one of the town representatives in the Provincial Council, and at various times filled the offices of Provincial Treasurer and Inspector of Schools. A few years since he was elected F.R.S. He was the first to recognise the fossil remains of the Moa, and has in manuscript a copious lexicon of the Polynesian language.

'''Coles, Hen.Hon. [sic] Jenkin''', M.P., J.P., Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of South Australia, son of Jenkin Coles and Caroline his wife, was born in Sydney on Jan. 19th, 1842. At the age of seven he went with his parents to England, where he was educated at the Blue Coat School (Christ's Hospital). In his sixteenth year he returned to Australia, and eventually settled in South Australia. He was in the mounted police for a short time, and subsequently started an auctioneering firm at Kapunda, where he has since resided. He was M.P. for the district of Light from May 17th, 1875, till the dissolution in March 1878, when he did not again offer himself. He re-entered political life, and was re-elected for Light on April 25th, 1881, and has ever since sat for the constituency. He was Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration in Mr. 's second Administration from June 16th, 1884, to Feb. 4th, 1885, when he succeeded Mr. as Commissioner of Public Works, a position which he held till June 16th, 1885, when he resigned office with the rest of his colleagues. He remained in opposition for two sessions, being generally recognised as Mr. Colton's successor in the leadership. Mr. Playford, however, took the Premiership on the defeat of Sir 's administration, Mr. Coles accepting office under him in his old post of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration on June 11th, 1887, resigning with his colleagues on June 27th, 1889. He acted as Opposition Whip during the ensuing session, and received Her Majesty's permission to bear the title of "Honourable" within the colony in recognition of his Ministerial services. At the opening of the present Parliament he was unanimously elected Speaker of the House of Assembly in succession to Sir. Mr. Coles married at Adelaide in 1865 Miss Ellen Henrietta Briggs.

Colton, Hon. Sir John, K.C.M.G., formerly Premier, South Australia, was born in Devonshire, on Sept. 20th, 1823, and emigrated to South Australia in 1839. He is the senior partner in the firm of Colton & Co., and a prominent member of the Wesleyan body. He entered public life as an Alderman of the city of Adelaide in 1860, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Noarlunga in 1865. He was Commissioner of Public Works in the Ministry from Nov. 1868 to May 1870, when he retired from office and from Parliament. He was re-elected for Noarlunga in 1872, and was Treasurer in Mr. 's Government from June 1875 to March 1876, when the Ministry was reconstructed, and Mr. Colton left it. On Mr. Boucaut's defeat in June 1876, Mr. Colton became Premier, with the portfolio of Commissioner of Public Works. In Oct. 1877 he was displaced by Mr. Boucaut. Mr. Colton, who was Mayor of Adelaide in 1874, received Her Majesty's permission to bear the title of "Honourable" within the colony in 1878. In June 1884 he formed his second Administration, and was Premier and Chief Secretary till June 1885. He subsequently retired from public life and paid a lengthened visit to England. In Jan. 1891 he was gazetted K.C.M.G.

Combes, Hon. Edward, C.M.G., M.L.C., son of the late Wm. Combes, was born in 1830, and entered the Government service of New South Wales in 1858. Four years later he was appointed Government Mining Engineer, and was returned to the Assembly for Bathurst in 1872, for Orange in 1875, and at a later period for East Macquarie. Mr. Combes was Secretary for Public Works in the Ministry from August to Dec. 1877, and in the following year was appointed Executive Commissioner for New South Wales at the Paris International Exhibition, his seat in Parliament being declared vacant by reason of his acceptance of an  102