Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/151

  Magistrate of Hawke's Bay. He was elected to a seat in the House of Representatives for Nelson in 1855, and was re-elected in 1860. On August 6th, 1862, Mr. Domett became Premier in succession to Mr. (afterwards Sir). It was then the eve of the Waikato war, and the difficulties encountered in the House led to his resignation on Oct. 29th, 1863, when the -Fox Ministry (commonly regarded as the "War Ministry") came into office. Mr. Domett was then appointed Secretary for Crown Lands, and was allotted a seat in the Legislative Council, afterwards becoming Commissioner of Old Land Claims. He was appointed Registrar-General of Land in 1865, and in 1870 Commissioner for Confiscated Lands. In 1871 he retired from his offices, and returned to England, where he lived till his death, which took place in London on Nov. 2nd, 1887. In 1880 he was created C.M.G. Mr. Domett was the author of several volumes of poetry, and enjoyed the friendship of Browning. He it is who was referred to by the latter in his poem beginning, "What's become of Waring, Since he gave us all the slip." Mr. Domett published "Venice: a poem," 1839; "Narrative of the Wairau Massacre," 1843; "Ordinances of New Zealand, Classified," 1850; "Ranolf and Amohia; a South Sea Day Dream," 1872, being an epic poem on a Maori subject; "Flotsam and Jetsam: Rhymes Old and New," 1877. Mr. Domett was for some years a contributor to, and for a portion of the time editor of, the Nelson Examiner, the best of the early New Zealand newspapers.

Don, Charles Jardine, was born at Cupar, Scotland, in June 1820, and apprenticed to a hand-loom weaver. He took part in the Chartist movement in 1842, and in 1853 emigrated to Victoria, where he worked as a stonemason. He was returned to the Assembly for Collingwood in 1859 and 1861. Mr. Don, who was regarded as a working-class champion, and who was a strenuous advocate of the liberalisation of the land laws, died in 1867.

Donaldson, Hon. John, M.L.A., was born at Terang, Victoria, and engaged in squatting pursuits, proceeding to New South Wales in 1876, and to Queensland in 1881. He was returned to the Assembly for Warrego in 1883, but now represents Bulloo. He was appointed Postmaster-General and Secretary for Public Instruction in the Ministry on June 13th, 1888; and when the ministry was reconstructed under Mr., on Nov. 30th in that year, continued to hold the same posts until Nov. 19th, 1889, when he succeeded Mr. Pattison as Colonial Treasurer. He resigned with his colleagues in August 1890, owing to the opposition of the Assembly to his financial proposals. He was one of the Queensland delegates to the Federation Convention held at Sydney in March 1891.

Donaldson, Sir Stuart Alexander, was the son of Stuart Donaldson, and was born in London on Dec. 26th, 1815. He emigrated to Sydney in 1840, and became a clerk in the firm of Dawes & Co., of which he was afterwards the head. In Sept. 1851 he fought a duel with, Surveyor-General of New South Wales (q.v.). He was elected to the Assembly for Cumberland in 1856, and formed the first Constitutional Ministry in New South Wales in June 1856, but resigned his position as Premier and Chief Secretary in August in consequence of a vote of want of confidence. He accepted office again as Colonial Treasurer under Mr. (afterwards Sir Henry Watson) in Oct. 1856, but on seeking re-election he was defeated for Sydney Hamlets. However, the member for South Cumberland retired to make way for him, and he was elected on Nov. 4th, but retired with his colleagues in Sept. 1857, after their defeat on the Electoral Bill. In 1860 he was knighted, and left the colony, which he twice revisited. Sir Stuart married in Feb. 1854, Amelia, seventh daughter of Frederick Cowper, of Carlton Hall and Unthank, Cumberland (who survived him), and died at Carlton Hall on Jan. 11th, 1867.

Douglas, Hon. Adye, M.L.C., is of Scotch descent. His grandfather, a naval officer of distinction, was Port Admiral at Yarmouth, and subsequently at Chatham. Mr. Douglas's father was an officer in the British army, and married a Norfolk lady, the late Agent-General for Tasmania being born at Thorpe, near Norwich, on May 30th, 1815. Sprung of a naval stock, five of his uncles being post captains in 135