Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/430

 '''Sheridan, Lieut.-Col. Richard Bingham''',entered the Queensland public service in 1864, and became sub-collector of customs, retiring on a pension in 1883. He accepted office, as a member of the Executive Council without portfolio, in the first Griffith Ministry, in Nov. 1883. On Mr. Mein being promoted to the bench, in Jan. 1885, Mr. Sheridan succeeded him as Postmaster-General, but resigned in the following month. In Dec. 1884 he was appointed an hon. lieut.-colonel of the Queensland Defence Force, on the retired list. He is also a trustee and a member of the board of management of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

Sherwin, Amy, the well-known operatic singer, was born in Tasmania. She had but limited means to advance her musical education in her early days, her only teacher being her mother. There chanced, however, to come to Tasmania a troupe of Italian artistes, and Miss Sherwin joined them. Her début was made in Melbourne, Vict., in Lucia. In 1879 she went to America, and was engaged to sing in Berlioz's Faust at its initial performance. She took part in the Cincinnati Festival under Theodore Thomas in 1880-1. Then, having studied with Dr. Damrosch, Errani, and Madame Keppiani, Miss Sherwin came to Europe and placed herself under Stockhausen, Hustache, Vannuccini, and Ronconi, and made her appearance in London in 1883, winning her first success at the Promenade Concerts. Next, she connected herself with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, and sang at the Richter and Crystal Palace Concerts. In 1887 she visited Australia, and was received with great enthusiasm. She appeared in both concert and opera, and alter a year of prosperous achievement went to India, China, and Japan on a concert tour in 1888, reaching Europe in 1889; here she sang in the principal towns of Germany and Austria, and settled again in London in 1890, becoming the prima donna at Sims Reeves's farewell concerts in his provincial tour. Miss Sherwin afterwards accepted an engagement with the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

Shiels, Hon. William, M.L.A., LL.B., Premier of Victoria, is a native of Ireland, and came to Victoria with his parents when a child. He was educated at the Scotch College, Melbourne, and at the Melbourne University, where he took the degrees of LL.B. and Master of Laws, He was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1873, and practised his profession in Melbourne. At the general election of 1877 he was returned for Normanby in the Conservative and free trade interest, and has represented the constituency uninterruptedly ever since. It is in connection with the measure for extending the rights of women in the matter of divorce that Mr. Shiels has won his principal repute. Not only did he secure the passage of the measure through the Victorian Parliament, but by his tactful conduct during his mission to London in the early part of 1890, he, in the face of much prejudiced opposition, induced the Salisbury Government to advise Her Majesty to assent to the measure, which had been reserved for the Queen's assent. In Nov. 1890, on the formation of the Munro Ministry, Mr. Shiels was appointed Attorney-General and Minister of Railways, and sat, pending the arrival of Mr. (now Sir Henry John) Wrixon, as one of the delegates at the Federal Convention of 1891. In Feb. 1892 Mr. Munro resigned the Premiership, when the Ministry was reconstructed under Mr. Shiels, who took the post of Treasurer along with the Premiership. In April of that year, who had been pressed to join the Ministry previously, agreed to take the post of Treasurer; and it was then relinquished by Mr. Shiels, who now acts as Premier and Attorney-General. Mr. Shiels has made reform of the railway system of the colony his speciality, and in 1891 passed the amending Railway Management Bill, which reduced the powers of the permanently appointed Railway Commissioners, who in the next year were suspended by his Ministry, and finally relinquished office a few months later.

Shillinglaw, John Joseph, F.R.G.S., was born in London in 1830, emigrated to Victoria in Oct. 1852, and has been employed in the Government service at intervals ever since. In 1856 he was selected as Government Shipping Master, to administer certain of the Imperial laws relating to seamen, then just adopted in Victoria, and in this position he remained until, on a general reduction in the departments in 1869, he retired from the Civil Service with  414