Earl of Belmore
(Sir Somerset Richard Lowry-Corry), PC Ireland, GCMG
[Courtesy
of Government House,
Historic Houses Trust]
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- Thirteenth Governor
of New South Wales.
- Born in London.
- Became Governor
on 8th January,1868.
- Initially, responsible
government had not made the position of Governor a mere figurehead.
He still had a vital dual role as an imperial officer responsible
to the British government and as the Queen’s representative heading
the colonial government. Britain had obligations for colonial defence
and Pacific trade, while New South Wales, with a population of about
450,000 was steadily adopting democratic politics.
- Had to deal with
issues of law reform, land, education, transport and communication
which all revolved around revenue.
- Handled two major
crises whilst Governor. The first was to do with the attempted assassination
of Prince Alfred on a visit to the colony. Belmore calmed the public
and helped to restore rationality. The second was to do with the passing
of money bills. Belmore considered the current practice as illegal
and passed the Audit Act that rectified the position.
- He sat at about
sixty Executive Council meetings per year and became thoroughly familiar
with government business and his various ministers.
- He strongly influenced
legislation. He felt that " my political position was an administrative
one…I could not take the initiative in matters of Government
policy….I had ... the undoubted power of veto in all cases, And
in criminal as distinguished from civil business I had a special responsibility."
- Felt that there
was "a sort of jealousy of the Governor’s authority, and
generally of Imperial authority."
- Protected the
governor’s sole rights to the prerogative of mercy but improved
procedures in its exercise.
- Resisted appointments
to the Legislative Council of more than 30 members at a time.
- Attended the
1871 intercolonial conference in Melbourne on the colony’s limitations
under Britain’s imperial treaties and, as a result, believed
that Federation or unification was inevitable.
- President of
the Agricultural Society.
- Left Sydney to
return to Britain on February 21, 1872.
- Died 6th April
1913.
Bede Nairn, LOWRY-CORRY, Sir S. M., Australian Dictionary of Biography,
vol. 3, ed. Douglas Pike, pp133 – 138 (Melbourne University Press)
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