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John Fitzgerald Burns (1833 – 19 March 1911)[1] was an Australian politician, member of theParliament of New South Wales,Postmaster-General in the 1870s andColonial Treasurer in the 1880s.
Burns was born in the north of Ireland, and emigrated toNew South Wales at an early age.[2] In 1854 he married Lucy Maria Smith atMaitland.[1]
Having engaged in mercantile pursuits in the Hunter River district, Burns was elected to theLegislative Assembly forHunter at aby-election in 1861,[3] holding the seat until his defeat in the1869 election.[4] He was unsuccessful at the1870 Goldfields North by-election,[5] but was elected for Hunter in the1872 election.[6] He wasPostmaster-General in thethird Robertson ministry from February 1875 to March 1877 and in theFarnell ministry from December 1877 to December 1878.[7] He introduced postal cards into Australia in 1875, and was the first to give employment to women in the telegraph department. In 1878 he arranged with the Governments of the other Australian colonies and New Zealand for the duplication of the submarine cable to Australia.[2] Burns wasColonial Treasurer in thefifth Robertson ministry from December 1885 to February 1886.
In January 1887 Burns was appointed Colonial Treasurer in thefourth ministry of SirHenry Parkes, serving until January 1889.[7] On 21 January 1887 his seat in the Legislative Assembly was declared vacant because of his acceptance of the position of Treasurer and he was summoned to theLegislative Council for the purpose of taking charge of the supply bill as the Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council.[8][9] He took his seat in the council which passed the supply bill.[10] A general election was called and Burns resigned from the council to re-contest the Hunter. 1887 was the first election in which political parties emerged. Burns, as a member of the Parkes government, stood as aFree Trade candidate and was re-elected unopposed at the1887 election for The Hunter.[11] He held the seat until 1889.[7]
Burns switched toSt Leonards for the1889 election when it was expanded to return 3 members, and was the third member elected.[12] He was narrowly defeated in the1891 election.[13][1] In the1894 election for Willoughby he stood as anindependent free trade candidate, but was unsuccessful, receiving only 86 votes (4.53%).[14]
He was gazetted aCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1887,[15] but declined the honour, and the appointment was cancelled.[2][16]
Burns died inPaddington, New South Wales, on 19 March 1911 (aged 78).[1] He is buried inWaverley Cemetery.[17]
| Parliament of New South Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Postmaster-General 1875 – 1877 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Postmaster-General 1877 – 1878 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonial Treasurer 1885 – 1886 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonial Treasurer 1885 – 1886 | Succeeded by |
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | Member forHunter 1861 – 1869 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member forHunter 1872 – 1889 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member forSt Leonards 1889 – 1891 Served alongside:Joseph Cullen,Henry Parkes | Succeeded by |
