Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1878–1883
This is a list of members of the 8th Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1878 to 1883, as elected at the 1878 colonial elections held between 14 November 1878 and 10 December 1878 (due to problems of distance and communications, it was not possible to hold the elections on a single day).[1]
M On 21 January 1879, following the defeat of the Douglas Ministry, the McIlwraith Ministry was sworn in. The Constitution required all of them to stand down and contest their parliamentary seats at ministerial by-elections. Only one of its members was opposed at election: John Malbon Thompson, the member for Ipswich, who was returned by a narrow majority at the poll on 1 February 1879 against James Foote.
2 On 1 March 1879, William Fowles, the member for Clermont, resigned following his appointment as Registrar of the Supreme Court. Henry Joseph Weld-Blundell won the resulting by-election on 5 April 1879.
5 On 16 May 1879, following a petition upon claims by William Bailey that the attorney-general and member for Fortitude Valley, Ratcliffe Pring, was engaging in legal services on behalf of the Crown for profit, his seat was vacated and a ministerial by-election announced. Pring was defeated by Frank Beattie at the by-election on 29 May 1879.
6 On 24 March 1880, Angus Mackay, member for South Brisbane, retired due to ill health and returned to Britain. Simon Fraser won the resulting by-election on 6 April 1880.
8 On 4 June 1880, following the resignation of Ratcliffe Pring (who had not held a seat in either house since his defeat on 29 May 1879) as attorney-general, Henry Beor resigned and contested a ministerial by-election for his seat of Bowen on 29 June 1880, which he won.
9 On 26 October 1880, William Hendren, the member for Bundamba, resigned following his being declared insolvent. James Foote won the resulting by-election on 12 November 1880.
12 On 25 December 1880, Henry Beor, the attorney-general and member for Bowen, died. Pope Alexander Cooper, who had been appointed his replacement as attorney-general, won the resulting by-election on 24 January 1881.
24 On 5 January 1883, Pope Alexander Cooper, the attorney-general member for Bowen, resigned. Charles E. Chubb, who had been appointed attorney-general on 6 January, won the resulting by-election on 18 January 1883.