View source for Berry, Chief Secretary



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== Importance of Sir Graham Berry ==

=== I supported selection against the squatters and was involved in most of the important decisions involving the hunt for the KellyGang either as Prime Ministry of the Colony of Victoria or as Chief Secretary ===

'''Links to the KellyGang''', [[#2|Early Years]], Fitzpatrick Incident , [[#26/10/1878|Stringybark Creek Murders]], [[#7/11/1878|Sebastopol Cavalcade]] , Euroa Robbery , Jerilderie Robbery , Autumn 1879 , Hare replaced by Nicolson., Spring 1879 Early 1880 , Death of Aaron Sherritt , Glenrowan Siege , [[#28/6/1880|Ned Kellys Trial]] , Royal Commission , [[#12|Later Career]]., Family ,

== Links to the KellyGang ==

'''Early Years and time in politics''' After leaving school at an early age I was apprenticed to a draper. I arrived in Melbourne in 1852 but after a short time returned to England. I came back to Australia in 1857 and in 1860 I bought the Collingwood Observer. In the same year I was elected to the legislative assembly for East Melbourne. Later I changed to the seat of Collingwood.

I lost my seat in the 1866 election and went to Geelong and bought an interest in the Geelong Register. I was elected for Geelong West in 1868 and became treasurer in the [[Prime Minister of Victoria|Macpherson]] ministry in January 1870. Macpherson resigned in the following April and in 1871 I became treasurer and commissioner of trade and customs in the C. G. [[Prime Minister of Victoria|Duffy]] ministry and succeeded in increasing the small protective duties of the time. In May 1872 I resigned over an incident that involved my father-in-law.

I was [[Prime Minister of Victoria|Premier]] of Victoria for a short time in [[1874-1877 Events|1875]]. Basically lost office trying to assist small farmers and promote reforms.

See ([[Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 1/1/1876 (3)|T&amp;C1/1/1876]])

I gained the office of [[Politics|Premier]] again in [[1874-1877 Events|1877]] and immediately reformed land tax. While that legislation went through the upper house in the Victorian Parliament, they blocked my budget and Victoria faced ruin. On [[1/1/1878-10/4/1878 Events|8/1/1878]] I acted to reduce costs. I dismissed all the judges of county courts, courts of mines and insolvency; all police magistrates, coroners and wardens of goldfields; the engineer in chief of railways; a large number of heads of departments; and other highly paid officials. Others called it 'black Wednesday'. They say that this is what caused the break down of law and order in north eastern Victoria and led to the raise of the '''KellyGang'''. There was no similar problem in other parts of the Colony.([[The Age 9/1/78|Age9/1/1878]])

After negotiations between the houses in the Victorian Parliament the budget was finally passed. I wanted to reform the upper house to make it more democratic but the English government would not agree. Early in 1880 my vast majority in the Parliament had disappeared and James [[Prime Minister of Victoria|Service]] came into power for a few months. There was a second election in 1880, at which I again obtained a majority and was premier from August 1880 to July 1881.

see also [http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogBe-Bo.html ]

'''Photograph''' '''Stringybark Creek Murders 26/10/1878''' My government responded quickly to the atrocity of the Mansfield Murders. As soon as information reached Melbourne of the Wombat murders, I, as the Chief Secretary, gave the Chief Commissioner carte blanche, as regarded expense, to enable him to cope with the situation. Some Spencer repeating rifles that were in store were forwarded, and reinforcements were dispatched to the scene of operations. Mr. [[Nicolson|Nicolson]], the Assistant Commissioner of Police, who had done good service in the capture of bushrangers in the early days of the gold diggings, was specially selected to take charge of the pursuit.[[2nd Report of the Royal Commission|(RC 2nd report V)]]

We also passed through Parliament the Felons Apprehension Act on 30/10/[[ev78-10--4Mansfield Murders|1878]]. The Act came into effect on 4/11/1878. That meant that the '''KellyGang''' were outlaws. It called upon them to surrender at Mansfield by 12/11/1878. See ([[The Argus at KellyGang 31/10/1878|Argus31/10/78]])

From 1879 police we increased the number of police in North Eastern Victoria by December to 100.

'''Sebastopol Cavalcade''' '''7/11/1878''' In November 1878 I replied to Donald [[Cameron, Donald, MLA|Cameron]] MLA that I would call an inquiry into the police if there was evidence of a want of proper organisation amongst the police. Some people suggest that statement probably led to the '''KellyGang''' to write the [[Cameron Letter|Cameron letter]]. Cameron gave the letter to me and I did nothing about it.

see also ([[The Argus at KellyGang 23/12/1878|Argus23/12/78]])([[The Argus at KellyGang 23/5/1879|Argus23/5/79]])

I was [[Chief Secretary|Chief Secretary]] at the time of the Euroa robbery ([[The Argus at KellyGang 16/12/1878 (3)|Argus16/12/78]])

I had a long chat to Supt Nicolson ([[Sydney Morning Herald (23)|SMH19/12/78]])

'''.''' '''Ned Kelly's Trial'''

After being replaced as premier in early 1880 I won the election and started my third Government on [[1880-07---aftermath|3/8/1880]] at the time when Ned Kelly's committal started.

My Legislative Council Reform Act was finally passed. That made government in Victoria more democratic. It increased the number of members in Parliament and reduced the qualification for franchise to all freeholders of £10 annual value.

It was stated that I was involved in the termination of [[John Sherritt Jnr|John]] and [[William Sherritt|William]] Sherritt's employment in the police in October 1880. Mr [[Graves|Graves]] also came to see me about this matter. ([[Royal Commission report day 44 page 1|RC15216]])

They tried to petition me to save Ned Kelly from his [[Ned Kellys End|execution]]. That was of course not possible.see text of the meeting ([[The Argus at KellyGang 10/11/1880|Argus10/11/80]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 10/11/1880 (2)|Argus10/11/80]])

I had to deal with another deputation ([[The Age (60)|Age11/11/80]])

Some people contacted me about the need for an [[Royal Commission|inquiry]]. ([[The Argus at KellyGang 25/11/1880|Argus25/11/80]])

I agreed ([[The Argus at KellyGang 8/12/1880|Argus8/12/80]])

I decided to delay the payments from the [[Reward|Reward]] Board untill after the Royal Commission reported ([[The Argus at KellyGang 26/4/1881|Argus26/4/81]]) ([[The Argus at KellyGang 4/5/1881|Argus4/5/81]])

== Later Career ==

I was finally replaced as Premier in July 1881.

In 1883 I was Chief Secretary in the Service government. That ministry lasted for nearly three years. In 1883, with Service, I represented Victoria at the federal convention, and was again a representative at the federal council of Australia in January 1886. I was then appointed agent-general for the colony of Victoria in London, and was created a K.C.M.G. soon after my arrival in England. I returned to Melbourne at the end of 1891 and was elected as member for East Bourke Boroughs in 1892. I was treasurer in the Shiels ministry from April 1892 to January 1893, and was then elected speaker. I lost my seat at the election of 1897.

I died on 25 January 1904.

== Family ==

'''wife''' ... '''children .... home ..'''

== What happened to Mr Berry's family ==

KellyGang 19-jun-12

[[Category:People]] [[Category:People starting with B]] [[Category:Berry]] [[Category:Graham Berry]] [[Category:premier of Victoria]] [[Category:Chief Secretary]] [[Category:Kelly Gang]] [[Category:history]]

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