Ezekiel Baker (politician)

Ezekiel Alexander Baker (1 December 1823 – 28 January 1912)[1] was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Baker was born in Middlesex, England, to Ezekiel John Baker and Elizabeth, née Burgess. He trained in his fathers business of manufacturing firearms and also studied mineralogy and mining.[2]

He emigrated to New South Wales in 1853 as mineralogist to a mining company.[3] He was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Goldfields South at the 1869-70 election,[4] and was also a member of the Goldfields Committee. In June 1870 he was appointed to a Royal Commission into the goldfields and water supply.[5] His seat was declared vacant in November 1870 as he had accepted an office of profit under the crown,[6] however he comfortably regained it at the by-election in December 1870.[7] He retained the seat at the elections in 1872,[8] and 1875.[9]

When Thomas Garrett, the Secretary for Lands in the third Robertson Ministry, resigned his office, in February 1877, Baker was appointed to succeed him, but the Government only held office till March.[1] He was appointed Secretary for Mines in the fourth Robertson ministry, in August 1877, exchanging that post for Secretary for Lands in November, and going out of office with his colleagues in December.[1] Baker was again Minister of Mines in the third Parkes ministry from December 1878 to August 1881.[1] The Goldfields districts were abolished as a result of the 1880 redistribution,[10] and Baker was the first elected of two members for the expanded district of Carcoar.[11]

Baker was expelled from the Assembly in November 1881 on allegations of bribery and corruption.[2] He was a candidate at the December 1881 by-election, but was defeated.[12] Charges against him were subsequently dropped and Baker petitioned parliament to rescind its censure of him, which was agreed in May 1884.[2] He was again elected as the member for Carcoar at the November 1884 by-election,[13] retaining the seat at the 1885 election,[14] retiring at the election in January 1887.[1]

Baker died in Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales, on 28 January 1912(1912-01-28) (aged 88).[1]

References

  1. "Mr Ezekiel Alexander Baker (1823-1912)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  2. Nairn, Bede (1969). "Baker, Ezekiel Alexander (1823–1912)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Volume 3. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538 via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  3. Mennell, Philip (1892). "Baker, Hon. Ezekiel Alexander" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co via Wikisource.
  4. Green, Antony. "1869-70 Goldfields South". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  5. "Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Working of the present Gold Fields Act and Regulations of New South Wales and into the best means of securing a permanent water supply for the Gold Fields of the Colony". State Records. Government of New South Wales. 31 October 1871. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  6. "Legislative Assembly: the seat of Mr Baker". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 November 1870. p. 4. Retrieved 22 August 2020 via Trove.
  7. Green, Antony. "December 1870 Goldfields South by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  8. Green, Antony. "1872 Goldfields South". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. Green, Antony. "1874-5 Goldfields South". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  10. "1880 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land & Property Information. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
  11. Green, Antony. "1880 Carcoar". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  12. Green, Antony. "1881 Carcoar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  13. Green, Antony. "1884 Carcoar by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  14. Green, Antony. "1872 Goldfields South". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2020.

 

Political offices
Preceded by
Thomas Garrett
Secretary for Lands
February–March 1877
Succeeded by
Richard Driver
Preceded by
George Lloyd
Secretary for Mines
August–November 1877
Succeeded by
Archibald Jacob
Preceded by
Thomas Garrett
Secretary for Lands
November–December 1877
Succeeded by
James Farnell
Preceded by
William Suttor
Secretary for Mines
1878–1881
Succeeded by
Arthur Renwick
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
James Rodd
Member for Goldfields South
1870–1880
Abolished
Preceded by
Andrew Lynch
Member for Carcoar
1880–1881
Served alongside: Andrew Lynch
Succeeded by
George Campbell
Preceded by
Andrew Lynch
Member for Carcoar
1884–1887
Served alongside: George Campbell/Charles Garland
Succeeded by
Charles Jeanneret
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