seat in the Assembly, and, as a Conservative and free-trader, strongly opposed the Berry party. He, however, entered the Service-Berry Coalition Ministry in March 1883 as Minister of Railways and Public Instruction, and held office until, in Feb. 1886, on the retirement of Messrs. Service, Berry and Kerferd, he himself was nominated Premier under a fresh coalition arrangement with Mr. Deakin, the new Liberal leader, taking in addition the offices of Treasurer, Minister of Railways, and subsequently Minister of Mines. Mr. Gillies, having been defeated on a want of confidence motion, retired in November 1890. In 1887 Mr. Gillies refused the offer of knighthood (K.C.M.G.). He has represented Victoria on numerous occasions at Intercolonial Conferences, as well as at the three first sessions of the Federal Council of Australasia. He presided at the Federation Conference held in Melbourne in Feb. 1890, and was selected as one of the representatives of Victoria to the Federation Convention in Sydney in 1891. Mr. Gillies, who is leader of the opposition to the Shiels Ministry, now represents the Eastern Suburbs.
Gillies, Hon. Thomas Bannatyne, formerly Puisne Judge, New Zealand, arrived in Otago in 1852, and after a time practised as a lawyer. In 1860 he was elected to the House of Representatives, and became Attorney-General in Mr. Domett's Administration on August 6th, 1862, retiring fifteen days later, when he was succeeded by Mr. Sewell. In the Whitaker-Fox Ministry which followed on Oct 30th, 1863, Mr. Gillies had the portfolios of Postmaster-General and Secretory of Crown Lands, which he held till Nov. 24th and Jan. 13th, 1864, respectively. Under Mr. Stafford, from Sept. 10th to Oct. 11th, 1872, Mr. Gillies was Colonial Treasurer. In 1865 he removed to Auckland, and was Superintendent of the province of Auckland from 1869 to 1873. In 1875 he was appointed Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court. Mr. Gillies, who died in August 1889, founded two science scholarships in connection with Auckland University College.
Gillon, Edward Thomas, was born in Douglas, Isle of Man, in Jan. 1842. He arrived in New Zealand with his parents in 1851 and settled in Otago, where for several years he endured the rough experiences of settlement in a new country. While quite a youth he became a contributor to the Otago Witness, and was engaged reporting the Provincial Council proceedings for that paper, when, in 1861, the Otago goldfields were discovered. Mr. Gillon was at once sent to Gabriel's Gully as special correspondent for the Witness, and was the first press representative on the diggings. He remained there until recalled to Dunedin to again report in the Provincial Council, and he was so engaged when Mr. (now Sir Julius) Vogel arrived from Australia and, entering into partnership with Mr. Cutten, the proprietor of the Witness, established the Otago Daily Times, the first daily paper published in New Zealand. Mr. Gillon joined the Times staff as chief reporter, and remained on it until early the following year, when severe illness compelled him to relinquish newspaper work for a time. He accepted a Government appointment which, after two or three years, he resigned to resume journalistic work. In 1867 he went to Wellington as a member of the first Hansard staff, and was subsequently appointed Clerk of Private Bills to the New Zealand Parliament. He resigned this office after a brief tenure in order to devote himself exclusively to literary work, and became connected with the Wellington Evening Post as well as acting as special correspondent for the Otago Daily Times, Lyttelton Times, and other leading journals. In 1872, when cable communication between Europe and Australia was first established, Sir Julius Vogel brought about a combination of New Zealand papers for obtaining supplies of telegraphic news, and Mr. Gillon was selected as manager. After a time this association handed its business over to a private firm, and Mr. Gillon rejoined the Post as editor. In 1878 another press association was formed, and Mr. Gillon was again appointed manager. In less than two years this association absorbed all opposition, and developed into the present United Press Association, which Mr. Gillon continued to manage with great success until 1884, when he resigned in order to resume his former position of editor of the Post, which he still retains. Mr. Gillon is recognised as the doyen of New Zealand journalists, and when the Institute of Journalists was formed recently he was
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