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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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instructor at the Royal Gun Factory at Woolwich from Jan. 1st, 1874, to March 31st, 1877, and was assistant superintendent at the factory from April 1st, 1877, to Dec. 31st, 1878. He became major in the Royal Artillery on Oct. 1st, 1877, and received brevet rank as a lieutenant-colonel in the army on Nov. 29th, 1879, for his services at the battle of Ulundi, in the Zulu campaign, for which he was also mentioned in despatches and received a medal with clasps. He was made colonel in the army on Nov. 29th, 1883, but was placed on half-pay on Oct. 1st, 1884. He became lieut.-colonel Royal Artillery on Oct 1st, 1885, having been appointed on March 26th previously Commandant of the Colonial Forces in South Australia—a position the duties of which he discharged till March 25th, 1888, when he returned to England. On May 13th, 1890, Colonel Owen read a paper before the Royal Colonial Institute on "The Military Defence Forces of the Colonies." In 1891 Colonel Owen was appointed Commandant of the Queensland Defence Forces, with the rank of Major-General, and assumed the duties of the post in August of that year.

Owen, Hon. Robert, M.L.C., an old settler in New South Wales, was for a number of years a member of the Legislative Council of that colony. He was a Minister without portfolio from Oct. 1868 till his death on August 1st, 1870, and represented the Robertson and Cowper Governments in the Upper House.

Owen, His Honour William, Chief Judge in Equity, New South Wales, youngest son of the late Colonel Owen, of the 72nd Highlanders, whose family is a younger branch of the Owens (now Cholmondeleys), of Condover Hall, Salop, was born in 1834, and educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity College, Dublin, where he was a prizeman and medallist. He was called to the Bar in 1859, and emigrated to New South Wales in 1860. He was made Q.C. in 1882, and Chief Judge in Equity in 1887. Mr. Justice Owen married, firstly, in 1860, a daughter of Langer Carey, M.D., who died in 1866; and secondly, in 1875, Florence, daughter of James Levick, who died in 1876. In 1892 he was appointed one of the commission to inquire into the charges brought against Mr. Eddy, Chief Commissioner of Railways, by Mr. Sohey, M.L.A., in the Legislative Assembly.



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Packer, Frederick Augustus, entered the Civil Service of Tasmania in the Telegraph department in Jan. 1859, and has held the following appointments: landing waiter, Customs, Launceston, 1862; sessional clerk, House of Assembly, 1862; clerk in Ordnance department, 1863; sessional clerk, Legislative Council, 1864; clerk R.E. department, 1865; chief clerk, Telegraph department, 1866; Superintendent of Telegraphs, 1873, and clerk assistant, House of Assembly, 1878. In 1882 he was appointed Clerk of the House, and librarian to Parliament. Mr. Packer is also a well-known musician, many of his works, both secular and sacred, having obtained public recognition. Amongst them are a cantata on Longfellow's "Wreck of the Hesperus," probably the most successful work performed at the Melbourne Intercolonial Festival, a comedy-opera entitled Sweet Simplicity, many popular songs, and a number of anthems and other sacred compositions.

Packer, John Edward, J.P. (brother of the preceding), Under-Treasurer, Tasmania, entered the Tasmanian Government service as clerk in the Telegraph department in 1859, became chief clerk in 1866, Ministerial Clerk and Secretary to the Public Debt Commission in 1886, in which year he was appointed Under-Treasurer. Mr. Packer is a J.P. of the colony.

Palmer, Colonel the Hon. Sir Arthur Hunter, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., J.P., second son of the late Lieut. Arthur Palmer, R.N., by Emily, daughter of Robt. Hunter, of Dublin and Downpatrick, was born at Armagh, Ireland, in 1819. He emigrated to New South Wales in 1838, and

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