Rounsevell received the portfolio of Treasurer in the Morgan Ministry on May 10th, 1881; but he only filled the office for a few weeks in consequence of the resignation of the Government on June 24th following. When the Hon. J. Colton formed his last Ministry in June 1884, Mr. Rounsevell was his Treasurer, and he retained that office until the downfall of the administration in June 1885. He was one of the two candidates for the Speakership at the opening of the Parliament elected in 1890, and received the support of the Cockburn Ministry; but he retired when it was found that there was a majority in favour of the Hon. Jenkin Coles. Mr. Rounsevell became Commissioner of Public Works on Mr. Playford's return to power in August 1890. In Jan. 1892, he became Treasurer, retiring with his colleagues in June.
Rous, Admiral Hon. Henry John, second son of the Earl of Stradbroke, was born on Jan. 23rd, 1795, and, entering the Royal Navy, came out to Sydney in command of the Rainbow in 1825. He remained in Australian waters for four years, discovering the Richmond and Clarence rivers in New South Wales in August 1829. He also displayed very keen interest in turf matters, for which his name became a household word, importing the thoroughbred horse "Emigrant," which became the sire of numerous Australian performers. He was elected a member of the Parramatta Jockey Club in Sept. 1829, just before his departure for England, where he was member for Westminster from 1841 to 1846. His connection with the English Jockey Club and his almost unique position in the sporting world are matters of history. He married, in 1836, Sophia, daughter of J. B. Cuthbert, and in the same year retired from the navy. He died in 1877.
Rowan, Marian Ellis, daughter of Charles Ryan, of Derriweit, Macedon, is a native of Victoria, and is well known for her talent in depicting the wild flowers of the bush. She has made special journeys to Western Australia, to Queensland, and to other parts of Australia, in search of material for her studies. She has been an exhibitor at many exhibitions, and has executed some black-and-white work for the publishers of the "Picturesque Atlas of Australasia." Mrs. Rowan was married to Captain F. C. Rowan in Oct 1873, and accompanied her husband to New Zealand, from which she returned to Melbourne in 1877.
Rusden, George William, J.P. third son of the Rev. George Keylock Rusden, M.A., of Pembroke College, Cambridge by his marriage with Anne, only daughter of Rev. Thomas Townsend, was born at Leith Hill Place, in Surrey, on July 9th, 1819, and went to New South Wales with his father in 1834. Primarily engaging in pastoral pursuits he was in 1849 appointed Agent for National Schools, first in Port Phillip, and afterwards in New South Wales and Moreton Bay. On the separation of Victoria from New South Wales in 1851, he was appointed Under-Secretary or Chief Clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office. The next year he became Clerk of the Executive Council; and in 1856, when two Houses of Parliament were established under the new Constitution Act, he was appointed Clerk of the Legislative Council and Clerk of the Parliaments. He was for some time a member of the National Board of Education in Victoria, and was a member of the Council of Melbourne University from its foundation. Mr. Rusden, who originated the Shakespeare scholarships, founded in 1864, retired in 1882, and has latterly resided in England. In 1885 he was the defendant in a libel action brought against him by Mr. John Bryce of New Zealand, in connection with certain statements made with respect to the latter in the "History of New Zealand." In the result Mr. Bryce obtained a verdict for £5000 damages. Sir John Gorst was counsel for Mr. Rusden, whose allegations were understood to be based on information supplied by Sir Arthur Gordon and Bishop Hadfield. He is author of the following works. "Moryarra: an Australian Legend," 2 cantos; "National Education," 1 vol.; "Discovery, Survey and Settlement of Port Phillip," 1872; "Curiosities of Colonisation," London, 1874; "History of New Zealand," 3 vols., London, 1883; "Aureretanga: Groans of the Maoris," 1888; "History of Australia," 3 vols., London, 1883: "Letter to the ''Times'', on the Law of Libel," 1890; "Lectures on Work and Learning," 1857; "Old Road to Responsible Government," 1856; "Character of Falstaff," 1870; "Constitutional Rights," 1865; "Caucus Premonitions,"
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