Sir George Ferguson Bowen


The governor's position in Victoria had been difficult ever since the start of the contests—essentially 'property and intelligence' against 'democracy'—between the houses of the legislature in 1865. Sir Charles Darling had been recalled for his partisan behaviour in relation to the ‘deadlock’, and serious differences had emerged between the colonial and British governments; more recently, Viscount Canterbury had disagreed with premier C. Gavan Duffy over a dissolution of the assembly. Bowen set out to establish harmonious relations between himself, his ministers, and the legislature, as well as with the population generally. In this, as in Queensland, he had the valuable assistance of Lady Bowen. He benefited also from becoming, in 1876, the first occupant of a new Government House which enabled the governor to entertain the political and social leaders of Victoria in unprecedented style; Bowen could boast that his residence was larger than its equivalents in either Calcutta or Dublin, and its ballroom larger than that in Buckingham Palace. He spent 1875, on his first furlough since 1859, visiting England, where he received the honorary degree of DCL from the University of Oxford on 9 June, and touring the United States and Canada. He met Sir John A. Macdonald and formed views on the differences between Canadian federation and any such development in Australia.

Bowen returned to a troubled colony. In 1877 the ministry attempted to provide 'payment of members' by 'tacking' the item to the general appropriation bill. The council, unable to amend such a bill, rejected it. Faced with serious financial deficiency, the government advised Bowen to sign orders dismissing large numbers of civil servants. Bowen relied on the opinion of Robert Herbert, who privately told him that he could accept the advice of his ministers, whatever it might be, even in financial matters. In Victoria, though a compromise was arranged, he was attacked by opponents of the ministry. Early in 1878, moreover, Lord Carnarvon resigned as secretary of state, and his successor, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, agreed with those who said that Bowen had been too ready to assist his ministers in a dubious policy.

Image courtesy of National Portrait Gallery


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