Electoral district of The Murray

The Murray (or just Murray) was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly[1] in the Australian colony of Victoria from 1856 to 1877.

For the district of the old unicameral Victorian Legislative Council 1851–1856, see Electoral district of Murray (Victorian Legislative Council). For other districts, see Electoral district of Murray.

The Murray
Victoria—Legislative Assembly
Location in Victoria
StateVictoria
Created1856
Abolished1877
NamesakeMurray
DemographicRural

It was based in north-eastern Victoria, south of the Murray River.[2] Its area was defined in the Victorian Constitution Act of 1855 as: "Bounded on the South and West by the Counties of Evelyn and Anglesea and the River Goulburn to its Junction with the River Murray; on the North and North-east by the River Murray ; and on the East by the great dividing Range, excepting the Country comprised in the Electoral Districts of the Murray Boroughs and of Beechworth" (Ovens).[3]

History

The Murray Boroughs was a separate electorate and consisted of the towns of Wodonga, Wangaratta, Benalla, Euroa, Avenal and Seymour.[3]

The district of The Murray was one of the initial districts of the first Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1856.[4]

1861 Election Controversy

In August 1861 the electorate was declared for David Reid with 393 votes, a majority of ten, over John Orr.[5] Mr Curtis A. Reid, the returning electoral officer for The Murray and brother of David Reid disallowed the entirety of the Longwood votes as they were made in pencil[6] not pen and ink. John Orr brought a petition against the return of David Reid[7][8] and in May 1862 the Elections and Qualification Committee declared the votes legal and disqualified David Reid as member for The Murray.[9]

Members for The Murray

Initially, two members represented the electorate,[4][10] then only one following the redistribution of 1859.[11]

Member 1 Term Notes Member 2 Term Notes
Travers Adamson Nov. 1856 – Aug. 1859 John Goodman Nov. 1856 – Jan. 1858 Resigned
William Forlonge Jan. 1858[b] Jan. 1859 Resigned
William Nicholson Jan. 1859[b] Aug. 1859
David Reid Oct. 1859 – May 1862 Disqualified
John Orr May 1862 – Dec. 1867
William Witt Mar. 1868 – July 1872 Resigned
John Orr July 1872[b] Mar. 1874
William Witt May 1874 – Apr. 1877

b = by-election

Nicholson went on to represent the then newly created Electoral district of Sandridge from October 1859.[1]

References
  1. "Re-Member (Former Members)". State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  2. "Electoral district of The Murray and The Ovens" (map). 1856. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  3. "Victoria Constitution Act 1855" (PDF). Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  4. Sweetman, Edward (1920). Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851-6. Whitcombe & Tombs Limited. p. 183. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  5. "MURRAY ELECTION". Ovens and Murray Advertiser. Beechworth, Vic. 27 August 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  6. "MURRAY ELECTION". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918). Beechworth, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 29 August 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  7. "THE MURRAY ELECTION CASE". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918). Beechworth, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 29 March 1862. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  8. "THE MURRAY ELECTION CASE". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918). Beechworth, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 5 April 1862. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  9. "THE MURRAY ELECTION CASE". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918). Beechworth, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 3 May 1862. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  10. "The Election results". The Argus. 20 September 1856. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  11. "An Act to alter the Electoral Districts of Victoria and to increase the number of Members of the Legislative Assembly thereof" (PDF). 1858. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
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