Horace Tozer

Sir Horace Tozer KCMG
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Wide Bay
In office 13 July 1871 – 23 September 1871
Preceded by	Henry King
Succeeded by	Henry King
In office 17 May 1888 – 2 March 1898
Preceded by	William Bailey
Succeeded by	Charles Jenkinson
Personal details
Born	Horace Tozer 23 April 1844 Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia
Died	20 August 1916 (aged 72) South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Ministerial
Spouse(s)	Mary Hoyles Wilson (m.1868 d.1878), Louisa Lord (m.1880 d.1908)
Relations	Vivian Tozer (son)
Occupation	Solicitor
Religion	Church of England

Sir Horace Tozer KCMG (23 April 1844 – 20 August 1916)^[1] was an Australian lawyer and politician. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Early life

Tozer was son of H. T. N. Tozer, and was born at Port Macquarie, New South Wales, in April 1844. Educated at the Collegiate School, Newcastle, he was admitted to practise as a solicitor at Brisbane in 1866. He settled at Gympie, established a successful practice. He married twice, in 1868 at Ipswich to Mary Hoyles Wilson^[2] (who died in Ipswich in 1878),^[3] and in 1880 to Louisa Lord (who died in London in 1908).^[4]

Political life

In the 1871 election held on 13 July, the sitting member for Wide Bay in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Henry Edward King, decided to contest the electoral district of Maryborough instead of Wide Bay. King supported the nomination of Horace Tozer for Wide Bay, amidst allegations that Tozer was just a "warming pan" intended to hold the seat as a protection against King failing to win Maryborough.^[5] Tozer was elected in Wide Bay^[6] but King's bid for Maryborough failed. The allegations of Tozer being a "warming pan" proved true as Tozer promptly resigned, recommending that the electors of Wide Bay should elect King at the subsequent by-election.^[7] King's nomination was unopposed and he was declared elected on 4 October 1871.^[8][9]

In 1880, Tozer was elected was an alderman in Gympie's first town council.

On 17 May 1888 he was elected again as the member for Wide Bay, and was colonial secretary in the second Griffith ministry from August 1890 to March 1893, held the same position in the McIlwraith–Nelson ministry until October 1893, and was home secretary in the Nelson ministry until March 1898.^[6]

In 1895, he brought in a very moderate shops early closing bill which passed the assembly but was rejected by the legislative council. In the following year, however, he succeeded in passing a factories and shops act which, though it did not go very far, was important on account of its being the first Queensland act regulating hours and conditions. In the same year under his direction the public library and the national art gallery were founded at Brisbane. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1897.

On 2 March 1898, he resigned his seat in order to be appointed as Agent-General for Queensland.^[10] He held the position with ability until 1909, when he retired on account of failing health.

Later years and death

He returned to Queensland and died at the home of his daughter, Amy Lavinia Norton in South Brisbane on 20 August 1916.^[11] He was survived by two sons and two daughters. A private funeral was held and he was buried in Toowong Cemetery.^[11][12]

His son Vivian Tozer also served in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing Gympie.^[13]

Tozer's legal offices in Gympie (Tozer's Building) is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.^[14]

References

1. Tozer, Sir Horace (1844–1916) Australian Dictionary of Biography
2. "Family Notices.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 14 February 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
3. "Family Notices.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 19 January 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
4. "DEATH OF LADY TOZER.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 26 March 1908. p. 7. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
5. "MARYBOROUGH.". The Queenslander (National Library of Australia). 8 July 1871. p. 2. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
6. "Alphabetic register of members of the legislative assembly 1860–2012 and of the legislative council 1860-1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
7. "POLITICS AT GYMPIE.". The Queenslander (National Library of Australia). 5 August 1871. p. 9. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
8. "GYMPIE.". The Queenslander (National Library of Australia). 7 October 1871. p. 2. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
9. "QUEENSLAND.". The Argus (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 9 November 1871. p. 7. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
10. "SIR HORACE TOZER.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 11 February 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
11. "Family Notices.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 21 August 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
12. Tozer Sir Horace — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
13. "Tozer, Vivian Hoyles". www.parliament.qld.gov.au. Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
14. "Tozer's Building (entry 602779)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.