Harry Wollaston

{{Short description|Australian public servant}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Sir Harry Wollaston

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KCMG|ISO|size=100}}

| image =

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| caption =

| office1 = Comptroller-General of the Department of Trade and Customs

| term_start1 = 1901

| term_end1 = 1911

| birth_name = Harry Newton Phillips Wollaston

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1846|01|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Western Australia

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1921|02|11|1846|01|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Victoria

| resting_place = Boroondara General Cemetery

| occupation = Public servant

| years_active =

| nationality = Australian

| website =

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Sir Harry Newton Phillips Wollaston {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KCMG}} {{post-nominals|post-noms=ISO}} (17 January 1846{{spaced endash}}11 February 1921) was a senior Australian public servant. He was the first Comptroller-General of the Department of Trade and Customs, from 1901 to his retirement in 1911.

Life and career

Wollaston was born on 17 January 1846 in Mokine, Western Australia.{{citation|url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wollaston-sir-harry-newton-phillips-9168|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|publisher=Australian National University|title=Wollaston, Sir Harry Newton Phillips (1846–1921)|first=D.I.|last=McDonald|date=1990|archivedate=6 November 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106002144/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wollaston-sir-harry-newton-phillips-9168|url-status=live}} He was educated at St John's College, Auckland, Nelson College and the University of Melbourne.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190567486|title=Dr. Wollaston|date=18 February 1921|page=13|newspaper=The Week|location=Brisbane, Queensland}}

In 1863 he joined the Victorian Department of Trade and Customs as a tide surveyor and landing waiter.

In 1891, Wollaston was appointed Secretary of the Victorian Trade and Customs Department.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3027288|title=The Secretaryship of the Victorian Trade and Customs Department: Dr. Wollaston's appointment|date=13 November 1891|newspaper=The West Australian}} He was Chairman of the Committee which reported on the Federal Constitution Bill before it was adopted by the colonies and Australia was federated.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165644198|title=Dr. Sir Harry Wollaston, K.C.M.G., LL.D.|newspaper=Observer|location=Adelaide, South Australia|date=19 February 1921|page=34}}

Between 1901 and 1911, Wollaston was Comptroller-General of Customs.{{citation|title=CA 10: Department of Trade and Customs, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+10|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=16 August 2015|archive-date=11 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811005549/http://naa12.naa.gov.au/Scripts/SuggestLogon.asp|url-status=dead}} The Department was one of the first seven Australian Government departments to be established in the Federation year, 1901.{{citation|url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/history.html|title=History of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212012917/http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/history.html|archivedate=12 December 2013|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|author=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade}}

Wollaston died in Melbourne on 11 February 1921.

Awards

Wollaston was appointed a Companion of the Imperial Service Order in May 1903.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1081894|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816064312/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1081894&search_type=quick&showInd=true|archivedate=16 August 2015|publisher=Australian Government|work=itsanhonour.gov.au|title=Search Australian Honours, Name: WOLLASTON, Harry Newton Phillips, Award: Imperial Service Order}}

In 1907, having served as Comptroller-General of Customs for several years, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1066716|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816064407/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1066716&search_type=quick&showInd=true|archivedate=16 August 2015|publisher=Australian Government|work=itsanhonour.gov.au|title=Search Australian Honours, Name: WOLLASTON, Harry Newton Phillips, Award: The Order of St Michael and St George - Companion}} He was promoted to a Knight Commander of the Order in June 1912.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1082563|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026232231/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1082563|archivedate=26 October 2021|publisher=Australian Government|work=itsanhonour.gov.au|title=Search Australian Honours, Name: WOLLASTON, Harry Newton Phillips, Award: The Order of St Michael and St George- Knights Commander}}

References