Henry Dobson

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| image = Henry Dobson 1901 (cropped).jpg

| order = 17th

| office = Premier of Tasmania

| term_start = 17 August 1892

| term_end = 14 April 1894

| predecessor = Philip Fysh

| successor = Edward Braddon

| office1 = Senator for Tasmania

| term_start1 = 29 March 1901

| term_end1 = 30 June 1910

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1841|12|24}}

| birth_place = Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1918|10|10|1841|12|24}}

| death_place = Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

| spouse = Emily Dobson

| profession = Lawyer

}}

Henry Dobson (24 December 1841 – 10 October 1918) was an Australian politician, who served as a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly and later of the Australian Senate. He was the 17th Premier of Tasmania from 17 August 1892 to 14 April 1894.

Early life and legal career

Dobson was born in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), the son of John Dobson and full brother to Alfred and half-brother to William Lambert Dobson,

{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Dollery |first=E M |title=Dobson, Alfred (1848–1908) |id2=dobson-alfred-3883 |access-date=17 October 2012}} and Frank Dobson.{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Barrow |first=Elizabeth |title=Dobson, Frank Stanley (1835–1895) |id2=dobson-frank-stanley-3418 |access-date=20 October 2012}} Dobson was educated at The Hutchins School and worked for a merchant firm before commencing legal training with Allport, Robson & Allport. He was admitted to the Tasmanian Bar in 1846, and partnered with William Giblin from 1865 to 1870, and was a senior partner in the law firm Dobson, Mitchell & Allport (started by his father).{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=E M |last=Dollery |id2=dobson-henry-5986 |title=Dobson, Henry (1841 - 1918) |volume=8 |year=1981 |pages=311-312 |access-date=27 December 2022}}

Political career

=Tasmanian House of Assembly=

Dobson's political career began on 12 August 1891, when he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly representing the electorate of Brighton. He was quickly made Leader of the Opposition the next month, and became Premier of Tasmania on 17 August 1892 after the fall of Philip Fysh's government.

Dobson had a keen interest in education, and introduced compulsory education legislation into the Tasmanian parliament. He also promoted Tasmania as a tourist destination and fruit-growing centre, attributes which it remains known for today. Economic factors required him to make difficult decisions, and when a proposed retrenchment program was rejected in the Parliament, Dobson obtained a dissolution from the Governor, and then resigned as Premier on 14 April 1894 when the situation remained unchanged after the election.

File:Henry Dobson (1898).jpg.]]

After retiring as Premier, Dobson remained in his seat until he retired on 9 March 1900.{{cite Tas Parliament |id=dobsonh224 |title=Dobson, Henry |access-date=24 July 2022}}

=Australian Senate=

Dobson was a keen supporter of the Federation of Australia, and when federation took place in 1901, Dobson was elected as a member of the first Australian Senate for Tasmania. He remained in the Senate for over nine years, but retired when he lost the election on 30 June 1910. He served as Chairman of Committees from 1908 to 1910.{{Cite Au Senate |Sen id=henry-dobson |name=Dobson, Henry (1841–1918) |first=Scott |last=Bennett |access-date=27 December 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/aso/Appendix_3|title=Appendix 3―Deputy Presidents and Chairmen of Committees (1901–2009)|website=Parliament of Australia|access-date=2017-09-10}}

Later life

After retiring from politics, Dobson turned his efforts to promoting Tasmanian tourism. He founded and was president of the Tasmanian Tourist Association from 1893,[http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/bb8db737e2af84b8ca2571780015701e/33C8266304704046CA256C3200241895?opendocument 1384.6 - Statistics - Tasmania, 2005], Australian Bureau of Statistics, 9 September 2005. helped found the Tourist and Information Bureau and the Scenery Preservation Board in 1915,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1062469 |title=News of THE DAY |newspaper=The Mercury |volume=CVI |issue=14,685 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=30 January 1917 |accessdate=8 September 2024 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} and was chairman of the National Park Board from 1917 to 1918.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1076164 |title=MEETINGS, ETC. |newspaper=The Mercury |volume=CVI |issue=14,862 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=6 June 1917 |accessdate=8 September 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Dobson died on 10 October 1918 in Hobart.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84291563 |title=Death of Mr. Henry Dobson |newspaper=Zeehan and Dundas Herald |date=11 October 1918 |access-date=12 January 2020 |page=2 |via=Trove }}