Commentary 9 - January 1st

 JANUARY 1st

Not only do we lesser mortals fiddle in our sincerity with New Year Resolutions BUT the higher echelons, our Rulers in Government, see the start of a New Year (particularly a New Century, as significant enough to make big changes.

1 January 1801 - Prime Minister William Pitt (the Younger) convinced the Catholic middle-class of Ireland to allow Ireland to join "the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland". Because the Catholics were for it, the Proddies were against it. But Nevertheless this Union came to pass and lasted until 1921. Not a bad Imperialist time span!

1 January 1856 - The vastly influential business community (read farms & hotels) of Van Diemen's Land were successful in changing the name to Tasmania, still recognising that the Dutch "discovered" the Island before the English, but showing the strength of the English as Queen Vic had to assent to the idea! It is fascinating to think that the good burghers were nearly all ex-Convicts or sons of Convicts and wanted to also disguise their penal origins.

1 January 1901 - King Edward VII assented to Australia becoming an "Independent" (read self-governing) Nation. Edward had his mind on other things as his mum, Victoria, had died the year before, and he had his own symbolic crowning to do in 3 weeks time. So he just assented! He left it up to his PM, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil (the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury) to attend to details.  Robert was not happy as he strongly disliked Change. As one Historian said of him - "deeply neurotic, depressive, agitated, introverted, fearful of change and loss of control".  Poor Robert had to deal with the loss of the "ever-reigning" Victoria plus the step-up of her eldest and notoriously immoral Son, Edward. Robert told Edward to appoint as Royalty's first personal representative to the new Nation, a trustworthy chap, indeed a "decent chap from the Club", Lord Hopetoun. 

Now "My Lord" Hopetoun knew NOTHING about Australia before he arrived in 1900 so he thought he would appoint a "good Chap" who greeted him on arrival as Australia's 1st Prime Minister. My Lord also had not read the approved Australian Constitution and therefore had not realised that a PM had to be elected by a majority in Parliament. Details, details ....  Fortunately, someone (or many of them) had a quiet whisper in My Lord's ear and he chose instead Edmund Barton who "had the numbers in the 1st Parliament". 

I love this story as it shows that there is always quite a lot to do before New Year's Day if you want to get the Year off to a good start.





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