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A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Goulburn on 13 June 1861 because of the resignation of Charles Walsh. Walsh stated that he had been elected to support the Land Bills, which would open up the free selection of Crown land, and the Legislative Council Bill which would replace the nominated council with an elected body. These bills had not been passed by the Legislative Council and the Premier Charles Cowper had arranged for 21 new members to be appointed to the council. Walsh stated that as the bills "will be carried through both branches of the legislature, and become the law of the land" he therefore resigned as the tasks had been achieved.

It is unclear when Walsh wrote the letter, because on 10 May 1861, before the new members had been sworn in, Sir William Burton the President of the Legislative Council, announced his resignation and left the chambers, followed by the 13 members of the opposition. Under the standing orders of the council in the absence of the President or the Chairman of Committees, George Allen, the council was adjourned until the next sitting day. As there was no further sitting day before the council was prorogued on 13 May 1861 the bills were not passed.

Dates

Results

Aftermath

The Robertson Land Acts were ultimately passed by both houses and became law in October 1861. The Legislative Council Bill was not passed and the Council did not become a directly elected body until after the 1978 referendum.

See also

• Electoral results for the district of Goulburn
• List of New South Wales state by-elections

References

1. ^ "Mr Charles Hamilton Walsh (1820-1874)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
2. "The Legislative Council Bill". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser. 27 April 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 16 October 2019 – via Trove.
3. "Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 100. 10 May 1861. p. 1003. Retrieved 8 April 2019 – via Trove.
4. Walsh, Charles H (22 May 1861). "To the electors of Goulburn". Goulburn Herald. p. 3. Retrieved 16 October 2019 – via Trove.
5. "Mr George Allen (1800-1877)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
6. "Resignation of the President". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 May 1861. p. 5. Retrieved 16 October 2019 – via Trove.
7. "Writ of election: Goulburn". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 139. 27 May 1861. p. 1193. Retrieved 16 October 2019 – via Trove.
8. Green, Antony. "1861 Goulburn by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
9. "Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. 18 October 1861. Retrieved 28 August 2016 – via AustLII.
10. "Crown Lands Occupation Act of 1861" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. 18 October 1861. Retrieved 28 August 2016 – via AustLII.
11. "The New South Wales Legislative Council" (PDF). Parliament of NSW. Retrieved 16 October 2019.

v t e Results of New South Wales State elections
Legislative Assembly	Colonial 1856 1858 1859 1860 1864–65 1869–70 1872 1874–75 1877 1880 1882 1885 1887 1889 1891 1894 1895 1898 State 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1917 1920 1922 1925 1927 1930 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1973 1976 1978 1981 1984 1988 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
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By-elections	Legislative Assembly Legislative Council (historic)

• 1861 elections in Australia
• New South Wales state by-elections
• 1860s in New South Wales