SOLOMON, Albert Edgar (1876-1914)

premier of Tasmania

was born at Longford, Tasmania, in March 1876. He was educated at the state school and winning an exhibition went on to Horton College, Ross, and Launceston Church Grammar School. He graduated B.A. in 1895 and LL.B. in 1897 at the university 0 Tasmania, and subsequently qualified for the degrees of M.A. and LL.M. He was admitted to the bar in February 1898. He entered politics as member of the house of assembly for Ross in April 1909, and almost immediately became attorney-general and minister for education in the N. E. Lewis (q.v.) second and third ministries, taking the additional position of minister of mines in October 1909. When Lewis retired in June 1912 Solomon became premier, attorney-general and minister of education, but he had a bare majority of one and it required much tact and finesse to keep the ministry going until April 1914. Attention was given to education and considerable additions were made to the number of state and high schools. Never a robust man Solomon felt the strain of office, his health broke down, and he died at Hobart in his thirty-ninth year on 5 October 1914. He married a daughter of J. Scott who survived him with two sons. He was a man of unusual ability, in private life modest and unassuming, a prominent member of the Methodist Church and a temperance reformer. In politics he was an upright and sound administrator, and a good speaker and parliamentary tactician. His early death cut short a promising career.

The Mercury, Hobart, 6 October 1914; The Examiner, Launceston, 6 October 1914.