WATERHOUSE, George Marsden (1824-1906)

premier of South Australia

was born in 1824. His father, the Rev. John Waterhouse, general superintendent of the Wesleyan missions in Australia and Polynesia, resided for some time in South Australia. In August 1851 Waterhouse was elected a member of the legislative council for East Torrens, and in 1857 became a member for the same constituency in the first house of assembly, but sat for only one session. He was elected to the legislative council in 1860, and was chief secretary in the first Reynolds (q.v.) ministry from May 1860 to February 1861. He was premier and chief secretary from October 1861 to July 1863. In 1864 he retired from South Australian politics and subsequently spent some time in England. He settled in New Zealand in 1869 and in 1870 became a member of the legislative council. He was in the Fox ministry from 30 October to 20 November 1871, and in October 1872 became premier without portfolio. He resigned in March 1873 finding that as a member of the upper house it was impossible to keep control of his ministry. He remained a private member for many years but falling into ill-health retired to England in 1889, and died at Torquay on 6 August 1906. Waterhouse was a man of much ability and character but his career both in Australia and New Zealand was much hampered by the poor state of his health. He has the unusual distinction of having been the premier of two colonies.

The Advertiser, Adelaide, 8 August 1906; The Times, 8 August 1906; G. W. Rusden, History of New Zealand.