RICHARD S. HAYNES by Frances M. Park Teachers College, Claremont

RICHARD S. HAYNES by Frances M. Park Teachers College, Claremont October 1958. PERTH CONTENTS. Page. Introduction Chapter 1 Early Career in Sydney and Perth 2 Chapter 2 Haynes, the Citizen 8 Chapter 3 Haynes, the Politician 14 Chapter 4 Haynes, the Lawyer 23 Chapter 5 Haynes, His Later Life 32 INTRODUCTION. While looking through the biographical section of a volume containing such a section on prominent Western Australian citizens the remarks referring to Mr. R.S. Haynes impressed me as being those of a very active and interesting man. Further research deepened my interest and I thus found material for this essay. I should, however, like to acknowledge the hclp of Messrs. Priddle and Mossenson, also of Miss Lukis and her staff at the Public Library. I am also indebted to Mr. R.A. Haynes, grandson of R.S. Haynes, whose help and interest in the writing of this biography were invaluable. CHAPTER I. Early Career in Sydney and Perth. From the time that white man started exploring the land beyond the Swan River Colony, it was expected that that vast area, judging from its appearance and geological structure would prove to yield quantities of gold. As explorers opened up more of the land, the reports they brought back confirmed these expectations, for quantities of alluvial gold, though very small, were constantly being found. Alexander Forrest, while on one of his greatest exploratory journeys, in the Kimberleys was so certain of the presence of gold in the area that on his return people, convinced by his reports, began to make their way to the gold-bearing area. That was in 1879. By 1886 a gold rush was in progress. As in the gold rushes in the Eastern States, but on a smallcr scale, men came from all over the world, in an attempt to make their fortune on the goldfields. The majority were from the Eastern States, and as the news spread, more and more men made their way to the North West of Western Australia. The alluvial gold, however, proved to be in a very limited quantity and the richer quantities of gold were embedded in hard rock, and expcnsive machinery was needed before appreciable quantities could be mined. There were wealthy men in Great Britain and the Eastern States who were willing to invest money in the area - 3 - and so make this possible. At the time there were not many people in Perth qualified to manage such legal affairs as would arise from these developments and some of these wealthy investors engaged their own lawyers to manage their mining interests. Anthony Hordern, a man who made a large contribution in the development of land and in the expansion of the rail way companies, was one of these men, and he engaged Richard Haynes to do the necessary legal work attached to his mining investments. Thus it was that this promising young lawyer already, at the age of twenty eight years, practising successfully in New South Wales, decided to come to Western Australia. His quick mind and powers of pleading soon became well-known throughout the colony and Haynes' practice built up successfully, he himself becoming one of the most notable members of the local profession. Richard Septimus Haynes was born at Cook's River, near Sydney, New South Wales, in 1857, and was the seventh child of his parents - hence the name Septimus. The family moved North to a small place called Morpeth on the Hunter River, shortly after Richard's birth, and Mr. Haynes Sen. became a prominent citizen of the Hunter District, his profession of school teaching giving him a reputation of high standing. It is natural that he should have given his children their education, or rather their elementary education. Those who showed ability to carryon with a higher education, of whom - 4 - Richard was one, were sent to Sydney to attend the Sydney Grammar School. One son entered the medical profession and was for a time a prominent doctor in Perth, and another became a member of the New South Wales House of Assembley. 1 Upon leaving the Grammar School, Richard, however, wishing to combine his debating and arguing powers with his interest in law and more especially the criminal court, had decided to enter the legal profession and in 1873 was articled to Messrs. Russell and Holden, solicitors of Sydney. After working there for some time he subsequently went to Simpson and Simpson, solicitors of Armidale, New South Wales, where he again gained valuable experience in the career which he had chosen. He proved so successful that at the early age of twenty three he was admitted to practise in and then manage the officers of Messrs. Norton and Smith, solicitors of Sydney. He practised there for five years and in 1885 decided to come to Western Australia. 2 This experience gained in New South Wales proved invaluable to Haynes in his future career. It was clear from the beginning of his career that his ability as a lawyer was outstanding and judging from remarks he was heard to make later, the number of cases he defended while in New South Wales was phenomenal I. W.B. Kimberley History of W.A. (Mclbournc and Ballarat Vic., 1907) p.19 2. ibid 5 - for one so young. Being a resident of Sydney during those years, also gave Haynes an insight into what Federation would mean to Australia and to Western Australia, made him familiar with the arguments for and against the movement of Federation which made him better able to take his place as a politician in Western Australia at the turn of the century and the years preceding. With his wife, nee Marion Goodwin, whom he had married in 1880, Haynes arrived at Albany in R.M.S. "Cuszo" in November and continued his journey to Fremantle in the S.S. "Rob Roy". On arriving in Perth, they resided at Bullen's Half Way House, now the Albion Hotel in Stirling Highway, Cottesloe. The Haynes family occupied a number of houses throughout Perth, the first being in East Perth on the corner of Goderich Street and Bullens Lane. From there they moved to a house in Hay Street on a site between George Street and what is now the Melbourne Hotel. From Hay Street the family shifted to Belmont and then back to Perth, in James Street. This house was known as "Spotswood House" and is now used by the Traffic Branch of the Police Force. A house which is now owned by the Loreto Convent was built in Peppermint Grove. In 190 I they finally settled in Queen's Crescent, Mount Lawley, after having also resided in South Perth and Bulwer Avenue, Perth. From the moment Haynes set foot in Western Australia he took an enthusiastic interest in the affairs of the Colony. He very soon became well known as an - 6 - exceptionally capable lawyer, for his first few cases were so successful. However, even had these successes not made his name well known his energetic work for the general welfare of the colony would have made him just as prominent a figure in the life of the colony. Proof of this is the fact that in the year 1886 after he had been in the colony barely a year, Haynes was elected to the Perth City Council. Although there is little record of his activities while a member of the City Council it can be assumed that he was by no means an inactive member, if what records there are are any indication of the way in which his energies were spent. He prepared the by-laws for the Council to regulate the Council Proceedings and also planned a subdivision of the Council into committees. The other Councillors seeing Haynes' irrepressible activity commissioned him to report on the work of its officers, with the result that a City Engineer and Accountant were appointed. Arising from this, two large loan bills were introduced and were expended in forming new streets. After serving on the Council for three years Haynes resigned in 1889, but entered again in 1891, sitting for another three years, at the end of which he did not contest his seat. Also while on the City Council Haynes advocated and initiated the Municipal Association of Western Australia which met at intervals and is made up of delegates from the chief municipalities of the colony who meet to discuss matters of most interests to themselves. In 1894 - 7- Haynes was elected the first Chairman of the Association. Being the founder of this body Haynes always took a fatherly interest in its activities and drew up the constitution and by-laws. I In the same year as he was appointed to the City Council, 1886, Haynes was also appointed the first Chairman of the local Board of Health under the Board of Health Act for the Perth District. Here, as in everything else he attempted, he worked energetically, drawing up the rules for the Board, and inspiring its other members with enthusiasm and vitality. He resigned, unfortunately, because of lack of cooperation from the Police Magistrate in seeing that all the orders were carried out by all people in every district of Perth. Haynes realized the importance of making sure that each rule was universally obeyed, otherwise it would be useless to have some being meticulously clean while others were indifferent, so he gave up in despair when he saw that the Police Force, who could have made each rule so effective, refused to be of any help at all. 2 I l.

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