Henry Bournes Higgins

Henry Bournes Higgins.
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National Library of Australia
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HIGGINS, HENRY BOURNES (1851-1929)

Higgins was born on 30 June 1851 at Newtownards, Ireland and migrated to Victoria in 1870 with his family. He completed a law degree at Melbourne University and entered the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Geelong in 1894.

Elected as a Victorian delegate to the Federation Conventions of 1897-98, Higgins was one of the few delegates who opposed the Constitution Bill. The nature of his opposition can be summarised by one of his early comments: 'unless we federate on sound lines we had better not federate at all'.

Higgins was concerned that the Senate was being constructed as a states' house with equal representation for each State, regardless of population size. His other main concern was that the proposed Constitution was too rigid. He argued that any constitution should be amenable to moral pressure and public opinion.

Elected to the first federal parliament in 1901, becoming Attorney-General 1904-06. Higgins become a justice of the High Court and President of the Arbitration Court.

He died at Dromana, Vic., on 13 January 1929.

Books of interest

Higgins, H. B. (1900). Essays and addresses on the Australian Commonwealth Bill. Melbourne: Atlas Press.

Palmer, Nettie. (1931). Henry Bournes Higgins: a memoir. London: Harrap.

Richard, John. (1984). H.B. Higgins: the rebel as judge. Sydney: George Allen & Unwin.

Higgins' papers are held at the National Library in the Manuscripts Collection (MS 1057). A description of the contents is located at: http://www.nla.gov.au/ms/findaids/1057.html

 

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