THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA'S
FEDERATION GATEWAY


QUICK, SIR JOHN (1852-1932)

Politician and author, Quick was born in Trevassa, Cornwall, on 14 April 1852. The family migrated to Victoria in 1854 and having started work at 10 years in an iron foundry he became a reporter on the Bendigo Independent, developing as an excellent shorthand-writer.

In 1877 he obtained his Law Degree, LLB, from University of Melbourne, and attained the degree of LLD by examination in 1882. Quick was called to the Bar in June 1878 and was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1880.

Quick was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Sandhurst (Bendigo) in 1880. When he lost his seat, following electoral redistribution in 1889, he had done much to interest the Australian Natives' Association in the Federation issue. He attended an intercolonial conference in Corowa, N.S.W., in August, 1893. In November 1893, he drafted a bill which became the basis for deliberations by the Adelaide Convention, 1897. He was, in January, 1901, knighted in recognition of his services to the Federation movement.

From 15 March, 1901, he sat in the Commonwealth Parliament, House of Representatives for 12 years as the Member for Bendigo, being defeated at general election on 31 May, 1913. In 1922 he was appointed Deputy President of the Federal Arbitration Court, holding this position until retirement on 25 March, 1930.

Quick died on 17 June, 1932.

Books of interest

Quick, John, Sir. (1901). The annotated constitution of the Australian Commonwealth /by John Quick and Robert Randolph Garran. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

Quick, John, Sir. (1919). The Legislative Powers of the Commonwealth and the States of Australia with proposed amendments. Melbourne: Charles F. Maxwell.


A Tribute to His Honor Sir John Quick, Deputy President, Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, 1922-1930 /from the Commonwealth Reporting Branch. [Melbourne: Attorney-General's Department, Reporting Branch,1930]

Sir John Quick's manuscripts are in the Library at MS 439.

 

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