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THE FATHER OF THE LEGISLA
TIVE ASSEMBLY.
Tho Father of the present Legislative
Assembly is Mr. Thomas Bent, who goes
hack to 1871, when he won against Mr.
George Higinbotbam. Mr. Bent's mem
bership has not been .continuous, for
there was a break a few years ago, when
Mr. Moulc beat hint baSly. At the time
it looked as if Brighton's old representa
tive had been permanently displaced,
but the eclipse only, proved temporary,
and at the next election the constituency
repented. If the list of members who
sat in the eighth Parliament of 1874 is
looked at, it will be found that five mem
bers of the present House had seats in
it, viz., Messrs. Bent, K. H. Cameron,
Duffy, Hunt, and Levicn. In 1877. tho
list is increased by the appearance of j
Mr. Graves. The tenth Parliament i
(elected in 1879) was much the sanie as
regards veterans, but in 1880 Messrs.
Laugdon, Shiels, and J. Harris appear j
on tlio scene. In 1883 (twelfth Parlia
ment) Mr. A. Harris appears on the list,
and 1880 Messrs. Bailes, Brown, Forrest,
Graham and Murray make their appear
ance. Tlio list of present-day members
lengthens in 1889, and it contains the
familiar names of Messrs. Bcaziey, Ben
nett, Craven, Ivirton, Malonoy, Meth
ven, Peacock, Sterry, Smith, Taverner,
and AVebb. The election which brought
tho fifteenth Parliament (1892) iiito cx
istouco was responsible for the appear
ance on the Parliamentary stage of
Messrs. Bromley, Thomson and "Wilkin?.
The sixteenth Parliament (1894) was en
riched by the acquisition of Messrs.
Bowser, Chirnside, Downward, Duffus,
Duggan, Fink, Groso, W. A. Hamilton,
Irvine, Kerr, Madden, M'.Gregor, Pron
dergast, Sahgster, and Williams. .
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