LETTER, ACKNOWLEDGING SEPTIMUS BURT'S RESIGNATION, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

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Smith, Matthew Skinner

1886

Overview

Letter dated 7 September 1886 from Matthew Skinner Smith, Acting Colonial Secretary, reluctantly accepting - on behalf of the Governor - Burt’s resignation the day before from the role of Acting Attorney-General as well as his seat on the Legislative & Executive Councils. Acknowledging Burt’s reasons that his private affairs did not allow him to continue and that the Secretary of Colonies would be duly advised. Dated 7 September 1886.
Letter handwritten on single sheet of cream paper using official printed stationary from the Western Australian Colonial Secretary's Office, Perth dating from the 1880s (as evident from the printed portion of the date). The paper is folded in half vertically (like a book) and the letter is written on the front page and the inside page to the left of the fold. Smith's signature is on the facing page to the right of the fold.

Historical information

This document is a letter from the Acting Colonial Secretary in Perth acknowledging receipt of Septimus Burt's letter advising of his wish to retire for personal reasons from his position as Acting Attorney General. It dates from six months after he took on the role following the resignation of the previous Attorney General AP Hensman because of a feud with Governor Broome.

Matthew Skinner Smith, Acting Colonial Secretary, Perth 1885-1887
Frederick Napier Broome, Governor of Western Australia, 1883-1890

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-46-1976.57

Item type

Documents

Material

Ink

Paper

Width

205 mm

Height or length

330 mm

Inscriptions and markings

Letter no "71/644"
Colonial Secretary's Office Stationary with Legislative Council of Western Australia coat of Arms in Brown ink.
Signed Matthew Skinner Smith

Contextual information

The letter is complete and in original condition and is associated with a turbulent era in West Australian politics.

The Honourable Septimus Burt KC (1847-1919), son of Sir Archibald Paull Burt, was born in St Kitts Island (formerly known as St Christopher in the West Indies) and came to Western Australia in 1861. S Burt became a prominent lawyer, politician and grazier. His political work was central to the achievement and development of the Western Australian constitution as the first Attorney General after self-government was achieved. The Hon Septimus Burt rejected knighthood and offers to be a Supreme Court Judge.

Keywords

Smith, Matthew Skinner

Broome, Frederick Napier

Burt, Septimus

Attorney General

Executive Council Of Western Australia

Place made

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Year

1886

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance