Horace Tozer

Who was Horace Tozer?

Sir Horace Tozer was an Australian lawyer and politician.

Tozer was son of H. T. N. Tozer, and was born at Port Macquarie, New South Wales, in April 1844. Educated at the Collegiate School, Newcastle, he was admitted to practise as a solicitor at Brisbane in 1866. He settled at Gympie, established a successful practice and was alderman in the town's first council, elected in 1880. In 1888 he was elected to the legislative assembly, and was colonial secretary in the second Griffith ministry from August 1890 to March 1893, held the same position in the McIlwraith-Nelson ministry until October 1893, and was home secretary in the Nelson ministry until March 1898.

In 1895, he brought in a very moderate shops early closing bill which passed the assembly but was rejected by the legislative council. In the following year, however, he succeeded in passing a factories and shops act which, though it did not go very far, was important on account of its being the first Queensland act regulating hours and conditions. In the same year under his direction the public library and the national art gallery were founded at Brisbane. In 1898 he was appointed agent-general for Queensland in London and held the position with ability until 1909, when he retired on account of failing health. He returned to Queensland and died at Brisbane on 20 August 1916. He married, Mary Hoyles Wilson, and Louisa Lord, who died in 1908. He was survived by two sons and two daughters. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1897.