88 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



mysterious secret conferences, all seemed to indicate some pending 

 movement. Stories of Ministerial dissensions began to be told. 

 Messrs. Ireland, J. S. Johnston and E. S. Anderson retired from 

 office, preparatory to joining the enemy, and on the 14th of Nov- 

 ember the Heales Ministry succumbed to an adverse vote on Mr. 

 Verdon's Budget proposals. Once more the intervention of the 

 Governor became necessary, and he had the honour of receiving 

 the seventh Ministry of his administration. The team, if not a 

 particularly strong one, could at least claim experience, for all 

 of them had held office before. Mr. O'Shanassy took command 

 as Chief Secretary, with Mr. Haines as Treasurer, Mr. Duffy again 

 in the Lands office, Mr. Anderson at the Customs, and Messrs. 

 E. D. Ireland and J. D. Wood as the Law Officers. 



This combination managed to hold office for nineteen months, 

 and enabled Mr. Duffy to work out his perfected ideas on the land 

 question. It was a matter of some surprise, after the very strained 

 relations that had long existed between this gentleman and his 

 political sponsor, that he should have again taken office under 

 O'Shanassy; but the Eoman Catholic body had been greatly ex- 

 ercised over the rupture, and a reconciliation was finally brought 

 about by the good offices of Dr. Quinn, Eoman Catholic Bishop 

 of Brisbane, who visited Melbourne for the purpose, and with 

 much tact patched up a workable alliance. 



The new Cabinet was highly thought of by the Minister of 

 Lands, for in his autobiography he says: "For the first time 

 since the Constitution was proclaimed, the colony possessed an 

 Administration strong in capacity, experience and influence, and 

 above all in the robust will before which difficulties disappear ". 

 But its career hardly justified this smug reflection. The daily 

 press, as usual, took opposite sides. It was praised and encouraged 

 by the Argus, and contemptuously reviled by the Age. Its efforts 

 were mainly concentrated on the settlement of the land question, 

 and the Duffy Land Act of 1862 was the magnum opus of its 

 existence. There appears to have been a prevalent belief that any 

 man could make a farmer, and that if he was provided with cheap 

 land he must score a success. Mr. Duffy, advancing reasons in 

 addition to those based on philanthropy, expressed his opinion that 



