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Eldest son of James McColl,
was born at Glasgow on 22 January 1819. In 1836 he went to North Shields,
Northumberland, and in 1840 opened a business as bookseller and printer at
South Shields. He was appointed secretary of the Tyne conservancy
committee, which probably led to his interest in the conservation of
water, and in 1852 left for Australia, arriving in January 1853. From 1856
he resided mostly at Bendigo where he had a business as a printer and
newspaper proprietor. In 1865 he became secretary of the Coliban water
supply committee until it was taken over by the government. For many years
he was a commercial traveller, and on his way through the country in dry
seasons became convinced of the value of irrigation. In 1874 he became
associated with Benjamin Hawkins Dods (1834-1896), civil engineer, and the
North-western Canal Company was projected with a capital of £1,500,000.
Government after government was approached, but for one reason or another
the promoters were put off. In April 1877 permission for a survey was
given and this was carried out in 1878. It showed that so far as the
configuration of the country was concerned the scheme was practicable, but
it was another matter to raise the large capital required, and in this the
promoters were not successful. In 1880 McColl was elected a member of the
legislative assembly for Mandurang, and for the next five years in season
and out of season continued to bring the water question before parliament.
He was often derided, but eventually succeeded in impressing the Service
(q.v.)-Berry (q.v.) ministry with his views, and in 1884 a royal
commission was appointed with Alfred Deakin (q.v.) as chairman. Part of
the inquiry was that the commission should endeavour to ascertain "whether
provision can be made for the conservation and distribution of water for
the use of the people". Deakin went to America, Europe and Asia to make
inquiries, but, before the report was completed McColl died on 2 April
1885. He had done a great piece of work for his country. He was married
twice (1) to Jane, daughter of Joshua Hiers, and (2) to Mary, daughter of
Adam Guthrie, who survived him with his eight children. |
