McCOLL, JAMES HIERS (1844-1929), politician,

son of Hugh McColl (q.v.), was born at South Shields, England, in 1844. He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, and afterwards became a mechanical engineer. He gave this up to become a member of the firm of McColl and Rankin, legal managers. In 1886 he was elected a member of the Victorian legislative assembly for his father's old constituency, Mandurang, and in 1889 became member for Gunbower. He was minister of mines and of water supply in the Patterson (q.v.) ministry from January 1893 to September 1894, and commissioner of crown lands in the McLean (q.v.) ministry from December 1899 to November 1900. In March 1901 he was elected to the federal house of representatives for Echuca, and in 1906 resigned his seat to contest the senate, to which he was elected second on the poll. He was vice-president of the executive council in the Cook ministry from June 1913 to September 1914. At the senate election held in 1914 he was defeated after an unbroken career of 28 years in parliament and retired from politics. He purchased an irrigated property at Gunbower, lived there for some years, and then spent his last days in retirement at Melbourne. He died on 20 February 1929. He was twice married (1) to Emily, daughter of D. Boyle, and (2) to Sadie, daughter of W. K. Thomas who survived him with his two sons and three daughters.

McColl was a fluent speaker and a good debater. He was an authority on land and mining questions, and following in his father's footsteps was a strong advocate for irrigation and closer settlement. He took pride in the fact that as minister for lands he had purchased the first Victorian estates to be divided for closer settlement.