The Farnell ministry was the eighteenth ministry of the Colony of New South Wales, and was led by the Premier, the Honourable James Farnell. Farnell was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1860.
There was no party system in New South Wales politics until 1887. Under the constitution, ministers were required to resign to recontest their seats in a by-election when appointed. These by-elections are only noted when the minister was defeated; in general, he was elected unopposed.
This ministry covers the period from 18 December 1877 until 20 December 1878, when Farnell resigned following his inablity to gain safe passage of a land bill through Parliament. Henry Parkes succeeded Farnell as Premier.[1][2][3]
| Portfolio | Minister | Term commence | Term end | Term of office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Secretary for Lands |
Hon. James Farnell MLA | 18 December 1877 | 20 December 1878 | 367 days |
| Colonial Secretary | Hon. Michael Fitzpatrick MLA | |||
| Colonial Treasurer | Hon. Henry Cohen MLA | |||
| Minister for Justice and Public Instruction | Hon. Joseph Leary MLA | |||
| Secretary for Public Works | Hon. John Sutherland MLA | |||
| Attorney-General | Hon. William Foster MLA | |||
| Secretary for Mines | Hon. William Suttor, Jnr. MLA | |||
| Postmaster-General | Hon. John Burns MLA | |||
| Vice-President of the Executive Council Representative of the Government in Legislative Council |
Hon. John Marks MLC |
| Preceded by Robertson ministry (1877) |
Farnell ministry 1877-1878 |
Succeeded by Parkes ministry (1878-1883) |
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