THE SECOND PARLIAMENT: 22nd July, 1863-29th May, 1867.
In 1863 the second Parliament passed twenty-seven Acts, among them one empowering the Government to construct a railway from Ipswich to Toowoomba, "and such other lines as may hereafter be specified," and providing generally for the management of railways. The Inquests on Fires Act, the Liens on Crops Act, the Trading Companies Act, the Queensland Bank Act, the Civil Service Act--providing liberal allowances for retiring public officers--Police, Publicans, and Quarantine Acts, and other measures, made this a very fertile session. In 1864 no less than thirty Acts became law, including the Gold Export Duty Act, imposing a duty of 1s. 6d. per ounce on the precious metal. The Immigration Act of 1864, providing for the issue of land-order warrants by the Agent-General, instead of land orders, and generally restricting the traffic in these instruments, was passed. The Marriage Laws Act, the Military Contribution Act, appropriating £3,640 towards the cost of Her Majesty's troops in the colony, the Volunteer Corps Act, the Small Debts Act, the Roads Closing Act, the Bank of New South Wales Act, and the Brisbane Gas Company Act, with several others, became law. The publication of "Hansard" was begun in this year.
Twenty-two Acts were passed in 1865, among them one for the Prevention of the Careless Use of Fire, a Selectors Relief Act, the Industrial and Reformatory Schools Act, and eight measures amending the Criminal law. In 1866 twenty-six measures were passed, including the Friendly Societies Enabling Act, the Inquests of Deaths Act, abolishing coroners' juries and providing for magisterial inquiries at a cost of two guineas each as a fee to the presiding justice. The Standard Weight for Agricultural Produce Act and an Act declaring Port Albany, Cape York, a free port also became law, as well as a number of legal statutes.
THE THIRD PARLIAMENT: 6th August, 1867-27th August, 1868.
The third Parliament commenced its career in 1867 with a list of forty-eight Acts. The Constitution Act of 1867 and the Legislative Assembly Act of the same year laid the foundation of the Queensland Legislature, while the basis of our judiciary is the Supreme Court Act, the District Court Act, the Small Debts Act, and the Jury Act, all passed in the same session. Other important measures which were passed were Probate Act, Succession Act, Statute of Frauds and Limitations, Equity Act, Trustees and Incapacitated Persons Act, and the Polynesian Labourers Act, the latter the first of a long series of statutes legalising and regulating Polynesian labour. Most of the others were amendments of Acts passed in previous sessions. In August, 1868, the Parliament was prematurely dissolved.