1870286
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Item Type: Person
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- City Auditor [multiple departments]
- Auditor [Independent of Council]
- Public Accountant [Independent of Council]
- Memorandum: James Robertson, Public Accountant and Auditor, reporting that the books of the City Building
- Letter: James Robertson, public accountant, Couller & Robertson Accountants, Wynyard Chambers. This
- Report of the Mayor, John Harris, on the resignation of James Robertson as City Auditor. Appended:
- Letter: James Carroll, Land and General Agent, Wentworth House, Church Hill (late City Auditor). Mr
- Letter: James Robertson, Accountant, presents his final report on the Special Audit of the Books of
- Letter: Messrs Robertson & Miles submitting report of special audit carried out.
- Report of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1899
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Robertson, James
Description
Unique IDPE-000916SurnameRobertsonGiven namesJamesBiographical abstractDates of employment: 1887-1899Biographical noteBiographical details:
Elections and Resignations as City Auditor for1888 and 1889
Nomination for 1888: JAMES ROBERTSON of 1 Wynyard-street: nominated by John H. Goodlet, of 493 George-street, and Ashfield; and W. McMillan, of York-street, and Parramatta. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 30 November 1887 p4];
Election for 1888: The retiring auditors Messrs. George Christie and James Carroll-offered themselves for re-election, and were opposed by Mr. James Robertson. The votes recorded numbered 6429, of which Mr. Christie received 2344; Mr. Robertson, 2188; and Mr. Carroll, 1897. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 2 December 1887 p4]
Challenge on eligibility – employed by Council doing special audit at time of nomination - and resignation [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 14 January 1888 p11]
Nomination for 1889: JAMES ROBERTSON, of Wynyard-street and Parramatta. Nominated by William McMillan, of 90 York-street and Macquarie-street, and John H. Goodlet, of 493 George-street and Canterbury House, Ashfield, and others. [ref: Evening News (Sydney) 30 November 1888 p8]
Letters etc on electoral campaign matters. [ref: Evening News (Sydney) 30 November 1888 p8]
Election for 1889: Mr. Robertson, 7754; Mr. Carroll, 6630; Mr. Christie, 5718; Mr. Walker, 3371 ; informal, 1469. Messrs. Robertson and Carroll were declared to have been elected. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 4 December 1888 p8]
Supreme Court Challenge to his election on basis he was not a ratepayer: Ex Parte George Matthews [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 1889 p4]
Resignation letter [ref: Evening News 28 February 1889 p8]
Letter dated March 2, 1888 by Geo. Matthews [ref: Evening News 7 March 1889 p3]
Details from contemporary sources:
1887 Public Accountant - Report on neglected books in City Building Surveyor’s Department - September [ref: 26/225/2827]
1887 Discovery by Robertson of frauds allegedly by Sapsford between 1879-1886 reported at Special Committee meeting 27 September [ref: SMH 28 September 1887 pp6, 9, 12]
1888 Public Accountant - Special Audit on Metropolitan Cattle Sale Yards - January [ref: 26/226/085]
1888 Mayor's Report on election 1887 for 1888 - resignation - legal challenge by Pigott - January 1888 [ref: 21/17/4 [711]]
1888 Resignation, Meeting 19 January 1888 [ref: Australian Star 19 January]
1888 Letter James Carroll protesting new election caused by disqualification of Robertson as he was employed by Council at time of nomination - January [ref: 26/226/146]
1888 Payment for Special Audit - 13 February [ref: 22/35/13]
1888 Final Report on Special Audit of the books of the City Building Surveyor's Department - April [ref: 26/228/833]
1889 £200 pa - Salaries of Officers for 1889 - 2 @ £200 each [ref: SMH 13 Dec 1888, p7]
1889 Resignation - 27 February 1889 - legal challenge [ref: 26/232/283]
1889 Resignation - February - legal challenge - ineligible - not a ratepayer [ref: Evening News 28 February1889]
1892 Report: poor accounting systems enabling embezzlements - January [ref: 26/255/164]
1892 More checks made - poor systems at Markets - City Building Surveyor books are in order - February [ref: 26/255/242]
1895 Elected for 1895 [ref: The Daily Telegraph 4 December 1894]
1896 Elected for 1896 [ref: The Daily Telegraph 3 December 1895]
1897 ref to his disqualification by Christie - September [ref: 26/293/1472]
1897 Elected for 1897, unopposed, with George Christie [ref: The Australian Star 27 November 1896 p6]
1897 Robertson & Miles submit report of special audit - April [ref: 26/291/699]
1897 Christie refers to Robertson's disqualification - September [ref: 26/293/1472]
1898 Salary Schedule 1898-99 - Finance Committee recommendation - £100 [ref: 22/55/65]
1899 Memo re meeting - February [ref: 26/305/302]
1899 Report on arrears by tenants - July [ref: 26/309/1721]GenderMaleSource system IDTPER-003862
Elections and Resignations as City Auditor for1888 and 1889
Nomination for 1888: JAMES ROBERTSON of 1 Wynyard-street: nominated by John H. Goodlet, of 493 George-street, and Ashfield; and W. McMillan, of York-street, and Parramatta. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 30 November 1887 p4];
Election for 1888: The retiring auditors Messrs. George Christie and James Carroll-offered themselves for re-election, and were opposed by Mr. James Robertson. The votes recorded numbered 6429, of which Mr. Christie received 2344; Mr. Robertson, 2188; and Mr. Carroll, 1897. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 2 December 1887 p4]
Challenge on eligibility – employed by Council doing special audit at time of nomination - and resignation [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 14 January 1888 p11]
Nomination for 1889: JAMES ROBERTSON, of Wynyard-street and Parramatta. Nominated by William McMillan, of 90 York-street and Macquarie-street, and John H. Goodlet, of 493 George-street and Canterbury House, Ashfield, and others. [ref: Evening News (Sydney) 30 November 1888 p8]
Letters etc on electoral campaign matters. [ref: Evening News (Sydney) 30 November 1888 p8]
Election for 1889: Mr. Robertson, 7754; Mr. Carroll, 6630; Mr. Christie, 5718; Mr. Walker, 3371 ; informal, 1469. Messrs. Robertson and Carroll were declared to have been elected. [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 4 December 1888 p8]
Supreme Court Challenge to his election on basis he was not a ratepayer: Ex Parte George Matthews [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 1889 p4]
Resignation letter [ref: Evening News 28 February 1889 p8]
Letter dated March 2, 1888 by Geo. Matthews [ref: Evening News 7 March 1889 p3]
Details from contemporary sources:
1887 Public Accountant - Report on neglected books in City Building Surveyor’s Department - September [ref: 26/225/2827]
1887 Discovery by Robertson of frauds allegedly by Sapsford between 1879-1886 reported at Special Committee meeting 27 September [ref: SMH 28 September 1887 pp6, 9, 12]
1888 Public Accountant - Special Audit on Metropolitan Cattle Sale Yards - January [ref: 26/226/085]
1888 Mayor's Report on election 1887 for 1888 - resignation - legal challenge by Pigott - January 1888 [ref: 21/17/4 [711]]
1888 Resignation, Meeting 19 January 1888 [ref: Australian Star 19 January]
1888 Letter James Carroll protesting new election caused by disqualification of Robertson as he was employed by Council at time of nomination - January [ref: 26/226/146]
1888 Payment for Special Audit - 13 February [ref: 22/35/13]
1888 Final Report on Special Audit of the books of the City Building Surveyor's Department - April [ref: 26/228/833]
1889 £200 pa - Salaries of Officers for 1889 - 2 @ £200 each [ref: SMH 13 Dec 1888, p7]
1889 Resignation - 27 February 1889 - legal challenge [ref: 26/232/283]
1889 Resignation - February - legal challenge - ineligible - not a ratepayer [ref: Evening News 28 February1889]
1892 Report: poor accounting systems enabling embezzlements - January [ref: 26/255/164]
1892 More checks made - poor systems at Markets - City Building Surveyor books are in order - February [ref: 26/255/242]
1895 Elected for 1895 [ref: The Daily Telegraph 4 December 1894]
1896 Elected for 1896 [ref: The Daily Telegraph 3 December 1895]
1897 ref to his disqualification by Christie - September [ref: 26/293/1472]
1897 Elected for 1897, unopposed, with George Christie [ref: The Australian Star 27 November 1896 p6]
1897 Robertson & Miles submit report of special audit - April [ref: 26/291/699]
1897 Christie refers to Robertson's disqualification - September [ref: 26/293/1472]
1898 Salary Schedule 1898-99 - Finance Committee recommendation - £100 [ref: 22/55/65]
1899 Memo re meeting - February [ref: 26/305/302]
1899 Report on arrears by tenants - July [ref: 26/309/1721]GenderMaleSource system IDTPER-003862
Relationships
CollectionPeople and PositionsOrganisationSydney City CouncilPositionCity Auditor [multiple departments]Auditor [Independent of Council]Public Accountant [Independent of Council]Related itemsMemorandum: James Robertson, Public Accountant and Auditor, reporting that the books of the City Building Letter: James Robertson, public accountant, Couller & Robertson Accountants, Wynyard Chambers. This Report of the Mayor, John Harris, on the resignation of James Robertson as City Auditor. Appended: Letter: James Carroll, Land and General Agent, Wentworth House, Church Hill (late City Auditor). Mr Letter: James Robertson, Accountant, presents his final report on the Special Audit of the Books of Letter: Messrs Robertson & Miles submitting report of special audit carried out.Report of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1899
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Robertson, James [PE-000916]. City of Sydney Archives, accessed 28 May 2025, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1870286