He founded the Daily Mail in Brisbane in 1904, and in spite of his advancing years carried it through its early difficulties as editor and managing director.

In 1874, and again in 1876, he brought in bills in an attempt to establish an eight-hour work day in Queensland, but he was in advance of his times and did not succeed in steering them past the committee stage.

Having been returned to the assembly again, in January 1879 he became postmaster-general in McIlwraith's first ministry, and was responsible for the drafting of the divisional boards measure which was the foundation of later Queensland local government acts.

He was an active minister, and during his two years of office he united the previously separate post and telegraph departments, and succeeded in having tenders called for a Torres Straits service between Brisbane and London.

[4] A number of street names in the Brisbane suburb of Carina Heights are identical to the surnames of former Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.