Charles Dashwood

Charles James Dashwood, KC (17 July 1842 – 8 July 1919) was an Australian public servant and judge. He was the longest-serving Government Resident of the Northern Territory, and showed a concern for the rights of Aborigines.

Early life and education Dashwood was born on 17 July 1842 at Dashwood's Gully near Kangarilla, South Australia. His parents were English-born

Political and legal career After studying in Belgium, Dashwood returned to Australia and spent six years working as a farmer.

On 24 February 1892, Dashwood was appointed judge and Government Resident of the Northern Territory. He was the first Australian-born individual to hold this position, and he also became the longest-serving, continuing in office for 13 years.

He later changed his viewpoint somewhat and became concerned for the defence of basic Aboriginal rights. The Northern Territory Times and Gazette praised his approach on more than one occasion, writing of him in 1896 as 'the personification of kindness in his dealing with aborigines'. In 1899, Dashwood proposed a bill to improve employment law for Aborigines, but this bill was rejected by the South Australian government.

After resigning from being Government Resident in January 1905, Dashwood continued to practise law, initially as the Crown Solicitor of South Australia before being appointed a King's Counsel in 1906. He continued in the legal profession until he retired in August 1916.