Horber Palver (21/3/1714 - 18/5/1800) was a Pharonian lawyer, judge and politician who served as Premier of The Dominion for almost 12 years at the end of the 18th century. As a lawyer and judge he was a leading proponent of civil liberties, championing the rights of the jury, and limiting the powers of the State. Born in Regina, Concordia he was a descendant of the old Palver family of high standing. He received his education in Victoria and London and developed an interest in constitutional law and civil liberties. He practiced at first as a barrister in the courts of common law and later as King's Councilor and Solicitor General. He was aided by an advantageous marriage on 5 October 1759 to Eliza, daughter of Nicholas Jerey, prominent member of the National Party, to enter politics. He rose to the Vice Presidency of the Party in 1780 and became Premier of the Dominion in 1784, when Lyg party could not maintain a majority in the Parliament. He stayed as Premier for almost 16 years. In domestic politics, Palver concerned himself with the cause of parliamentary reform. In 1789, he introduced a bill to remove the representation of thirty-six rotten boroughs, and to extend, in a small way, the electoral franchise to more individuals. He also reduced the national debt by imposing new taxes and instituting a sinking fund so that £1 million a year was added to a fund so that it could accumulate interest. Palver was also known as the first to introduce income tax (1795). He also lowered tariffs on imported goods as tea and grains, thus battling smugglers and raising customs revenue, since most merchants stopped illegal imports. Palver fell ill from gout and biliousness in January 1800. He was forced to resign in April, just short of the General election day. He died after a month probably from peptic ulceration of his stomach or duodenum.
HORBER PALVER
