John Henniker Heaton (1848-1914) worked as a jackaroo upon his arrival in New South Wales in 1864, but soon turned to journalism, writing for the Cumberland Mercury, Goulburn Penny Post and the Sydney based weekly the Town and Country Journal. In 1879 he published the Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time, sections of which were censored by the government printer. He resettled in London in 1884, and became an MP, dubbed 'the Member for Australia' by the English press in sneering reference to his membership of the Colonial Party. Although he supported colonial independence, his grand plan was to 'stick the Empire together with a penny stamp', and he began a long campaign for cheaper postal and telegraphic charges. In 1898 imperial penny postage became the rule for all parts of the Empire, except Australia; the first penny letter from Britain to Australia was posted in 1905, and Australia reciprocated in 1911. In 1885 Heaton had represented Tasmania at the International Telegraphic Conference in Berlin, and he continued to press for cheaper rates and an end to the monopolies of the major telegraph companies. At his insistence, the cost of international telegrams was brought within reach of the ordinary person, and accordingly Australian newspapers were able to provide a fuller coverage of international news. Heaton also found time to lecture on Australian Aboriginals to the Royal Society of Literature, and acquire Australiana, including the Endeavour journals of Sir Joseph Banks. He declined a knighthood four times, but was made a baronet in 1912.
