▁He ▁became ▁ ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Hob art ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁he ▁stood ▁for ▁parliament , ▁being ▁elected ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁member ▁for ▁West ▁Hob art . ▁He ▁became ▁Tre as urer ▁of ▁Tas mania ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁under ▁Premier ▁Ad ye ▁Douglas ▁and ▁James ▁Ag new . ▁ ▁Burg ess , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁recogn ised ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁to ▁the ▁Philip ▁F y sh ▁Ministry , ▁was ▁a ▁captain ▁un att ached ▁in ▁the ▁Tas man ian ▁Def ence ▁Force . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Tas man ian ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁the ▁Federation ▁Convention ▁held ▁at ▁Sydney ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁sto pp age ▁of ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Van ▁D iem en ' s ▁Land , ▁with ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁identified , ▁Burg ess ▁res igned ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁Executive ▁Council ▁and ▁in ▁Parliament ▁and ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁Burg ess ▁cha ired ▁the ▁meeting ▁in ▁La unc eston ▁that ▁created ▁the ▁Tas man ian ▁Liberal ▁League , ▁the ▁state ' s ▁first ▁end uring ▁anti - social ist ▁organisation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Burg ess ▁made ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁Tas man ian ▁politics , ▁winning ▁election ▁to