Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1925–1927

Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1925 to 1927 were appointed for life by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. This list includes members between the 1925 state election on 30 May 1925 and the 1927 state election on 8 October 1927.[1] The President was Fred Flowers.[6] The Labor platform included the abolition of the Legislative Council. At the opening of the new parliament on 24 June 1925 there were 75 members of the council, with just 23 Labor members and Premier Jack Lang had been seeking to appoint 25 new members, however the Governor Sir Dudley de Chair had declined to do so in September 1925. In December the Governor agreed to make the appointments in circumstances that are disputed. De Chair understood there was an agreement that the appointments would not be used to abolish the Legislative Council, while Lang said he gave no such undertaking.[7][3] All 25 appointees took the pledge to implement the Labor platform, "including the abolition of the Legislative Council",[8] similar to that signed by other Labor members.[9]

In January 1926 Albert Willis, the Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council sought leave to introduce the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) that would abolish the Legislative Council, which was granted 45 votes to 43.[10] Parliament was prorogued to gain a tactical advantage by cancelling pair agreements while 3 opponents of abolition were out of the country, which caused the bill to lapse.[8] Willis sought leave to resume debate on the bill however this was defeated by 47 votes to 41.[11] Two Labor members had voted against the bill, Frank Bryant and John Percival. A further six Labor members were absent from the chamber, Carl Akhurst, Percy Hordern, William Kelly, James Lyons, Thomas Murray and Duncan Smith. Hordern had leave as he was seriously ill and died on 1 April 1926. Bryant and Percival immediately resigned from the Labor party however on 5 March 1926 the party executive refused to accept their resignations and expelled them instead. The five members who had been absent without cause were required to justify why they should not be expelled,[4] and the party conference held on 10 April 1926 voted to expel them.[5] 4 non Labor members were also absent, Alexander Brown was seriously ill and died on 28 March 1926, John Wetherspoon's wife died the previous day, while Sir Owen Cox and Norman Kater were out of the country.[12]

Name Party Years in office
William Ainsworth[k]   Labor 1925–1934
Carl Akhurst[j][n]   Labor / Independent 1925–1934
Alexander Alam[j]   Labor 1925–1958, 1963–1973
George Archer[j] 1925–1949
James Ashton   Nationalist 1907–1934
George Black 1917–1934
Reginald Black 1900–1928
Francis Boyce 1923–1932
Sir Henry Braddon 1917–1940
William Brennan[j]   Labor 1925–1934
Charles Bridges[j] 1925–1937, 1940–1943
William Brooks   Nationalist 1917–1934
Alexander Brown[o] 1892–1926
Joseph Browne   Independent 1912–1932
Frank Bryant[m]   Labor / Nationalist 1912–1934
Nicholas Buzacott   Nationalist 1899–1933
William Carey[j]   Labor 1925–1928
Sir Joseph Carruthers   Nationalist 1908–1932
Joseph Coates   Labor 1921–1943
James Concannon[j] 1925–1958
Michael Connington[s] 1917–1930
Lawrence Cotter[j]   Independent 1925–1934
Sir Owen Cox   Nationalist 1922–1930
John Creed 1885–1930
Robert Cruickshank   Labor 1921–1928
John Culbert[j] 1925–1943
George Dewar 1921–1934
William Dick   Nationalist 1907–1932
William Dickson[l]   Labor 1925–1934, 1940–1966
Jeffrey Dodd[i]   Nationalist 1917–1925
Henry Doyle   Independent 1912–1929
Thomas Doyle[j]   Labor 1925–1934
George Earp   Nationalist 1900–1933
John Estell   Labor 1899–1901; 1922–1928
John Farleigh   Nationalist 1908–1934
Ernest Farrar 1912–1952
Robert Fitzgerald 1901–1933
Fred Flowers   Independent Labor 1900–1928
Edward Grayndler   Labor 1921–1934, 1936–1943
John Hepher 1899–1932
Simon Hickey[j] 1925–1934
John Higgins 1921–1936
James Hoad[j] 1925–1931
Thomas Holden[t]   Independent Labor 1912–1934
Percy Hordern[p]   Labor 1921–1926
Henry Horne   Nationalist 1917–1955
Sir Thomas Hughes 1908–1930
Alfred Hunt   Progressive 1916–1930
Sydney Innes-Noad   Nationalist 1917–1931
Norman Kater   Progressive 1923–1955
Edward Kavanagh   Labor 1912–1934
John Keegan[j] 1925–1934
William Kelly[j][n]   Labor / Independent 1925–1932
John Lane Mullins   Nationalist 1917–1934
William Latimer 1920–1934
James Lyons[j][n]   Labor / Independent 1925–1934
James Macarthur-Onslow   Nationalist 1922–1934
Kenneth Mackay 1899–1934
Charles Mackellar[d] 1885–1903, 1903–1925
Edward Magrath[e]   Labor 1925–1943
Robert Mahony 1921–1961
James Malone[j][u]   Independent 1925–1934
George McDonald 1921–1930
Patrick McGirr   Labor 1921–1955
Hugh McIntosh   Nationalist 1917–1932
Sir Alfred Meeks 1900–1932
James Minahan[j]   Labor 1925–1934
Sir James Murdoch   Nationalist 1923–1934
Thomas Murray[n]   Labor / Independent 1921–1958
John Nash[a]   Nationalist 1900–1925
Charles Oakes[b] 1925–1928
Broughton O'Conor 1908–1940
John O'Regan   Labor 1921–1940
John Peden   Nationalist 1917–1946
John Percival[m]   Labor / Independent 1921–1934
Robert Pillans[j]   Labor 1925–1934
Charles Roberts[f]   Nationalist 1890–1925
William Robson 1920–1951
James Ryan 1917–1940
Mick Ryan[j]   Labor 1925–1943
Thomas Shakespeare   Nationalist 1923–1934
Andrew Sinclair 1912–1934
Duncan Smith[j][n]   Labor / Independent 1925–1934
Sir Joynton Smith   Independent 1912–1934
Tom Smith   Labor 1921–1934
Frank Spicer[j] 1925–1973
Robert Sproule 1920–1934
Thomas Storey 1921–1934
John Suttor 1921–1934
Sir Allen Taylor   Nationalist 1912–1940
John Travers[v]   Independent 1908–1934
Arthur Trethowan   Progressive 1916–1937
Thomas Tyrrell[g]   Labor 1925–1942
George Varley   Nationalist 1917–1934
Thomas Waddell 1917–1934
Frank Wall 1917–1941
Winter Warden 1917–1934
John Wetherspoon 1908–1928
James White[q] 1908–1927
Albert Willis[b]   Labor 1925–1933
James Wilson[h] 1899–1925
John Wise   Nationalist 1917–1934
Edwin Wrench[j]   Labor 1925–1934
Arthur Yager[j] 1925–1934

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b John Nash died on 4 June 1925.
  2. ^ a b c Charles Oakes was appointed on 26 May 1925 and took his seat on 24 June 1925.
  3. ^ Albert Willis was appointed on 17 June 1925 and took his seat on 24 June 1925.
  4. ^ a b The seat of Charles Mackellar was declared vacant due to absence on 24 June 1925.[2]
  5. ^ a b Edward Magrath was appointed on 12 August 1925.
  6. ^ a b Charles Roberts died on 14 August 1925.
  7. ^ a b Thomas Tyrrell was appointed on 26 August 1925.
  8. ^ a b James Wilson died on 24 September 1925.
  9. ^ a b Jeffrey Dodd died on 16 October 1925.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x 25 members were appointed on 21 December 1925 with 23 taking their seats the same day.[3]
  11. ^ a b William Ainsworth was appointed on 21 December 1925,[3] and took his seat on 22 December 1925.
  12. ^ a b William Dickson was appointed on 21 December 1925,[3] and took his seat on 23 December 1925.
  13. ^ a b c Frank Bryant and John Percival voted against the bill to abolish the Legislative Council and were expelled from the Labor party on 6 March 1926.[4]
  14. ^ a b c d e f Carl Akhurst, William Kelly, James Lyons, Thomas Murray and Duncan Smith were absent when the bill to abolish the Legislative Council was voted on and were expelled from the Labor party on 10 April 1926.[5]
  15. ^ a b Alexander Brown died on 28 March 1926.
  16. ^ a b Percy Hordern died on 1 April 1926.
  17. ^ a b James White died on 18 January 1927.
  18. ^ The changes to the composition of the council, in chronological order, were: Nash died,[a] Oakes appointed,[b] Willis appointed,[c] Mackellar vacant,[d] Magrath appointed,[e] Roberts died,[f] Tyrrell appointed,[g] Wilson died,[h] Dodd died,[i] 23 appointed,[j] Ainsworth appointed,[k] Dickson appointed,[l] 2 expelled,[m] 5 expelled,[n] Brown died,[o] Hordern died,[p] White died,[q]
  19. ^ There is some doubt about the party membership of Michael Connington and James Wilson as The Australian Worker does not include them in the 4 Labor members in the council in September 1921.[13] If Connington had left Labor, he had re-joined by 1926 as he voted to abolish the council,[11] despite personally opposing it.[14]
  20. ^ Thomas Holden had been appointed by the McGowen Labor government but was not recognised as a Labor member as he had voted against government proposals,[15] and voted against abolition of the council.[11]
  21. ^ James Malone voted for the abolition of the council.[11]
  22. ^ John Travers was a Labor member in January 1913,[15] however he resigned from the party some time prior to 1921.[9][13][16]

References

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  1. ^ "Part 3 Members of the Legislative Council" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Seat vacated" (pdf). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Council. 24 June 1925. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b c d "Summoned to the Legislative Council (169)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 21 December 1925. p. 5707. Retrieved 8 August 2021 – via Trove.
  4. ^ a b "Upper house abolition: two former Labor members expelled by executive". Barrier Miner. 6 March 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 8 August 2021 – via Trove.
  5. ^ a b "Expelled from Labor ranks". The Daily Telegraph. 12 April 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 8 August 2021 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "Part 10 Officers of the Parliament" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 November 2020.[r]
  7. ^ Cunneen, Chris (1981). "de Chair, Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford (1864–1958)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b Twomey, Anne (2009). Clune, David & Turner, Ken (eds.). The Governors of New South Wales: 1788–2010. Sydney: Federation Press. p. 465. ISBN 9781862877436.
  9. ^ a b "Playing with fire". The Daily Telegraph. 19 January 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via Trove.
  10. ^ "Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No. 2)" (pdf). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Council. 20 January 1926. pp. 4174–4200. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d "Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No. 2)" (pdf). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Council. 23 February 1926. pp. 319–321. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Defeated: council abolition bill". Glen Innes Examiner. 25 February 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2021 – via Trove.
  13. ^ a b "Mr F. H. Bryant, M.L.C." The Australian Worker. 1 September 1921. p. 12. Retrieved 8 August 2021 – via Trove.
  14. ^ "Second chamber: retention urged, Labour member's plea". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 April 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via Trove.
  15. ^ a b "The Labor conference". Singleton Argus. 30 January 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via Trove.
  16. ^ "Mr. Travers' reply". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 January 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via Trove.