Hamilton Knight
The Honourable Hamilton Knight | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Labour and Industry and Social Welfare | |
| In office 16 May 1941 – 29 October 1947 | |
| Preceded by | George Gollan |
| Succeeded by | Jack Baddeley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 December 1888 Sofala, New South Wales |
| Died | 14 January 1964 (aged 75) Marrickville, New South Wales |
| Political party | Labor Party Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist) |
Hamilton Knight (9 December 1888 – 14 January 1964) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1927 until 1947 . During his parliamentary career he was, at various times, a member of the Labor Party (ALP), the Australian Labor Party (NSW) and the Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist). He was the Minister for Labour and Industry and Social Welfare for 6 years during the premiership of William McKell.
Early and personal life[edit]
Knight was born in Sofala, New South Wales where his father had been a gold prospector. He was educated to elementary level at state schools near Sofala. At age 19 he traveled to New Zealand, where he worked as a coal miner, became a union activist and worked with his uncle, Bob Semple the Minister for Works in the first New Zealand Labour government. Knight returned to the western coal-fields of New South Wales in 1914 and worked as a miner until he was black-listed by the colliery owners because of his labour agitation in 1917. Attempts at working under an assumed name were unsuccessful but, in 1924, he was eventually employed in a state owned colliery in Lithgow, New South Wales. He was an official of the Miners Federation holding the positions of president of the Western New South Wales division and vice-president of the national federation. Knight was elected as an alderman of Lithgow Municipal Council between 1921 and 1928.[1]
State Parliament[edit]
Knight won pre-selection as an ALP candidate for the multi-member seat of Bathurst at the 1925 state election but was placed in the unwinnable third position behind James Dooley and Gus Kelly.[2] When New South Wales reverted to single member electorates at the 1927 election, Knight gained Labor endorsement for the re-created seat of Hartley. He was successful at the general election and held the seat until he resigned in 1947 after being appointed as a Commissioner of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. He was a supporter of Jack Lang and was a member of his breakaway parties; the Australian Labor Party (NSW) in 1932-1936 and the Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist) in 1940. At the 1935 election he easily defeated a challenge from the former Premier James Dooley, who stood as an Anti-Lang Labor candidate.[3]
Government[edit]
With the election of William McKell's Labor government at the 1941 election, Knight was appointed as the Minister for Labour and Industry and Social Welfare . He held this position until his resignation from parliament.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Mr Hamilton Knight (1988-1964)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ Green, Antony. "1925 Bathurst". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Green, Antony. "Elections for Hartley". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 July 2020.