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Hugh Roberton

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Hugh Roberton
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Riverina
In office
10 December 1949 – 21 January 1965
Preceded byJoe Langtry
Succeeded byBill Armstrong
Personal details
Born(1900-12-18)18 December 1900
Glasgow, Scotland
Died13 March 1987(1987-03-13) (aged 86)
NationalityScottish Australian
Political partyAustralian Country Party
Spouse(s)Second wife, Eileen. His first wife, Marjorie, predeceased him.
ChildrenA daughter, Janet
Alma materGlasgow University
OccupationFarmer, writer

Hugh Stevenson Roberton (18 December 1900 – 13 March 1987) was an Australian politician.

Roberton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of Sir Hugh S. Roberton, a Scottish composer and founder of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. He was educated at the West of Scotland Agricultural College and Glasgow University and emigrated to Australia in the 1920s. He became a farmer and grazier at Old Junee and a writer on political and economic subjects, particularly in the rural newspaper the Land under the name, "Peter Snodgrass". During World War II he served as a gunner in the Middle East.[1][2]

Roberton stood for the Country Party at the 1949 election for the House of Representatives seat of Riverina and defeated the Labor member, Joe Langtry. He was a proponent of government intervention to stabilise the price paid to wheat-growers. In February 1956, he was appointed Minister for Social Services in the seventh Menzies Ministry, a position he held until his resignation from parliament in 1965. He was then appointed Australia's first ambassador to Ireland until 1968.

Roberton was survived by his wife, Eileen, and a daughter.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Hawke, Bob (17 March 1987). "Death of the Hon. Hugh Stevenson Roberton". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Sinclair, Ian (17 March 1987). "Death of the Hon. Hugh Stevenson Roberton". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Social Services
1956–1965
Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Riverina
1949–1965
Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
R.H. Gilman
Australian Ambassador to Ireland
1965–1967
Succeeded by
K.I. Gates
as Chargé d'affaires