Edward Heitmann
Encyclopedia
Edward Ernest Heitmann Australia
n politician
, was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 1904 to 1917, then a member of the Australian House of Representatives
until 1919.
Edward Heitmann was born in California Gully
, Bendigo
, Victoria
on 3 June 1878. The son of carpenter
and blacksmith
Herman Heitmann and Katherine née Roberts, he was educated locally. He became a miner
at an early age, eventually graduating to shaftsman before qualifying as a mine engine driver. In 1895 he moved to Western Australia
but by the following year he had returned to Victoria, where took courses at the Bendigo School of Mines
. On 29 June 1896 he married Emma Jane Johns; they would have a son and two daughters before her death in 1905. In 1909 he married Ada Maude Cooke, with whom he would have two sons and a daughter.
In 1899, Heitmann returned to Western Australia to work on the Murchison
goldfield
s. He became increasingly involved in the Labor movement, becoming president of the Day Dawn
Engine Drivers' Association, and organising secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
. On 24 June 1904 he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Cue
on a Labor ticket. He held the seat until 4 November 1913, resigning it to contest the seat of Geraldton
in a by-election
. Although he did not win the seat of Geraldton on this occasion, he had only eleven months to wait before winning the seat in the general election
of 21 October 1914.
During his time as Member for Geraldton, Heitman was a member of the Western Australian Health Commission inquiring into Miners Phthisis, and he contributed to the establishment of a tuberculosis
sanitorium at Wooroloo
. Until 1917 he was one of the Scaddan
government
's main backbench critics, especially with regards to the 1916 Nevanas affair
. In January 1917, he and Rufus Underwood attended a conference in Melbourne
which aimed to merge Billy Hughes
' National Labor Party
with Joseph Cook
's liberals. On 20 March, he resigned his Legislative Assembly seat in order to contest an Australian House of Representatives
seat as a Nationalist
. Shortly afterwards, the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party
followed its federal counterpart's lead in expelling its pro-conscription
members, including Heitmann.
In 5 May 1917, Heitmann was elected to the Australian House of Representatives seat of Kalgoorlie
. During the next two years he was in charge of transport arrangements for the demobilisation of the Australian Imperial Force
. He was defeated in the federal election of 13 December 1919, and thereafter spent some time in Adelaide working in advertising
. By 1921 he was farming at Laanecoorie, Victoria
, and the following year contested the Victorian seat of Eaglehawk
without success. In 1927 he returned to Bendigo, spending eighteen months as organisation secretary for the Advance Bendigo and the North League. In later life he suffered often from poor health, spending some time in the military hospital at Caulfield
. He died at Bendigo on 30 January 1934, and was buried at Bendigo Cemetery. One of his nephews, Jack Heitmann, also became a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
from 1904 to 1917, then a member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
until 1919.
Edward Heitmann was born in California Gully
California Gully, Victoria
California Gully is a suburb of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The suburb is located north west of the Bendigo city centre along Eaglehawk Rd. At the 2006 census, California Gully had a population of 3,844....
, Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
on 3 June 1878. The son of carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
Herman Heitmann and Katherine née Roberts, he was educated locally. He became a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
at an early age, eventually graduating to shaftsman before qualifying as a mine engine driver. In 1895 he moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
but by the following year he had returned to Victoria, where took courses at the Bendigo School of Mines
Bendigo School of Mines
Bendigo School of Mines is located in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia and was established in 1873.-Notable past students:* John Scaddan, c.1889-1895, later Premier of Western Australia* Edward Heitmann c.1896, later Australian M.P....
. On 29 June 1896 he married Emma Jane Johns; they would have a son and two daughters before her death in 1905. In 1909 he married Ada Maude Cooke, with whom he would have two sons and a daughter.
In 1899, Heitmann returned to Western Australia to work on the Murchison
Murchison River (Western Australia)
The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. It flows for about from the southern edge of the Robinson Ranges to the Indian Ocean at Kalbarri. It has a mean annual flow of about 200 million cubic metres.-Course:...
goldfield
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
s. He became increasingly involved in the Labor movement, becoming president of the Day Dawn
Day Dawn, Western Australia
Day Dawn was a significant mining town and mine in the Mid West/upper Murchison region of Western Australia just south of Cue in the late nineteenth century...
Engine Drivers' Association, and organising secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
Australian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
. On 24 June 1904 he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Cue
Electoral district of Cue
Cue was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1901 to 1930.The district was located in the Western Australian outback. It was held by the Labor Party for all but the first term of its existence....
on a Labor ticket. He held the seat until 4 November 1913, resigning it to contest the seat of Geraldton
Electoral district of Geraldton
Geraldton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.Geraldton was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election...
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. Although he did not win the seat of Geraldton on this occasion, he had only eleven months to wait before winning the seat in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
of 21 October 1914.
During his time as Member for Geraldton, Heitman was a member of the Western Australian Health Commission inquiring into Miners Phthisis, and he contributed to the establishment of a tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
sanitorium at Wooroloo
Wooroloo, Western Australia
Wooroloo is a town on the outer fringe of the Perth metropolitan area, located off Great Eastern Highway in the eastern part of the Shire of Mundaring. At the 2006 census, Wooroloo had a population of 254.-History:...
. Until 1917 he was one of the Scaddan
John Scaddan
John Scaddan, CMG , popularly known as "Happy Jack", was Premier of Western Australia from 7 October 1911 until 27 July 1916.- Biography :...
government
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
's main backbench critics, especially with regards to the 1916 Nevanas affair
Nevanas affair
The Nevanas affair was a political scandal in Western Australia that was partly responsible for the downfall of John Scaddan's Labor government....
. In January 1917, he and Rufus Underwood attended a conference in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
which aimed to merge Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
' National Labor Party
National Labor Party
The National Labor Party was the name used by the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for himself and his followers after he was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916 over his pro-conscription stance in relation to World War I...
with Joseph Cook
Joseph Cook
Sir Joseph Cook, GCMG was an Australian politician and the sixth Prime Minister of Australia. Born as Joseph Cooke and working in the coal mines of Silverdale, Staffordshire during his early life, he emigrated to Lithgow, New South Wales during the late 1880s, and became General-Secretary of the...
's liberals. On 20 March, he resigned his Legislative Assembly seat in order to contest an Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat as a Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. Shortly afterwards, the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
followed its federal counterpart's lead in expelling its pro-conscription
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
members, including Heitmann.
In 5 May 1917, Heitmann was elected to the Australian House of Representatives seat of Kalgoorlie
Division of Kalgoorlie
The Division of Kalgoorlie was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia, named after the city of Kalgoorlie. The Division, which was proclaimed in 1900 as one of the original 75 divisions to be contested at the first Federal election, covered most of the land area of...
. During the next two years he was in charge of transport arrangements for the demobilisation of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
. He was defeated in the federal election of 13 December 1919, and thereafter spent some time in Adelaide working in advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
. By 1921 he was farming at Laanecoorie, Victoria
Laanecoorie, Victoria
Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river ( in Victoria, Australia. It has a community hall, church, and caravan Park.Laanecoorie was originally part of the “Simpson Run”...
, and the following year contested the Victorian seat of Eaglehawk
Electoral district of Eaglehawk
Electoral district of Eaglehawk was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Eaglehawk:...
without success. In 1927 he returned to Bendigo, spending eighteen months as organisation secretary for the Advance Bendigo and the North League. In later life he suffered often from poor health, spending some time in the military hospital at Caulfield
Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
. He died at Bendigo on 30 January 1934, and was buried at Bendigo Cemetery. One of his nephews, Jack Heitmann, also became a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.