George Beeby
Encyclopedia
Sir George Stephenson Beeby KBE
(23 May 1869 – 18 July 1942) was an Australia
n politician, judge and author.
, Sydney
, New South Wales
the second son of English-born Edward Augustus Beeby, a book-keeper, and his wife Isabel, née Thompson. Beeby was educated at Crown Street Public School and entered the education department of N.S.W. on 3 July 1884 where he became a pupil teacher at Macdonald Town (Erskineville) Public School. Subsequently he was an accountant
, and in 1900 qualified as a solicitor
. He had become interested in the land taxation proposals of Henry George
in 1890 and was prominent in the beginnings of the New South Wales Labor party
.
for a while and then began practising as a solicitor
. The 1901 arbitration act brought him much business; it was stated in 1906 that his firm had been concerned in two hundred disputes. In January 1907 Beeby stood as a Labor candidate for Blayney
at a by-election due to the resignation of W. P. (Paddy) Crick
, but Beeby was defeated by 23 votes.
Beeby, however, won the seat in the following September, and with William Holman
was successful in considerably modifying the amending industrial disputes bill brought in by Charles Wade
. When James McGowen
formed the first New South Wales Labor ministry in October 1910, Beeby was his minister of public instruction and of labour and industry until 11 September 1911 when he became minister for public works until December 1912. He had, however, come to the conclusion that the time had arrived for the formation of a party which would include the moderates of all parties. He resigned from the cabinet in December 1912 and was re-elected for Blayney on his new policy on 23 January 1913. He failed to get support in the house, and resigned from parliament.
Beeby had been called to the bar in 1911 and now worked up a successful practice as a barrister
. When Holman formed his national ministry in November 1916 Beeby became minister for labour and industry with a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Council
. In 1918 Beeby, who had in the meanwhile been elected to the assembly for Wagga Wagga
, succeeded in passing an industrial arbitration amendment act though it was strongly opposed by the Labour party. Towards the end of 1918 he visited Britain and the United States of America and, shortly after his return in June 1919, resigned from the government as a protest against administrative acts in connexion with the sale of wheat and the allotting of coal contracts. In March 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation
, he was elected as the member for Murray
, but in August he resigned in order to be appointed a judge of the New South Wales arbitration court. In 1928 he became a member of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
bench. In the same year Beeby imposed an award favourable to the Federal Government's industrial policy which the Waterside Workers' Federation rejected. This resulted in strike action and later violence.
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(23 May 1869 – 18 July 1942) was an Australia
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, judge and author.
Early life
Beeby was born in AlexandriaAlexandria, New South Wales
Alexandria is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Alexandria is located 4 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
the second son of English-born Edward Augustus Beeby, a book-keeper, and his wife Isabel, née Thompson. Beeby was educated at Crown Street Public School and entered the education department of N.S.W. on 3 July 1884 where he became a pupil teacher at Macdonald Town (Erskineville) Public School. Subsequently he was an accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, and in 1900 qualified as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. He had become interested in the land taxation proposals of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
in 1890 and was prominent in the beginnings of the New South Wales 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...
.
Career
Beeby worked as a journalistJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
for a while and then began practising as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. The 1901 arbitration act brought him much business; it was stated in 1906 that his firm had been concerned in two hundred disputes. In January 1907 Beeby stood as a Labor candidate for Blayney
Electoral district of Blayney
Blayney was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1904, partly replacing West Macquarie and Molong, and named after and including Blayney. It was abolished in 1913 and partly replaced by Lyndhurst.-Members for Blayney:...
at a by-election due to the resignation of W. P. (Paddy) Crick
Paddy Crick
William Patrick Crick, known as Paddy Crick or W.P.Crick was an Australian politician, solicitor and newspaper proprietor...
, but Beeby was defeated by 23 votes.
Beeby, however, won the seat in the following September, and with William Holman
William Holman
William Arthur Holman was an Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales, Australia, who split with the party on the conscription issue in 1916 during World War I, and immediately became Premier of a conservative Nationalist Party Government.-Early life:Holman was born in St Pancras, London,...
was successful in considerably modifying the amending industrial disputes bill brought in by Charles Wade
Charles Wade
Sir Charles Gregory Wade KCMG was Premier of New South Wales 2 October 1907 – 21 October 1910. According to Percival Serle, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character...
. When James McGowen
James McGowen
James Sinclair Taylor McGowen was an Australian politician and the first Labor Premier of New South Wales from 21 October 1910 to 30 June 1913.-Early life and family:...
formed the first New South Wales Labor ministry in October 1910, Beeby was his minister of public instruction and of labour and industry until 11 September 1911 when he became minister for public works until December 1912. He had, however, come to the conclusion that the time had arrived for the formation of a party which would include the moderates of all parties. He resigned from the cabinet in December 1912 and was re-elected for Blayney on his new policy on 23 January 1913. He failed to get support in the house, and resigned from parliament.
Beeby had been called to the bar in 1911 and now worked up a successful practice as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. When Holman formed his national ministry in November 1916 Beeby became minister for labour and industry with a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
. In 1918 Beeby, who had in the meanwhile been elected to the assembly for Wagga Wagga
Electoral district of Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Daryl Maguire of the Liberal Party of Australia....
, succeeded in passing an industrial arbitration amendment act though it was strongly opposed by the Labour party. Towards the end of 1918 he visited Britain and the United States of America and, shortly after his return in June 1919, resigned from the government as a protest against administrative acts in connexion with the sale of wheat and the allotting of coal contracts. In March 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
, he was elected as the member for Murray
Electoral district of Murray (New South Wales)
Murray was an electoral district in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was a single-member electorate from 1859 to 1920, but from 1920 to 1927 it was merged with Albury, Corowa and Wagga Wagga to create a three-member electorate, voting by proportional representation. It was recreated as a...
, but in August he resigned in order to be appointed a judge of the New South Wales arbitration court. In 1928 he became a member of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
The Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration is a defunct Australian court, which had jurisdiction to arbitrate interstate industrial disputes....
bench. In the same year Beeby imposed an award favourable to the Federal Government's industrial policy which the Waterside Workers' Federation rejected. This resulted in strike action and later violence.
Honours
Beeby was appointed chief judge in March 1939 and in the same year was created KBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.