Henry Daglish
Encyclopedia
Henry Daglish was the sixth Premier
of Western Australia
and the state's first Labor
Premier.
Henry Daglish was born in Ballarat
West, Victoria
on 18 November 1866. He was educated in Geelong, and attended Melbourne University. He began a career in mechanical engineering
, but abandoned it in 1883 and instead entered the Victorian public service
, working as a clerk in the police department. On 20 August 1894 he married Edith Bishop. The following year, he resigned from the public service to go into business. In 1895 he also stood as a Labor party candidate in a by-election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
seat of South Melbourne
, but received only 34 votes in an electorate of over 2000 electors. Later that year he wrote to the Western Australian premier Sir John Forrest
requesting employment in Western Australia's public service. He was offered and accepted a position in Western Australia's police department. He eventually resigned, and entered business as an auctioner, accountant and legal manager.
Daglish became active in community life in Subiaco
, and on 1 December 1900 was elected a member of the Subiaco Municipal Council. On 24 April 1901 he was elected to the seat of Subiaco
in the Legislative Assembly
, and resigned his position on the municipal council a month later. On 1 December 1902 he was elected Mayor of Subiaco, which office he held until 30 November 1904. He was re-elected as the Legislative Assembly member for Subiaco on 28 June 1904 with nearly 80 per cent of the vote. On 2 August he successfully moved a vote of no-confidence against Premier Walter James
, and was asked to form Western Australia's first Labor government
. He became premier, treasurer and minister for education on 10 August 1904. He gave up the education portfolio in June the following year.
Labor's support was not sufficient to keep the Daglish government in power, and it was dependent for its majority on a group of five independents. Because of this, the Daglish government put forward no distinctively Labor policies, and worked for consolidation rather than rapid development; in the press it was sometimes derisively referred to as the Mark Time Government. After twelve difficult months, Daglish was finally defeated over the government's plans to buy out the Midland Railway Company
for £1.5 million, which was thought to be too large a sum. The Daglish government was such a disappointment to Labor voters that when Cornthwaite Rason
took over as premier and was granted an early dissolution
, Labor lost seven of its 22 seats. Ultimately, Daglish's ministry achieved little, and its main significance was that having Labor in government encouraged the various opposition groups to coalesce into a Liberal party, thus resulting in a two-party system for the first time.
After his government's defeat, Daglish resigned as leader of the Labor Party, and as a member of the Caucus
, and called himself Independent Labor. On 20 August 1907 he was made Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Assembly. From 1 December 1907 until 30 November 1908 he was again Mayor of Subiaco. On 16 September 1910, Daglish resigned as Chairman of Committees and accepted a position as minister for works in Frank Wilson's Liberal government. He held the portfolio until he lost his seat in the election of October 1911
.
Daglish served as president of the Subiaco Football Club
from 1902–06 and again in 1911.
From 1912, Daglish worked as an estate agent. In 1912 he was also appointed the employers' representative in the Court of Arbitration
. He died on 16 August 1920, and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery
.
The Perth suburb of Daglish
is named after him.
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
of 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...
and the state's first Labor
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...
Premier.
Henry Daglish was born in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
West, 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 18 November 1866. He was educated in Geelong, and attended Melbourne University. He began a career in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, but abandoned it in 1883 and instead entered the Victorian public service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
, working as a clerk in the police department. On 20 August 1894 he married Edith Bishop. The following year, he resigned from the public service to go into business. In 1895 he also stood as a Labor party candidate in a by-election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
seat of South Melbourne
South Melbourne, Victoria
South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...
, but received only 34 votes in an electorate of over 2000 electors. Later that year he wrote to the Western Australian premier Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
requesting employment in Western Australia's public service. He was offered and accepted a position in Western Australia's police department. He eventually resigned, and entered business as an auctioner, accountant and legal manager.
Daglish became active in community life in Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
, and on 1 December 1900 was elected a member of the Subiaco Municipal Council. On 24 April 1901 he was elected to the seat of Subiaco
Electoral district of Subiaco
The Electoral district of Subiaco was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district was named for the inner western Perth suburb of Subiaco, which fell within its borders...
in the 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....
, and resigned his position on the municipal council a month later. On 1 December 1902 he was elected Mayor of Subiaco, which office he held until 30 November 1904. He was re-elected as the Legislative Assembly member for Subiaco on 28 June 1904 with nearly 80 per cent of the vote. On 2 August he successfully moved a vote of no-confidence against Premier Walter James
Walter James
Sir Walter Hartwell James KCMG KC was the fifth Premier of Western Australia and an ardent supporter of the federation movement....
, and was asked to form Western Australia's first Labor government
Daglish ministry
The Daglish Ministry was the 7th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia and was led by Labor Premier Henry Daglish. It succeeded the James Ministry on 10 August 1904 after the 1904 election boosted Labor's seat count from 8 to 22 in the 50-seat Legislative Assembly...
. He became premier, treasurer and minister for education on 10 August 1904. He gave up the education portfolio in June the following year.
Labor's support was not sufficient to keep the Daglish government in power, and it was dependent for its majority on a group of five independents. Because of this, the Daglish government put forward no distinctively Labor policies, and worked for consolidation rather than rapid development; in the press it was sometimes derisively referred to as the Mark Time Government. After twelve difficult months, Daglish was finally defeated over the government's plans to buy out the Midland Railway Company
Midland Railway of Western Australia
The Midland Railway of Western Australia was a privately built and operated railway in Western Australia, operated by the British-owned Midland Railway Company of Western Australia...
for £1.5 million, which was thought to be too large a sum. The Daglish government was such a disappointment to Labor voters that when Cornthwaite Rason
Cornthwaite Rason
Sir Cornthwaite Hector William James Rason , better known as Hector Rason, was the seventh Premier of Western Australia....
took over as premier and was granted an early dissolution
Dissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
, Labor lost seven of its 22 seats. Ultimately, Daglish's ministry achieved little, and its main significance was that having Labor in government encouraged the various opposition groups to coalesce into a Liberal party, thus resulting in a two-party system for the first time.
After his government's defeat, Daglish resigned as leader of the Labor Party, and as a member of the Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
, and called himself Independent Labor. On 20 August 1907 he was made Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Assembly. From 1 December 1907 until 30 November 1908 he was again Mayor of Subiaco. On 16 September 1910, Daglish resigned as Chairman of Committees and accepted a position as minister for works in Frank Wilson's Liberal government. He held the portfolio until he lost his seat in the election of October 1911
Western Australian state election, 1911
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 3 October 1911 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Labor party, led by Opposition Leader John Scaddan, defeated the conservative Ministerialist government led by Premier Frank Wilson...
.
Daglish served as president of the Subiaco Football Club
Subiaco Football Club
The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle...
from 1902–06 and again in 1911.
From 1912, Daglish worked as an estate agent. In 1912 he was also appointed the employers' representative in the Court of Arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
. He died on 16 August 1920, and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, with Robert Creighton. Currently managed by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, the cemetery attracts more than one million visitors each...
.
The Perth suburb of Daglish
Daglish, Western Australia
Daglish is a small western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Subiaco and is west of the CBD.It is quiet and is considered one of the more favourable suburbs in western Perth....
is named after him.