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COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT Ca Paper Prepared by Sir John Kirwan and Read to the IVA 6 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY Tke First COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT cA Paper prepared by Sir john Kirwan and read to the IVA. Historical Soci'ely on 27tlt September, /946. HE first Prime Minister of Australia, the Smith, Alexander Percival Matheson, George Right Honourable Sir Edmund Barton, Pearce, Hugh de Largie, Edward Harney and T formed his Government on 1st January, Norman Ewing. Senator Ewing resigned 1901. By that time the Commonwealth Con­ from the Senate in April, 1903, and H. J. stitution had been accepted by the votes of Saunders wa selected to fill the vacancy at a majority of the electors in all the six a joint sitting of the State Parliament- colonies, the Imperial Parliament had passed the necessary legislation and the essential Of these eleven members, Sir John Forrest proclamation had been signed by Her was the only one with notable or extended Majesty, Queen Victoria. parliamentary experience. He already had a distinguished career as an explorer, also he The result of the referendum, in West had worthily filled various public offices and Australia was 44,BOO in favour of federal had been Premier for more than ten years. union and 19,691 against, the majority being Of the others, Mr. Solomon and Mr. Ewing more than two to one, Perth and Fremantle had sat for some years in the Legislative gave substantial majorities for federation and Assembly and Mr. Saunders in the Legisla­ on the Goldfields the Yes vote was 15 to one. tive Council. Staniforth Smith at the time of his election for the Senate, was Mayor of I had taken a prominent part in further­ Kalgoorlie. As those who invited me here ance of Federation and a huge petition, tonight wished me to refer specially to the signed by all sections of the Goldfields resi­ members from West Australia in the first d-ents, was presented to me asking me to National Legislature, I will have more to become a candidate for the Kalgoorlre seat say about them later. in the House of Representatives. That peti­ tion is now in the possession of the Kal­ The Parliament was opened on 9th May, goorlie Council as a historical document and 1901, by His Royal Highness, the Duke of it is much' prized and frequently inspected, Cornwall and York, afterwards King G-eorge containing as it does, hundreds of names of the Fifth. He was accompanied by the old time prospectors and early pioneers, Duchess. In accordance with the terms of the nearly all of whom are now dead. Commonwealth Constitution the Federal Par­ liament sat at Melbourne until the establish­ Members for Western Australia.. ment of the Federal Capital. The ceremony was probably the most brilliant, spectacular In response to the petition I became a and magnificent that has ever been seen in candidate and after an extremely lively and Australia. It took place at the Exhibition hard-fought contest I was returned by a Building, Melbourne, where extensive struc­ majority- of 2,359 votes. Those who were tural alterations were made to accommodate elected with me to the House 'of Represen­ the immense attendance. The Governor-Gen­ tatives were: Sir John Forrest for Swan, eral and the State Governors with their wives Elias Solomon for Frernantle, J. M. Fowler wer-e on the dais, also representatives of for Perth and Hugh Mahon for Coolgardie, Foreign Powers. In addition, there were also For the Senate there were elected; Staniforth Presidents of Legislative Councils, Speakers, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 7 Premiers, Ministers of the Crown, Heads of a century after the establishment of the Religious Organisations, Chief Justices, Commonwealth. A dinner was given by the Judges, Admirals and Generals. The court members of the State Parliament to the was in mourning as Queen Victoria had died members of the Federal Parliament. It was earlier in the year and the ladies were in the only occasion in Australia, perhaps in (he black, but notwithstanding, the array of flags, world, when one Parliament thus entertained bunting, gorgeous regalia and brilliant uni­ another Parliament. The first Governor­ forms created a colourful setting to an General, Lord Hopetoun, commented on this historic event. and also pointed to the fact that the Com­ monwealth Parliament was remarkable as no member of it had to kick another fellow out An Historic Painting. of a seat. The famous Australian artist, Tom Roberts, spent more than two years to portray the A Parliament of the Talent.. ceremony on canvas The picture is of great dimensions and the key to it has the names That was not the only respect in which it of no less than 277 individuals, practically was remarkable. There never was a Parlia­ everyone of whom sat for it. In common ment in Australia, either before or Since, that with all other members of the Parliament, contained such a galaxy of intellectual talent I spent a morning and afternoon with Tom in the form of experienced parliamentarrans, Roberts whilst he painted my portrait. Usu­ legislators and administrators. Membership of ally sitting for an artist is a boring and it was an eagerly-sought-for honour because almost painful business but with Roberts it its duty was to lay the foundations of what was not so, for he had a happy knack of was to become a mighty na tion. In each entertaining his subjects. He worked hard State prominent public men, eminent lawyers while he talked cheerily and well, and now and captains of industry were amongst those and again remarked "Let us have a rest." who succeeded in getting elected. Of the Then he danced round the room and sang eight Ministers in the first Government no snatches of foreign songs and spoke about less than five had been Premiers in their his student "days in France and Spain. own States. They were: Sir William Lyne of New South Wales, Sir George Turner of It is difficult to make an historic picture Victoria, Mr. C. C. Kingston of South Aus­ of such a, nature a work of art, but he did tralia, Sir John Forrest of West Australia, his best. The general atmosphere is good and Sir Phillip Fysch of Tasmania. As they with beams of sunlight coming from high had been leaders, there were those who pre­ windows in the background, whilst on one dicted that they could not get out of the of the walls can be dimly discerned what ac­ way of giving orders and so the Government tually was not there, the framed portrait of could not last long, as it had too many cap­ a face, white headed and white bearded, tains. That prediction was fulfilled, fOT in a looking down. It represented Sir Henry couple of years, :Mr. Kingston disagreed with Parkes, rightly called "The Father of Fed­ his colleagues and resigned from the Minis­ eration," who had died some years previousyl. try, Sir Edmund Barton became a member of Roberts's picture was presented to the King. the High Court Bench, and in September, It hung in St. James's Palace but steel en­ 1903, a new Government, with Mr. Alfred gravings of it are to be seen all over Aus­ Deakin as Prime Minister, came into office. tralia. Other distinguished members were, Sir Members of the new Parliament were SUI!'­ George Reid, Leader of the Opposition, and plied with numerous souvenirs, including Sir Edward Braddon, each of whom for many the Bible on which they were sworn. It was years filled the office of Premier ot New signed by the Duke of Cornwall and York South Wales and Tasmania respectively. In and later most of the recipients got the sig­ addition, the first Australian Parliament in­ natures added of the first Commonwealth cluded: H. B· Higgins, Sir Isaac Isaacs, Sir Ministers and leading members of the Par­ Josiah Symon,. Tom Playford, Sir Chaffey liament. Public and private hospitality was Baker, Andrew Fisher, W. M. Hughes, Chris liberally dispensed. The commodious Vic­ Watson, Sir Joseph Cook, Sir George Fuller, torian Parliament House, at the top of Col­ P. M. Glynn, Sir Langdon Bonython, Sir lins Street, was placed at the disposal of the John Quick, Sir Littleton Groom, Sir Austin new Parliament and the State Legislature Chapman, Allan McLean, Sir Malcolm Me­ occupied the Exhibition Building. Everything Eachran, Robert Harper and Bruce Smith. possible was done to make Federal members It was indeed fortunate for Australia that contented in Melbourne and so happily situ­ there were men of such high standing and ated did they find themselves that the removal ability to guide the infant footsteps of the to the national capital at Canberra did not newly born nation. The work that had to take place until 1927, more than quarter of be done was of momentous consequence. Bills 8 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY had to be framed and passed for taking over accusation was not without justification. Sir the control of various State Departments, in­ George constantly described the Govern­ cluding Defence, Customs and Excise and ment's policy as "Yes, Mr. Watson." Of the Post and Telegraphs. It was necessary to five members for this State in the House of pass legislation to bring into being the High Representatives, Sir John Forrest, as a Min­ Court. A common policy was also essential ister, invariably voted with the Government; for Australia concerning immigration and ac­ Mr. Solomon and I belonged to the Free tion was taken to ensure the policy of "A Trade Opposition Party; Mr. Fowler and Mr. White Australia." The fear was expressed that Mahon, though Labour Party members, al­ an influx of immigrants from Asia would ways voted with us against Protective duties.
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