William Henry Wilks (1863?-1940) Henry Willis (1860-1950)

Member for Dalley (New South Wales) 1901-1910 Member for Robertson (New South Wales) 1901-1910

illiam ‘Bill’ Wilks was born in , Following his defeat at the election of 1910, orn at Port Adelaide, South , Willis became a Liberal member of the WNew South Wales, and owned a wood Wilks was appointed to the public service as a BHenry Willis owned a tannery at New South Wales Legislative Assembly and coal yard at Balmain before entering land valuer in Melbourne. He remained in this Hindmarsh, South Australia. In 1888 he in 1911 and in August became Speaker colonial politics. At 23 he became a member position until his retirement in 1928. moved to Sydney with the intention of studying in controversial circumstances. Dubbed of the Free Trade Association of New South for the Church of ministry. Willis a “Judas” and “political leper” by his Liberal Wales and was elected to its Council. In 1894 entered municipal politics, becoming the first colleagues, Willis set about strengthening he was elected the Freetrade member for Mayor of Cabramatta and Canley Vale in 1893, the power of the Speaker. In an incident in North Balmain in the New South Wales and serving on the Camden (1897) and September 1911 he had police eject seven Legislative Assembly. Wilks was a strong Randwick (1899-1902) councils. Liberal members from the House. Willis supporter of Premier George Reid. resigned the speakership in 1913 and In 1901 Willis, a Freetrader, was elected to was soon afterwards defeated at election. In 1901 Wilks was elected to represent the House of Representatives to represent the federal seat of Dalley in the House of the federal seat of Robertson at the first Representatives at the first federal election. federal election. He was re-elected at the He was Government Whip during the Reid- 1903 and 1906 elections, but was defeated McLean Ministry of 1904-05, Chairman of in 1910. He was a member of the Royal Committees 1905-07, and Chairman of the Commission on Ocean Shipping Services Royal Commission on Postal Services in 1908. in 1906. As the acknowledged joker of the House of Representatives, it was said of Wilks that “there never was a more exasperating member for a Speaker to follow and discipline”.

The electorate of Dalley was named after William Bede Dalley (1831–1888), barrister The electorate of Robertson was named after Sir (1816–1891), and politician. a Premier of New South Wales.