12 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society 13

FORREST THE POLITICIAN: 1890-1918 - AN ASSESSMENT

by Frank Crowley

Forrest was an early and powerful example of a phenomenon which came to be a central feature of Australian and . As of Western Australia from 1890 to 1901 hewas anableandconstructive user of state power in a society structured on a Capitalist economy. Like the roads­ and-bridges politicians ofotherAustralian colonies, hedeveloped a successful political style as a broker among sectional andregional groups competing for new public services or social andindustrial reforms, and hedistributed public works in the expectation of receiving electoral support. Unlike mostof them, hesupported such political devices as plural voting, rurally-weighted electoral systems, and lengthy residential requirements for registered voters, so as to prevent Parliament being swamped by itinerant gold-miners and other transients. But hewas also an energetic constructor ofgovernment departments andstate bureaux; a pioneering architect ofstatebanking; andan instigator ofstateloan­ financed andstate-administered railways, telegraphs, telephones, waterworks, harbours, hospitals and schools. Throughout hispremiership he developed a code of public ethics which allowed state power to aid private enterprise for general community benefit in the national interest. This promoted the emergence of a vital amalgam between private enterprise and state power. In 1890 the British Parliament approved ofa constitution for the colony of Western Australia, which established a locally-elected Parliament and a political cabinet responsible for itsactions toParliament, and nottotheminister incharge ofthecolonies inLondon. The , representing theQueen, was expected toinform London ifthecabinet was dealing with matters which affected British interests or were the concern ofthe British Empire as a whole. John Forrest, Surveyor-General intheprevious administration, was elected unopposed as the first member for the electorate of Bunbury in the new Legislative Assembly, and became thecolony's first Premier andprofessional politician. After 27years asa surveyor and public servant, heembarked ona 28-year career asa politician, Sir John and Lady Forrest comprising ten years as Premier and Treasurer of the colony of Western Australia, andeighteen years asa federal politician representing theelectorate ofSwan in the state of Western Australia in the House of Representatives. Forrest was then 43years ofage, over 6 feet inheight, andweighed 16stone. He had been born inthecolony, andwas married toa daughter oftheHamersley family. He hadnochildren, butmany nephews andnieces. Outgoing and good­ naturedly blunt, he liked to work as much as possible 'in the light ofday'. But 14 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Forrest The Politician 15 he was not a good public speaker, was slow to see the point of an argument their own brand-new constitution work. Shortly after thedelegates returned to or even a joke, and had a limited senseof humour. He had the reputation of Perth, Governor Robinson andthe British government arranged for Forrest to being straightforward and honest in dealing with public matters, and was an be knighted for his services to the colony. experienced administrator and proven leader. He was sensitive about his personal Forrest's public works programme and his financial policy as Colonial integrity andquick to respond to any suggestion of personal impropriety. He Treasurer were based on two assumptions, namely, that the government's was not a good parliamentary debater, not skilled at repartee, and delivered running expenses could bemetfrom current income, and thathisgovernment's hismain speeches with dogged persistence, disliking interruptions. But heknew high credit-rating in the London financial market would enable him to raise intimately allthe settled districts ofthe colony, much aboutthe uninhabited loans from private British investors inorder to develop theeconomic resources regions, andwas known toalmost everybody inthecolony. He had bought land and increase the population ofhissparsely settled colony. Income from Crown in Perth and elsewhere, he was a partner in several pastoral stations, andhe land leases and sales, railway freight charges, and high tariffs onimported goods, and his wife lived ina large residence incentral Perth which his wife had inherited many of which were the foodstuffs and equipment needed on the goldfields, from her father. He was well offand his brother, Alexander, was one ofthe would enable the government to pay its public servants and the interest due wealthiest men in the West. annually on overseas loans. A sinking fund provided for the long-term The Premier andthe otherfour cabinet ministers were the only members of redemption ofloans, butasfresh loans were added frequently, total indebtedness Parliament to receive salaries. Forrest chose as hisfirst colleagues Septimus was bequeathed to a latergeneration ofWestern Australians. Forrest liked to Burt, anoldschool friend, George Shenton andHarry Venn - two brothers-in­ claim thathehad not increased thetaxation onthepeople. This was misleading. law, and William Marmion. Western Australia's first government consisted of What he meant was thathehad not imposed direct taxation on land or incomes, a good representative mix - a surveyor, a , a pastoralist and two tobothofwhich he was strongly opposed, andthat so long as the population merchants; three Anglicans, oneWesleyan and oneCatholic, Forrest appointed, and the revenue both continued to increase, thenthe percapita burden would as the Under-Secretary, Octavius Burt, another school friend, and as the not. However, hedid reduce some customs duties, andheadded anexcise duty Premier's secretary, Fred North, hiswife's sister's husband. Forrest saw himself on beer, probate duties and company dividend taxation. His success asTreasurer as first andforemost the Premier ofWestern Australia, the senior in in balancing the current account, and spending large sumson public works, the government, and as combining intothe one office the functions of both was made possible by the good fortune of a constantly-rising consuming Governor andColonial Secretary under the previous system of Crown colony population, a burgeoning gold-mining industry, andan inflow ofoverseas and government. He was Treasurer throughout hispremiership and also held the inter-colonial capital. new ministerial position of Colonial Secretary for several years. Forrest's development programme to popularise farming pre-dated thegold Parliament metfor itsfirst session inJanuary 1891 andendorsed inprinciple boom ofthemid-1890s. As thechild ofhomesteading parents, andasa surveyor Forrest's proposal to develop the colony by means of public works financed working inthevirgin bush andunused pastoral lands ofWestern Australia, he bythesale ofgovernment bonds inLondon. Parliament also appointed delegates was convinced that the family farm was, and always would be, the backbone to the Federation Convention, which was to meet in Sydney in March 1891, ofthe colony's economy. As Surveyor-General he had encouraged landless and which framed the first draft of the proposed constitution of the working men to take up blocks of land in surveyed areasso as to establish a Commonwealth ofAustralia. Forrest andtheotherWestern Australians acted class ofself-reliant andindustrious peasant proprietors. As Premier heopened independently as delegates, listened more than they spoke, anddid notcommit up new farming districts under theeasy-payment provisions ofhisHomesteads their colony to any role except as a participant in the discussion of common Act, and advanced money to homesteaders who improved their properties under problems. They were keenly aware that theirindependence ofLondon inlocal the provisions of hisAgricultural Bank Act, which was the first of its kind in matters was barely three months old, andthatthequestion ofanAustralia-wide Australia - 'hanging outthethree balls atthetreasury', hiscritics complained. federation, involving thecreation ofa new national government andtheremoval What we need', hesaid, is'a bold peasantry, their country's pride, men ofsmall oftariff barriers between thecolonies, hadnotbeen considered bytheir voters. means but strong arms and stout hearts'. Indeed, Forrest's ideal colonist Italmost looked as though they were being asked to exchange the dominion corresponded tohis actual constituent intheBunbury electorate, where his father ofSydney and Melbourne for the tutelage of London. Besides, the abolition and mother lived on the family farm at Picton. He followed these stepsin his ofcustoms revenue, which was a main source of government income, would programme with government involvement in the clearing of land before have bankrupted theWestern Australian Treasury. Forrest andhisco-delegates settlement; a new scheme for the conditional purchase of Crown land; the therefore decided towait andseewhat theother colonies intended doing before repurchase of land from private owners; and the provision of small working' taking stepsto join them. Besides, they wanted to get back home and make mens' blocks. Theeastern goldfields water scheme, designed also to open up 16 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Forrest The Politician 1 7 theland between theAvon Valley andthegoldfields, crossed thecentre ofwhat two west-east overland crossings in 1870 and 1874, so hisdream camecloser was to be Western Australia's wheat-belt. By such devices Forrest hoped to to reality. When theline reached Kalgoorlie, itwas obvious thatanAlbany-Eucla persuade miners tostayintheWest, andalso toattract immigrants from Britain, route was nolonger appropriate, andthata direct link across theNullarbor Plain rather than by paying the cost of their passages. to Port Augusta was thefinal solution. Meanwhile, theport ofAlbany hadbeen His land-settlement programme was integrated with his financial policy as sentenced to commercial death, though theimplementing ofthesentence was Treasurer, as itwas expected to reduce thecolony's heavy reliance onimported long delayed, until C. Y. O'Connor solved the technical problems involved in foodstuffs. Itwas also integrated with hispublic works policy, chiefly through constructing a river-mouth harbour - according to the people of Albany by what he constantly described as 'facilities of transit'. He believed that the 'throwinq stones into theseaat Fremantle' - anduntil thesteamship companies government should tryto meetboth the short-term needs of gold-miners and could be persuaded thatthe new installation was safe; andalso until the other thelong-term needs offarmers andpastoralists. He thought thatthetemporary colonies could be persuaded to delay the arrival of theirmail bya few hours. prosperity oftheGold Boom should pay for thehoped-for prosperity ofthefuture; Forrest's experience of land-grant speculators based in London offering to every facility provided for a new goldfield should be accompanied by a 'quid connect anydot on an Australian mapwith anyotherdot soured his view of proquo'for the farming andgrazing districts. Thus, onalmost every occasion private railway construction. He had been involved during the 1880s in the when Parliament authorised the construction ofa new government railway to protracted construction of the Midland and Great Southern Lines, and when a new goldfield, Forrest insisted thatanother rail line should also beconstructed Premier, twice hadto gilt theMidland Company's securities to enable itto finish pushing into the unsettled districts oftheSouth-West. In such a way Bunbury, its line. He then persuaded Parliament tobuyout theGreat Southern Line, mainly Bridgetown, andBusselton gottheirlines. As well, the routes ofthe goldfields because itsmanaging company hadbeentardy inmaking itsland available for were sometimes adjusted so as to tap good pastoral areas. settlement. Throughout hispremiership he resisted all attempts to allow private 'We don't build railways for people to travel on fo~ pleasure, but to assist in companies to build andrunnew railways, preferring to call competitive public the cultivation of thesoil', he told the croakers who complained that country tenders to construct them, and afterwards to employ the staff to run them. railways were being built from places of no consequence to places of no 'Facilities of transit', not profit-makinq, was his objective. Few railways ever existence. They were thereto open uptheland for thepeople, people who were paid, in the sense of paying both interest on borrowed capital, and capital not 'birds of passage' like gold-diggers who dug up, gave up and went back repayment. home to their families in the east, but permanent settlers, men who wanted He held thesame view inrespect tomost other public works. Thus heapproved to have 'a stake in the country'. oflocal government bodies buying out private waterworks, and in the crucial Forrest's determination todevelop Fremantle onthewest coast astheprincipal instance oftheeastern goldfields water pipeline, resisted very strong pressure portofthe colony, rather thanAlbany on thesouth coast, or even Esperance, tohave theline built andworked by private investors. Like most oftherailways, was also integrated with hisrail building andland development policies. From and many public buildings, it was built out of loan funds raised in London. a very early timein his life, possibly ever since histrans-continental ride-and. Was Forrest aware ofthe long-term implications which could be drawn from walk along the Great Australian Bight to Adelaide in 1870, he was convinced his useofstate power? Perhaps not, andin any casehe would have defended that there should be both a telegraph and a rail link between west and east his policy byclaiming thatpioneering legitimated a much greater government Australia. The telegraph line was completed nearhistrackin 1877. Adecade involvement than would otherwise have been advisable. He frequently drew laterhewas advocating a trans-railway at thefirst Science Congress inSydney mental pictures for hisaudiences inpublic meetings showing how government in1888, again atthefirst oftheFederation Conventions in1891, andpersistently initiative would improve thewell-being ofthepeople byproviding the railways thereafter, especially during thelong-drawn-out debates andpublic controversies and other utilities which would attract a stream ofpermanent settlers, who would associated with the Federation Movement in1895-99. He regarded itasa 'sine then develop a prosperous, progressive andcontented community. His works quanon' for Western Australia's entrance into theFederation andunsuccessfully policy greatly enhanced the role of the state in the economic life of Western tried togeta written guarantee before finally committing thecolony to surrender Australia and possibly heralded the beginning of that mixed economy which a substantial partofitssovereignty in 1901. Tothiswas linked hislonq-desired was to become such a distinctive feature of twentieth century Australia. But objective ofmaking Fremantle theBrindisi ofAustralia, bygiving itanartificial the need for state aid was not confined to farming and grazing. In the gold harbour so that it would become the gateway through which passed allmails, prospecting districts of the north-west and east, the miners, shopkeepers, andpossibly also most visitors, toandfrom theHome Country. Then Perth would publicans and carriers were clamouring for improved mail and telegraphic nolonger be'round a corner, butonthemain road'. Asthefan-like rail network services, for the quick registration ofmining leases, for thespeedy settlement extended out into the eastern desert regions lying between the routes of his ofdisputes between alluvial miners and deep-shaft mining companies, andalso 18 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Forrest The Politician 19 for thebuilding ofschools, hospitals, police stations andothercivic amenities and could accurately be described as 'class legislation'. A country railway subsidised by the central government, and especially for improved water benefited farmers andshopkeepers ina restricted area. Agovernment subsidy supplies. Forrest sentoutengineers andpublic works staff to help look for water tocoastal steamships was a direct gainto people living in the coastal towns. soaksamong the outcrops, and put down bores, and alsobuild surface tanks Boring for water ona goldfield benefited a small number of miners or mining anddams along themain horse andcamel tracks to thefields. Parliament also companies. All ofthesewere readily justified bythe 'whole colony' argument, agreed to subsidise the sinking of mining shafts. Thegovernment tried hard because itwas ineverybody's interest thatthecolony andall itsresources should to keep up with the mushrooming of the many hessian-tent and galvanised· be developed. But, bythemid-1890s Forrest andtheParliament hadgone even iron townships byproviding themwith the barest ofcommunity services. But further. Pastoralists in financial difficulties due to the drought hadtheirrents from the point of view of the avaricious and thirsty prospectors, whatever the of Crown leases reduced; thePremier was amongst them. Goldmining companies government did was too little and too late. Who else could they blame when were subsidised for deepening their shafts; thePremier hada portfolio ofmining a gallon of water and a nip of whiskey were the same price? shares. A set of near-bankrupt railway speculators building the Midland line Themenon the fields were not to be silenced bythe offer of a new railway had their securities gilted; the Premier's brother was the largest client of the line ina couple ofyears' time, or bya postoffice next year, or even a hospital bank which stood to gain most iftheCompany's bonds were saved. Now Forrest if they waited long enough. They expected police, wardens, telegraphists, proposed to turn the Treasury into a farmers' loan office. doctors, and sanitary cartsto be sent the moment a new rush proved to besuccessful. They wanted railway rolling stockto be doubled, or trebled, There seemed to be no endto the extent andvariety ofstate aidthat could andanabrupt endbrought tothecongestion onthewharves andinthecustoms be distributed to the needy. Forrest remarked during the debate on the bonus sheds. Outeast andinthe north-west the government was viewed as a coastal for goldmining shafts, 'Iftheywere merely private ventures, he should like to clique, milking miners byovercharging themfor theirfood andspending their ask why the Government of the colony and the Parliament of the colony had taxes on such electoral sopsas farmers' railways thatended upat treestumps. agreed to build a railway to thesegoldfields? He didnotregard themas private But inPerth, ministers andparliamentarians remembered the recent andshort ventures, butasa great source ofNational wealth. He regarded their development life ofthecolony's Kimberley goldfield. Some haddrawers stuffed with valueless asbeing of the greatest importance to the whole country'. Even the Christian mining scrip. Forrest threatened hisaudiences: 'Wait until the lull comes', and churches received an annual subsidy from Parliament on the ground that the it did come, eventually, but not until after 1903. colony was still initspioneering stage, and, without thecash, priests and parsons would not be able to travel through the outback. Besides, it was generally The character ofWestern Australian politics was much influenced bythese assumed that the clergy would alsoact as the colony's moral police, making constant demands for stateaid from miners, pastoralists andfarmers, who had ordinary policing easier and cheaper. long since looked on the government as the foster-parent of healthy private enterprises and a principal employer of labour. If the government could not Seldom was state aidquestioned on grounds of principle, andwhen it was, help directly with cash advances, it was believed, then it should bolster the itwas sometimes doneinsucha way as to raise a question aboutconsistency. economy and local industries by gifts of land, or the offer of cheap land, or Occasionally a bill might be referred to as 'classlegislation', butanother ofthe bythe expenditure ofgovernment revenue, or government loan money, or by same character might be allowed to passinthe National interest. None of the imposing discriminatory import duties. This attitude was so firmly entrenched parliamentarians grasped the long-term potential of this type of thatitwas rarely questioned. JosephCookworthy putitthisway during a debate governmentalism as a device for bringing abouta major re-distribution ofthe intheAssembly: 'We know very well that inthiscolony the tendency allalong wealth of the community. Forrest certainly did not do so, probably because has been to look to a paternal government to provide us with all our wants. he didnot view society as a set of conflicting classes jealously guarding their If members want a town hall built, ora parkimproved, orcockatoos to beshot, economic interests, or as a social pyramid resting on the exploited labour of they generally come tothisHouse andgetthegovernment to provide themoney'. alarge strataofthe working class, but rather as groups of people engaged in But bydoing so, boththe Ministry and Parliament had to cometo terms with producing goods and services for the general well-being, all living in a state the problem of determining the list of priorities for state aid. They had to of amity. He toldeachdeputation to hisoffice that eachlotof 'wants' or each differentiate between different industries, and between individuals and claim for a grant from theTreasury would belooked atonitsmerits. And judging businesses, and also to decide how far they should go, or they could go, in from histen-year-Iong distribution ofthe'loaves andfishes', merits often meant benefiting industries in which they themselves had a financial interest. prior proof of self-help, or the need to balance the needs of each district, or In a colony ofvastdistances with a thinly distributed population, eachmajor the likely benefit to somenationally important undertaking. If the merits also public work was ofdistinct benefit to anidentifiable industry orgroup ofpeople, benefited a sitting Member of Parliament whose support was appreciated by 20 The Royal Weslern Auslralian Hislorical Sociely Forrest The Politician 21 the government, thenthat was not a caseof 'spoils to the victors', but a just not do. Forrest told the Assembly that his motto was 'Trust in the People, reward for supporting a patriotic ministry. tempered with Prudence'. From the very beginning of responsible government, Forrest regarded the During Forrest's premiership Parliament sanctioned numerous constitutional establishment ofa separate Aborigines Protection Board, with constitutional andsocial reforms, someinitiated byForrest himself, someby hisministers, provision for itsannual income, asa slur onthecolony's reputation. After nearly andsomeby backbenchers. From the outsethe was convinced that Western eight years he was ableto persuade the Colonial Office in London to agree to Australia should make several changes to thewritten constitution, inparticular aconstitutional amendment which abolished theBoard andplaced responsibility the abolition of the property qualification for election to Parliament and the for native affairs in the custody of a local Cabinet Minister. Forrest had long adoption of an adult male franchise for Assembly elections. Against strong been respected for his sympathetic attitude towards the surviving Aboriginal opposition from thenominated Legislative Council, andlater from conservative population, and among northern pastoralists was thought to be too soft. But interests inside andoutside Parliament, heargued thatParliament should initiate the severe drought in the northern pastoral areas in the early 1890s and the suchchanges while times were quiet, and nothave themforced on Parliament rapid expansion ofgoldmining later inthedecade led to many violent conflicts intimes ofunrest orturbulence. Such a tactic would notonly forestall criticism between blacks andwhites, andmuch criminal behaviour went unrecorded and and political opposition, but would cast government in the role of fulfiller of unpunished. Theprevailing white man'sview was that theAboriginal Race was public opinion, which would have practical electoral advantages. This tactic dying out, and that Aborigines were an uncivilised, dirty and lazy race, much was successful ina wide range ofdiffering circumstances, especially when the inferior to thewhites. Forrest also held thatview, though tempered bya humane government faced increasingly difficult problems. Hence, with the growth of and paternalistic attitude towards individual Aborigines. Forrest also shared the goldmining population, Forrest initiated an increase in the size of the with most ofhiscontemporaries a dislike oftheChinese, Japanese andAfghans, Assembly, and the introduction of triennial parliaments. Still later, and near though with nothing like the intensity of feeling expressed by most of the the very end of his ministry, he agreed to the adoption of women's suffrage goldmining population. His government supported severely restrictive and payment of Members of Parliament. To both he had long been strongly immigration policies, which also debarred Asians from thegoldmining industry; opposed, but had become convinced that he should move with the times; they were allowed to provide camel transport, and to work as prostitutes, besides, therewas a practical benefit ingiving women the vote, at a time when vegetable gardeners, and cooks on northern pastoral stations. goldfield electorates were heavily populated by single men. In many ways the Western Australian Parliament during the Forrest era In a similar fashion, and mostreluctantly, hewent along with the abolition hastened to catchup with the legislative programmes of the otherAustralian ofstate aid to church schools and to religion when it was clear that not only colonies andNew Zealand, particularly inrespect tosocial andindustrial reforms. was there a majority in Parliament in favour of doing so, and a much larger The Forrest government endorsed legislation toenable married women to own oneoutside Parliament, butthat it would also help to rid future parliamentary personal and real property intheirown right; to prohibit the sexual slander of elections of sectarian controversy. Should such a tactic blemish his record? women; to raise theage ofconsent to sexual relations to fourteen; to regulate Should a politician only be given credit for what he initiated, and not for the adoption of children; to raise the weekly bastardy maintenance from 51· achievements which camefrom 'moving with the times'? In Forrest's record to12/6; andtoabolish primogeniture. Other actsintroduced compulsory primary there area plethora ofsuch decisions, many ofgreat value to later generations; education andfree education ingovernment s.chools; established industrial and amongst them were Forrest's abrupt abandonment ofOwen's Anchorage asthe reformatory schools; regulated friendly societies; and registered medical site for Fremantle's harbour, and of the arid region's salt lakes as the source practitioners, dentists andpharmacists. Western Australians adopted standard of supply for an eastern goldfields water scheme. However, in somematters time, were forbidden to buy lottery tickets through the mail, butwere allowed hewould notbudge, normove with thetimes. He insisted thattheright tovote to play cricket and football on Sundays, and could travel on Sunday train should be combined with a reasonable period of prior residence, so as to excursions. establish the bona fides ofelectors, and thus prevent Parliament being taken Asequence ofActs ofParliament modified the law dealing with masters and over bybirds of passage, carpet-bag adventurers, andothers who hadno real servants; prevented women from being imprisoned for breaches ofemployment 'stake inthe country'. He was opposed to the quick transfer ofvoters between conditions; provided workers' compensation for injuries in employment: electorates, andsupported plural voting, which enabled property owners to vote protected workmen inmines andfactories from unsafe equipment, particularly inas many electorates as they owned property. This required absentee voting, steam boilers; restricted Sunday labour in mines; provided seats for shop known locally as proxy voting. In suchways would thecolony's industries and assistants; introduced early closing hours for shops andstores; prohibited the itsestablished interests beprotected, which thecounting ofmere numbers could payment of truck wages; legalised trade unions; and introduced for the first 22 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Forrest The Politician 23 time in Australia by law, compulsory industrial arbitration. Such reforms a later date. During the conventions he was in the majority which ensured a contributed toAustralia's international reputation attheclose ofthenineteenth strong Senate representing equally alltheproposed States, and a modified tariff century as'a working man's paradise' determined tocivilise capitalism. However, income arrangement for Western Australia which was written into the the price to be paid was a severe constriction in the employers' freedom of Constitution. But he did not persuade the easterners to accept internal contract. All such reforms allowed the stateto interfere with the civil liberties electorates for the Senate, or to guarantee the building ofa trans-continental ofcitizens, andespecially their right to hire andfire, and theForrest government railway. therefore helped to initiate those social regulatory policies which were a distinct Back home Forrest was not troubled by theemerging goldfields separation feature ofAustralian government inthe ensuing century, andwhich could be movement, which was pressing for federation as a means ofescaping Perth's used to change theshape ofthe social pyramid and thedistribution ofwealth. management, but bya hostile Legislative Council, which would not agree to To later observers of his record, Forrest's rurally-oriented programme hold therequired referendum and, indeed, did notwant Federation onany terms. appeared to be a type ofnon-labour statism, or constructive conservatism, or This intransigence, orthelikelihood ofit, was thecrucial factor which led Forrest progressive capitalism, orright-wing developmentalism, though hewould have in 1895 atthePremiers' Conference, tooppose theby-passing oftheParliaments rejected all such labels, being driven by strictly pragmatic, not ideological, by the direct election of members to a drafting convention, and the holding motives. Almost instinctively, being a surveyor, hetooklevels, calculated the ofa referendum. Both would deprive thecolonial Parliaments, andinparticular, different angles, and then decided the best way, and the shortest, of getting their upper houses, of any involvement in the drafting of the Federal where he wanted to go. If there was an obstruction, thenhe worked outa way Constitution. Ultimately, Forrest's supporters came round to hisown view, and around it. After years ofwork inthe field with the theodolite, it was, after all, the Legislative Council backed offin the face of strong public opinion from only a matter ofmaking thecorrect observations. Such pragmatism was most all quarters. Forrest thengave full support to theYES campaign at thewestern evident in his handling of the federal question. From the outset Forrest was Australian Referendum in1900, when both thepastoral and metropolitan regions a federalist inprinciple, andwanted to know theanswers totwo straightforward supported hisstand. Amajority inthefarming districts did not, andmany have questions: What would Western Australia gain from joining a federation? What been secession-minded ever since. would Western Australia lose? Translated into practical politics, Forrest's By theendofthe 1890s the political situation inthe West was very different answers were: (1) Greatly improved means ofcommunication between thewest from that when Forrest first took office, and the pragmatist in the Premier's andtheeast sides ofthe Australian continent - bytelegraph, mail, ship and office inPerth was doing hissums. He was the only member left ofhisoriginal rail; (2) Protection so that local producers did not get driven out of business ministry; the parliamentary opposition had become influential as well as byeastern growers andmanufacturers. Improving Australian defence was not boisterous; and after ten years without political parties, it seemed likely that relevant. The othercolonies were toofar away from thewest to beofany help, a trade- union-backed Labour Party might emerge at the election dueina few and besides, the Royal Navy guaranteed the safety of all British colonists in months time, which would not be prepared to give him support in return for the Antipodes. concessions. Forrest hadalready won three successive general elections and Although Forrest established an early reputation as a federalist, his established a record for length ofservice as first responsible Premier. He had manoeuvring during theparliamentary debates inthewest andtheconvention dominated hiscabinet, andthe public service, byforce of personality andan debates intheeast gave the impression that he was a reluctant federalist who adroit combination ofpolitical skills and an intricate network ofrelatives, friends had to be pushed into accepting both the economic union and the federal and supporters. In that his wife, Margaret, had played a vital role as a social constitution. Theexplanation was that at home he was caught in a political pillar andlistening post, andhealso had thealmost continuous support ofthe pincer. Ononeside were thesettled farming districts which provided the core leading Perth daily, theWest Australian, anditseditor/owner, Winthrop Hackett, ofhis parliamentary majority and were theregions most likely tofeel theadverse M.L.e. But in the opinion of hissteadily growing band of critics, he was the effects of a single national economy free of interstate trade barriers. On the political czar of the West, the cutting edgeof the six families who were said other sidewere the goldmining districts with their rapidly rising population, torun thecolony for their own benefit, andthePremier who treated his Cabinet much ofwhich came from theeconomically depressed eastern colonies, which Ministers like cabinet furniture. provided thecore ofhisparliamentary oppposition, and which wanted a federal Forrest decided to leave Perth for greater glory. He had already been made union at almost any price. Forrest's tactic was first to resist a hasty entrance a Privy Councillor, onthe occasion ofthe Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and had into federation without receiving 'fair and reasonable' terms, and then, if been recommended for a higher grade of knighthood in connection with the unsuccessful, to educate his supporters intoaccepting a federation on terms forthcoming inauguration andcelebration ofthe Commonwealth ofAustralia. which would only become lessadvantageous ifWestern Australia held outuntil And itwas obvious thatWestern Australia would have to berepresented at the 24 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Forrest The Politician 25 highest level inthe first National Government. Late in 1900 he was invited to institutions, and did not have the financial resources to act as an economic join the first Barton government as Postmaster-General, a position for which developer ona national scale. Nor were the representatives oftheotherstates, hewas well fitted. He was thenelected unopposed to represent the electorate especially intheSenate, sympathetic to hisplea for theconstruction ofa trans­ ofSwan, which included hisformer stateelectorate. Unfortunately, therewas continental railway. Buthedidnotstoptrying, andwhen speaking to hisfirst a sudden death in the ministry, and within weeks Forrest was transferred to Federal budget in August 1905, sounded as though he had not left Perth. He the Ministry of Defence. This proved to be a disaster. asked the House of Representatives, 'What is the use of Parliament unless it At the age of 54, and in his prime, Forrest began nearly eighteen years of exercises allthepowers ofStateinorder tocarry outgreat works ofpublic utility commuting between his home in Perth and Parliament House in Melbourne. and advantage for the improvement ofthe public estateand ofthe condition But he had become Minister of Defence by accident. He was a misfit. He had ofthe people? If we are to be merely a legislating machine, we shall notfulfil never been associated with theVolunteer Movement, and although hehad taken theexpectations reasonably indulged inwith regard to theFederation.....Surely a close interest in the Albany fortifications during discussions in the Federal we should allrealise that railways arethemainspring ofourprogress, andthat Council, he knew little about military or naval affairs. He hadonly fired a gun by their aidAustralia hasbeen made thegreatcountry sheistoday.' Parliament inanger when dispersing hostile Aborigines, asa young explorer. He alsotook agreed to survey the route from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta in 1907, and to office when public opinion about the Boer War was no longer unanimously in construct the line in 1911. favour of Australia's continued participation. He helped to raise the new In 1907 Forrest made the move which seriously damaged his ambition to Commonwealth contingents, and began theorganisation oftheCommonwealth become Prime Minister. He resigned from the Deakin government because of Military Force. But hedid notwork well with thepeppery andautocratic British itsover-reliance onLabour Party support, and joined a disgruntled corner group. professional, Major-General Hutton, the military officer in charge of the new Forrest hadalways been a moderate protectionist anda moderate Liberal. He federal force, and he did not manage to get his First Defence Bill through had fitted in well with the early Barton and Deakin programmes. But the Parliament. His view ofAustralia's rosy future asa 'worthy offshoot oftheGreat emergence and growing electoral strength of political labour virtually forced Empire from whence we orourfathers came', andhiskeenly displayed affection a fusion between its liberal and conservative opponents, who had previously for the Royal Navy, did not fit inwith the sentiments espoused byDeakin and disagreed mainly over thetariff question. TheLabour Party was more interested other Australian Nationalists. Nor did itplease theincreasingly influential lobby in using state power to re-distribute wealth and otherwise change Australian which wanted a proper Australian Navy. He was probably much relieved when society in the interests of wage-earners, than to improve the landscape and he was transferred to Home Affairs aftertwo years. This suited him better, but enable 'a bold peasantry' to make 'two earsofcorn ortwo blades ofgrass grow the three-elevens politics of the period was unstable, and he only held office upon a spotofground where only onegrew before.' Forrest's political gardening for nine months. and personal loyalty strategies which had brought him success and public In 1905 Forrest finally found himself with a portfolio which suited histalents, acclaim in his home state were not suited to the changed conditions his experience and his political style. As Federal Treasurer in 1905-07, he in Melbourne. presented two Federal budgets, and balanced the competing claims of the Following thefusion ofliberals, conservatives, protectionists and free traders Federal and six State treasuries during the ten-year-long bookkeeping era in1909, which created the Liberal Party andvirtually institutionalised the two­ initiated bytheconstitution. Administratively, heinitiated thepaperwork which party system in Australian politics, Forrest returned to the Treasury. He was later led to the creation of a separate Australian paper currency, and the per Treasurer for six months in 1909-10, fifteen months in 1913-14, and thirteen capita system ofdistributing Federal income amongst theStates, most ofwhich months in 1917-18. During such brief and fragmented periods in office he came from customs duties. He was a committed Federalist and States-rights achieved little, except that in 1913 hewas thefirst Federal Treasurer to budget supporter, in the sensethat he regarded the Federal and State for a deficit. In 1910, when Deakin resigned because ofill health, Forrest came aspartners ina joint enterprise, andhetherefore viewed with alarm theobjective within onevote of becoming Party leader, inplace ofCook, and hence Prime ofthe newly established Labour Party to bring about a greater concentration Minister. But the outbreak ofwar in 1914 changed the political situation, and ofpower andincome inthe Federal Government, andto change theeconomic especially the role of Federal government from nation-building to war structure ofAustralian society. In March·June 1907 Forrest was Acting Prime management; thegovernment also needed theproceeds ofa new Federal income Minister ofAustralia andActing Minister ForForeign Affairs. That was thehigh tax. The public and the Labour Party then became bitterly divided over the point of his career as a professional politician. question of compulsory overseas military service, which Forrest supported. When Forrest transferred to National politics he found that the new Federal During the ensuing party turmoil, andfollowing a further political fusion, the Parliament was preoccupied with establishing new national policies and new ex-Labour leader, Billy Hughes, emerged as leader ofa new National Party and 26 The Royal Western Australian Historical Society 27 Prime Minister, his machinations thereby preventing Forrest from leading Australia, as he had oncedoneWestern Australia. However, in 1917, Forrest COSTUME IN THE EARLY YEARS at last travelled in the first train to cross the Nullarbor Plain. He died in OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA September 1918, much honoured, but aggrieved.

AtthetimeofhisdeathForrest was remembered with affection inthe West as a progressive developer, and promoter of the interests of sandgropers. He by Tatiana de Fircks had capitalised on the Gold Boom, and given the colony strong and stable government at a time ofgreat excitement andprosperity. But innational politics he was regarded as an anti-socialist conservative and imperialist, committed Thediaries andlettersofthe early settlers, together with the newspapers of to preserving thestatusquoincapitalist society andintheBritish Empire, and theday, provide a valuable insight intoboththecostume andthewearers..The the parochial interests of the state governments in the Australian federation. combination produces a picture oflife at that time. Costume isalways a mirror His parliamentary record; hispublic speeches; hisadministrative activities; and ofthe age in which it is worn. hisprivate correspondence, particularly inthe years 1901·18 when he divided his time between Melbourne and Perth, do not reveal the vision and graspof Onarrival the first settlers found their belongings dumped onthebeach. There a national statesman. Rather, theyshow him to have been a successful regional they tried to arrange their possessions in a way which coul~ afford them the broker who was more interested in building railways anddeveloping the rural best protection against theelements andmarauders. Theluckier oneshadtents. economy than meeting the social and cultural needsof urban society. In the However, thewinter gales were often sosevere thatthey feared their tentswould later years ofhiscareer hewas oneofthewealthiest ofFederal politicians, and blow away. Despite this, some still changed their dress in the evening. They hisviews moved steadily towards the ideological Right, mainly in reaction to were often forced to live inthismanner for a period ranging from several weeks theextreme demands oftheideological Left, inparticular, thatland andincomes to seven months or more. Thewinter rains and storms, the summer drought, be heavily taxed, large estates be forcibly broken up and re-distributed, vital theunaccustomed sand, mosquitoes andflies andtheheatmade living notonly industries be nationalised, and members of Parliament obey the directives of difficult butoften unbearable. They hadcome ill-prepared andill-equipped. With both their caucus colleagues and their outside patrons. Forrest knew that a only theuntouched wilderness before them, they musthave feltthey hadcome gentleman didnot needto sign a written pledge in orderto keep him honest. totheendofthe earth. Itisto theircreditthatthe majority struggled gallantly onwith indomitable courage, ingenuity, andabove all else an unshakeable faith Forrest and his wife maintained a suiteof rooms and a carriage - later a in God. motor car - at the Grand Hotel in Melbourne. They entertained lavishly, and moved invice-regal circles andamong the mansions ofToorak, St. Kilda and Thepioneering life had the effect of simplifying dressin the infant Colony. Mount Macedon. Forrest's 18stonebulkandhissocial ostentation were prime However, formal occasions saw theprescribed fashions ofthetimeadhered to. objects of political satire. He immensely enjoyed the pomp and pageantry of By the end of the 1820s the style of women's dresshad undergone a ch~~ge thecoronations inLondon in1902 and 1911; the public congratulations at the inEngland. Thewaist, held inbytight lacing, dropped to a more natural positron timeofhisfiftieth year ofpublic service; and the adulation which greeted the from its previous height. Increasing amounts of petticoats began to be worn announcement that he would be elevated to the British peerage in 1918. He under thefuller skirts. Shorter hemlines revealed white-stockinged ankles and also spent much money and effort in tracing the Scottish genealogy of the feet shodinflat, dainty slippers. Sleeves grew insize and were termed 'leg-of­ Forrest family, andinediting thefamily tree. Nevertheless, hiscareer exemplified rnuttons'. In themid·1830s women's costume achieved theXshaped silhouette the colonial model of success in 'the working man'sparadise'. It showed how topped by large hats and bonnets. During the same yea~s men's fash.ion. saw energy, grit, determination andtheright circumstances could enable a colonial­ the tight pantaloons become looser and wider at the hips but rernam tight­ born youth from a workinq-class family to achieve wealth, influence andpolitical waisted. Pointed boots were worn onthefeet. Thewaistcoat andcoatwere now power, and even fame. permanent features ofmasculine dress. Thesilhouette ofmale costu~e ech?ed • ••• • that ofwomen's with itswasp waist andfullness intheshoulders andhips. Height was given bythetall, flaring top'hat, worn for allformal occasions except those The foregoing paper is based on Volume 2 of Professor Crowley's biography of Forrest requiring courtdress. Thecrisppoints ofthe shirtcollar were held in place by 1847·1918 which is nearing completion for publication. Volume 1, with the sub-title the wide stock. Among the materials used in men's costume were camelot, Apprenticeshipto Premiership, waspublished by the University of QueenslandPress in 1971. nankeen and fustian.