Oscar Oates

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Edgar Alfred "Oscar" Oates (1 November 1889 – 2 September 1951 [a]) was an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1933 until his death.

He was born at Kangaroo Flat, 5 km north of Gawler, and was educated at the Gawler school, before working as a wharf labourer at Port Adelaide. He was a member of the Waterside Workers Federation from 1916 to the day he died, and served as president of its Port Adelaide branch and on its state executive. He was a fierce union rival of future independent MP Thomas Thompson, ousting Thompson as branch president and expelling him from the union.[2][3][4][5][6] He was also president of the SA Public Schools Committees' Association and president of the state executive of the Working Men's Association.[7][8][4]

He was elected for Labor in 1933 to the Legislative Council for the Central No. 1 district, with a substantial support from preferences.[9]

During his term of office he made three attempts to introduce a State lottery, and was about to make a fourth on the week he died. He also made considerable attempts to have a new hospital built in the Port Adelaide area. He was a member of the Parliamentary Land Settlement Committee, and Libraries and Printing Committees.[2]

He died suddenly at his Rosewater home in 1951 while still in office; he had been scheduled to be the main speaker at a Labor rally later that day.[2] He was buried at Cheltenham Cemetery, and the Waterside Workers' Federation donated a new pulpit for Dale Street Central Mission Church in his honour.[10][11]

He was married to Ada Grace; they had a son, Alfred J. G. Oates of Rosewater and a daughter Joan, Mrs. A McDonald of Rosewater Gardens. They lived at 38 Junction road. Rosewater.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ His parliamentary biography gives his date of birth as 1 November 1889,[1] which would make his age at death as 61, while his death notice gives his age as 63,[2] which would make his year of birth as 1887 or 1888.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Mr Edgar Oates". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sudden death of Mr. E. A. Oates. M.L.C." The Advertiser. 3 September 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "Waterside workers". The News. 28 September 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  4. ^ a b "State elections who's who in fight for Central District No. 1". The News. 21 March 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "Waterside workers picnic at Gawler". The Bunyip. 11 February 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "Expelled from union". The News. 10 May 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "Letters to Editor". The News. 5 September 1951. p. 13. Retrieved 21 November 2014 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Offended his union". The News. 13 April 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "Majority of 12 on re-count". The Advertiser. 14 April 1933. p. 9. Retrieved 21 November 2014 – via Trove.
  10. ^ "Parliamentary tribute to Mr. Oates". The Advertiser. 4 September 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
  11. ^ "Watersiders' gift praised". The Advertiser. 16 November 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 21 September 2018 – via Trove.
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