Hugh Langwell
Hugh Langwell (1860 – 15 May 1933) was an Irish-born politician, trade unionist and public servant in New South Wales, Australia. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Amalgamated Shearers Union, Western Lands Board and Lord Howe Island Board of Control.
Early life[edit]
Langwell was born in Belfast to farmer Hugh Langwell and Matilda McCully. While he was very young the family moved to Victoria and he was educated at Warrnambool. He moved to New South Wales in 1880, becoming a stationworker and shearer. Around 1892 he married Sarah Jane Brooks, with whom he had eight children. He settled in Bourke, where he owned a small newsagency, tobacconist and barber shop.[1]
Legislative Assembly[edit]
In 1891 he was the chairman and executive officer of the Bourke branch of the Amalgamated Shearers Union,[2] and was unanimously endorsed as a candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Bourke by the Bourke Labor Electoral League,[3] where was the first of 3 members elected.[4] He was not however endorsed by the new Parliamentary Labour Party,[5] as the Bourke Labor Electoral League had modified the official Labour platform and he did not join the Labour caucus, sitting as an Independent Labour member.[1][4] After taking his seat in the assembly, the first vote was that the Assembly had no confidence in the Parkes government. Labour had decided to support the Parkes government in return for concessions, however Langwell voted with the opposition,[6] later stating that he had done so because he had been elected after campaigning in opposition to the government.[7] Otherwise he generally voted with the Labour party.[1] Multi-member constituencies were abolished in 1894 and Bourke was reduced from 3 members to 1. There was some doubt as to his party status at the 1894 election, with the Wagga Wagga Worker listing him as a Labor candidate,[8] while the Brisbane Worker listed him as a modified pledge Labor candidate.[9] The Sydney Morning Herald did not include him in its list of endorsed Labor candidates,[10] and Antony Green lists him as an Independent Labour candidate.[11] He was defeated at the election in 1894,[11] and did not stand for the Legislative Assembly again.
Legislative Council and later life[edit]
In 1900 he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council by the protectionist Lyne government, but he resigned early in 1902,[12] after his controversial appointment as Commissioner of the Western Lands Board by the Progressive See government on a salary of £1,000 per year.[13][14] In 1912 he was appointed to inquire into the palm seed industry of Lord Howe Island.[15] The Government, not being prepared to accept his report sent Walter Bevan to further investigate the position on the island, only to get what were essentially the same recommendations.[16] Subsequently, he was appointed a member of the Lord Howe Island Board of Control which was responsible for administering the affairs of the island.[17] He was Chief Commissioner and Chairman of the Western Lands Board from 1922.[1] In 1931 the Lang government appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the administration of the Western Lands Division, including whether the commissioners were guilty of misbehaviour or incompetence.[18] The commissioner, Ernest Arthur Prior, found that they had been negligent and incompetent,[19] and they were dismissed on the advice of cabinet.[1][20]
Death[edit]
Langwell died in Bondi on 15 May 1933 (aged 72–73).[12][17]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Atchison, John. "Langwell, Hugh (1859–1933)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ^ "Amalgamated Shearers Union". Western Herald. 16 May 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Labor candidate". Western Herald. 13 June 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ a b Green, Antony. "1891 Bourke". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Langwell of the shearers". Barrier Miner. 30 July 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Legislative Assembly: the want of confidence motion defeated". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 July 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Mr. Langwell in Bourke". Western Herald. 1 July 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Labor federation and Labor Electoral League". The Worker (Wagga). 30 June 1894. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "N.S.W. Labour Candidates". The Worker (Brisbane). 7 July 1894. p. 4. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Selected candidates". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 July 1894. p. 5. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ a b Green, Antony. "1894 Bourke". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Mr Hugh Langwell (1860-1933)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
- ^ "The Western Lands Board". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 January 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Hounding down Langwell". The Catholic Press. 18 January 1902. p. 18. Retrieved 28 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Kentia palm trade". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 May 1911. p. 7. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "A little goldmine". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 November 1912. p. 21. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Mr H Langwell". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 May 1933. p. 17. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Western Lands: Commission's terms of reference". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 May 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Western Lands: Mr Prior's report". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 November 1931. p. 9. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Administration of the Western Division of New South Wales". State Archives and Records. Government of New South Wales. 30 October 1931. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
