A LABOUR LEADER.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12410, 27 November 1908, Page 1

A LABOUR LEADER.

rrom t,he Primary school direct to fand m af- a S a t acter, and if he has the Kr ex Dor' ago he cm lgra te d to Australia. Queensland attracted him and he found emSSjfi'n' as « mi ncr on the Gymplt goldfields. Even then he had earnest convictions on social and polS questions, and ho seems to haveim pressed his fellow workers by his sScenty He joined the MineFs' uSon of course, and became first secretary and .subsequently president of that body. Twenty years ago he decided to offer his services to tho in 1893 when the labour movement w-as at length making solid progress, he was elected at the head of the poll for Gympie. In 1894 he moved in favour of industrial arbitration, j nd . n ' s ., formal motion, affirming tho desirability of legislation to deal with disputes, was seconded by Sir Hugh Nelson and carried unanimously. He lost his seat in. 1896, but three". years later he was again returned ' for UymDie and his abilities were recognised when he received a minor office in the short lived Dawson Government At the first Commonwealth elections he stood for Wide Bay, and was elected and he still represents: the constituency in the Federal Houpo of Representatives. The Labour members met in May, 1901 in elect a leader, and Mr Fsher was nominated by the Queensland group. Mr Watson was elected but the Wide Bay representative was regarded as denuty leader, and when Mr Watson formed his administration Mr Fisiier was appointed Minister of Customß. In 1905 he was formally appointed deputy leader of the party, and of course he succeeded to the leadership on Mr Watson's retirement-