A SHEARER-MINISTER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143647, 15 November 1911, Page 8

A SHEARER-MINISTER.

All parties united in expressing deep regret at the death of Mr. Donald Macdonell, Chief Secretary in the New South Wales Government. While he was one of the strong men of the Labour Party, and a hard hitter, his ability won the respect of his opponents, and his fairness, sincerity unselfishness and kindly disposition, their regard. Mr. Macdonell helped to make political history in Australia. He was a shearer by trade, and a champion, too, and the best years of his life were devoted to building up the Shearers’ Union into a great industrial and political body. He was one of the original members of the Australian Workers’ Union, as the Shearers’ Union came to be called, and from the first laboured to weld the scattered forces of country' workers into ono organisation, succeeding so wcl’ that te-day the A.W.U. is the most powerful union in Australia. Hie success of the union’s claim before the Arbitration Court in IDO7 was due to his energy and ability, and it is said he was W'orth half a dozen men in the instruction of the lawyers. Two characteristic stories of the man are told by the Sydney Morning Herald. One day, years ago, a tramp was trudging along under the , burden of his swag, on a dusty road near Bourkc, when a man rode up to him. “Going far?” said , the. horseman. “To Bourke,'’ “You look tired.” “Y’cs, mate,” The tramp looked down at his feet. “It’s the boots—they’re done for —a fellow can’t walk far on boots without soles.” When the tramp looked up again the horseman was on the ground, taking his boots off. y “Here, take these,” he said: “I’m riding,’’ land ./he ’next moment ho was in the saddle again, with his stockinged toot in the stirrups. The horseman was Donald Macdonell. Yeans later he;, jumped into the water from a ferry boat fn Sydney Harbour and rescued a fellow passenger, hut took steps to prevent an account of the rescue getting into the papers. “There never was a man more modest,, more unassuming, more averse to the limelight, than the shearer who became Chief Secretary of New South Wales.” Ho is also described as “a man of unfailing courtesy to all, generous to a fault, self-dcny'ing and sclf-sacrificing without pretence.” It is no wonder his loss is deplored by foes as well as friends.