Alfred James Jones
Encyclopedia
He was born at Gayndah, Queensland
in 1871, and after a basic education became a stockman and miner
. He spent a short time teaching, was a Cobb & Co driver and spent six years mining. He married Martha Elizabeth Leggett in Gayndah in 1895.
seats for the Australian Labor Party
, and held three of them. He won Burnett
in 1904 with 68% of the vote, but lost the seat after one term and failed to regain it in the 1912 election.
He won Maryborough
in 1915
with about 56% of the vote. He resigned on the 14 February 1917 to become Leader of the Government in the upper house
.
He contested Carnarvon
in 1920
but was not elected, and returned to the upper house. He was one of the last members of the Queensland Legislative Council, as he led the vote to abolish the upper house in 1921, leading to its abolition on 3 March 1922.
He won Paddington in 1922 and held the seat until 1932 when the district was abolished due to redistribution. Jones was Secretary for Mines for most of the period from 1917 to 1929.
from 1932 to 1940. He attempted to solidify the Greater Brisbane vision of the 1925 amalgamation with a large system of civic loans, but his administration was plagued by accusations of corruption and inefficiency, leading to a complete Labor collapse in the 1940 election.
Jones died in hospital in Brisbane on 7 October 1945.
Gayndah, Queensland
Gayndah is a town located on the Burnett River in Queensland, Australia. It is north of the state capital, Brisbane, and west of the regional city of Maryborough. The Burnett Highway passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Gayndah had a population of 1,745.-History:Exploration of the...
in 1871, and after a basic education became a stockman and miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
. He spent a short time teaching, was a Cobb & Co driver and spent six years mining. He married Martha Elizabeth Leggett in Gayndah in 1895.
Queensland Legislative Assembly
Jones contested four Queensland Legislative AssemblyQueensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
seats for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, and held three of them. He won Burnett
Electoral district of Burnett
The district of Burnett is an electoral division of the Queensland Legislative Assembly in central Queensland, Australia.It covers most of the coastal region south of Gladstone, as well as coastal and inland regions around Bundaberg. Towns within its boundaries include Miriam Vale, Agnes Water,...
in 1904 with 68% of the vote, but lost the seat after one term and failed to regain it in the 1912 election.
He won Maryborough
Electoral district of Maryborough
The district of Maryborough is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is centred on the regional city of Maryborough and takes in other surrounding communities....
in 1915
Queensland state election, 1915
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 22 May 1915 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.The election was the second for the Ministerialist government of Digby Denham, who had been premier since 7 February 1911. The opposition Labor Party, led by T. J...
with about 56% of the vote. He resigned on the 14 February 1917 to become Leader of the Government in the upper house
Queensland Legislative Council
The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...
.
He contested Carnarvon
Electoral district of Carnarvon
Carnarvon was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland that existed from 1873 to 1992.The district took in rural areas in southern Queensland, including the towns of Stanthorpe and Goondiwindi....
in 1920
Queensland state election, 1920
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 9 October 1920 to elect the 72 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. The Labor government was seeking its third term in office since the 1915 election; it would be Premier Ted Theodore's first election.During the previous term, a...
but was not elected, and returned to the upper house. He was one of the last members of the Queensland Legislative Council, as he led the vote to abolish the upper house in 1921, leading to its abolition on 3 March 1922.
He won Paddington in 1922 and held the seat until 1932 when the district was abolished due to redistribution. Jones was Secretary for Mines for most of the period from 1917 to 1929.
Lord Mayor
Jones was Lord Mayor of BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
from 1932 to 1940. He attempted to solidify the Greater Brisbane vision of the 1925 amalgamation with a large system of civic loans, but his administration was plagued by accusations of corruption and inefficiency, leading to a complete Labor collapse in the 1940 election.
Jones died in hospital in Brisbane on 7 October 1945.
External links
- Jones, Alfred James (1871–1945). Australian Dictionary of Biography.