Claude Matthews (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Claude Hilton Matthews (19 January 1899 – 9 January 1954) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1934 until his death in 1954 . He was variously a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) and the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
. He held a number of ministerial positions including Colonial Secretary
He was the son of a foreman and was educated at Petersham High School. He worked with the New South Wales Government Railways
as a labourer and became an official of the Federated Ironworkers' Association.
who unsuccessfully contested the seat of Watson
at the 1934 federal election
. He retained the seat for the next 7 elections. He committed suicide while still in office in 1954.
. He held the positions of Minister for Building Materials and Minister for Tourism and Immigration before becoming Colonial Secretary between 1949 and 1950.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1934 until his death in 1954 . He was variously a member of 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...
(ALP) and the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
Australian Labor Party (NSW)
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
. He held a number of ministerial positions including Colonial Secretary
Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
Early and personal life
Matthews was born in Rylstone, New South WalesRylstone, New South Wales
Rylstone is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Central Tablelands region within the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area. It is located on the Bylong Valley Way road route...
He was the son of a foreman and was educated at Petersham High School. He worked with the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
as a labourer and became an official of the Federated Ironworkers' Association.
State Parliament
Matthews was elected as the Labor member for Leichhardt at the 1934 by-election caused by the resignation of the sitting member Joe LamaroJoe Lamaro
Joseph "Joe" Lamaro was an Australian politician.Born in Redfern to shopkeeper Deico Lamaro and Maria Giuseppa Taranto, Italian migrants, he attended St Joseph's School in Newtown and St Patrick's College in Goulburn before studying at the University of Sydney, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1915...
who unsuccessfully contested the seat of Watson
Division of Watson
The Division of Watson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, and includes the suburbs of Belfield, Belmore, Burwood Heights, Campsie, Chullora, Clemton Park, Enfield, Greenacre, Lakemba, Mount Lewis, Roselands,...
at the 1934 federal election
Australian federal election, 1934
Federal elections were held in Australia on 15 September 1934. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led...
. He retained the seat for the next 7 elections. He committed suicide while still in office in 1954.
Government
Matthews held ministerial positions in the government of James McGirrJames McGirr
James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...
. He held the positions of Minister for Building Materials and Minister for Tourism and Immigration before becoming Colonial Secretary between 1949 and 1950.