George Weir
Encyclopedia
George Weir was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1941 to 1953.
. He was the son of George Weir, telegraphist, and Alice Ada Evans. He received his education at Burwood Public School and Parramatta High School. In 1926, he received his Bachelor of Laws
from the University of Sydney
. In 1920, he entered public service as a Junior Clerk in Crown Solicitors Office where he remained until 1927. Weir was admitted to the Bar in 1926. He transferred to Public Trustees Office as a Conveyancing Clerk in 1927. On 24 March 1928, he married Elsie Rose Gentle with whom he would have two sons. Rapidly rising through the ranks, he was Chief Clerk at the Probate Office from 1933 until 1939. He was appointed to the Executive of the Public Service Association of New South Wales in 1933 and served as President from 1936 to 1939. He was also elected President of the Australian Public Service Federation in 1937 and served until 1939. Weir resigned from the Public Service in 1939 to go to the Bar.
to replace former Premier Bertram Stevens. David Hunter
of the United Australia Party
won the seat. Weir was elected to Parliament 1941 for the seat of Dulwich Hill, New South Wales as a member of the Australian Labor Party
. He retained the seat until 1953. While a Member of Parliament, Weir served as an Assistant Minister in 1946. Weir was also chairman of directors of Association of Co-operative Building Societies from 1943 to 1946. Between 1946 and 1952, he was the Minister of Conservation. For a brief time in 1952, he was the Acting Minister for Transport. In 1952–53, he was a Minister without Portfolio
. Weir resigned from parliament in 1953 when he was appointed as a Judge for the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
where he remained until 1956.
Weir died at Five Dock, New South Wales
on 4 July 1956. His funeral was held at the Rookwood Cemetery
in the Church of England section.
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 1941 to 1953.
Early life
Weir was born in Flemington, New South WalesFlemington, New South Wales
Flemington is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Flemington is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield.-Commercial area:...
. He was the son of George Weir, telegraphist, and Alice Ada Evans. He received his education at Burwood Public School and Parramatta High School. In 1926, he received his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. In 1920, he entered public service as a Junior Clerk in Crown Solicitors Office where he remained until 1927. Weir was admitted to the Bar in 1926. He transferred to Public Trustees Office as a Conveyancing Clerk in 1927. On 24 March 1928, he married Elsie Rose Gentle with whom he would have two sons. Rapidly rising through the ranks, he was Chief Clerk at the Probate Office from 1933 until 1939. He was appointed to the Executive of the Public Service Association of New South Wales in 1933 and served as President from 1936 to 1939. He was also elected President of the Australian Public Service Federation in 1937 and served until 1939. Weir resigned from the Public Service in 1939 to go to the Bar.
Political Career
In 1940, Weir ran in his first by-election in Croydon, New South WalesCroydon, New South Wales
Croydon is an affluent suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Croydon is located 11 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district. Croydon is split between the two local government areas of Burwood Council and the Municipality of Ashfield.The...
to replace former Premier Bertram Stevens. David Hunter
David Hunter (politician)
David Benjamin Hunter was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1940 to 1976, representing three successive conservative parties - the United Australia Party, Democratic Party, and Liberal Party...
of the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
won the seat. Weir was elected to Parliament 1941 for the seat of Dulwich Hill, New South Wales as 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...
. He retained the seat until 1953. While a Member of Parliament, Weir served as an Assistant Minister in 1946. Weir was also chairman of directors of Association of Co-operative Building Societies from 1943 to 1946. Between 1946 and 1952, he was the Minister of Conservation. For a brief time in 1952, he was the Acting Minister for Transport. In 1952–53, he was a Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
. Weir resigned from parliament in 1953 when he was appointed as a Judge for the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
The Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales conciliates and arbitrates industrial disputes, sets conditions of employment and fixes wages and salaries by making industrial awards, approves enterprise agreements and decides claims of unfair dismissal in New South Wales, a state of Australia...
where he remained until 1956.
Later Life and Death
From 1953 until 1956, he served as Chairman of the Crown Employees Appeal Board. In 1954, he was the President of the Men of the Land Society.Weir died at Five Dock, New South Wales
Five Dock, New South Wales
Five Dock is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Five Dock is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local Government Area of the City of Canada Bay.-Location:...
on 4 July 1956. His funeral was held at the Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in the Church of England section.
Books
- Probate Law and Practice: Being the Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898-1939 (N.S.W.), with Rules thereunder, Exhaustively Annotated: Together with a Collection of Acts, Local and Imperial, Dealing with Such Matters and with Appendices of Forms and Other Practice Matters, with Roland Hastings, Simmons Ltd., 1939
- 50 Years of Labor in Politics, Industrial Publications, [1945?]
- Probate Law and Practice: Being the Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898-1947 (N.S.W.), with Rules thereunder, Exhaustively Annotated: Together with a Collection of Acts, Local and Imperial, Dealing with Such Matters and with Appendices of Forms and Other Practice Matters, with Roland Hastings and assisted by from H.W. Gulliver, Simmons Ltd., 1948