William Moss
Encyclopedia
William Lionel Moss CBE
(9 October 1891 – 4 June 1971) was an Australian grazier who served as federal president of the Australian Country Party from 1962 to 1968.
Moss was born near Numurkah
to farmer Frederick George Moss and Isabella, née Spiers. He attended local state schools and helpd on his parents' property before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force
on 1 February 1917. He served in the 12th Army Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery as a gunner on the Western Front
, but was badly gassed in October 1918 and returned to Australia; he was discharged from the AIF on 19 February 1919.
Returning to Victoria, Moss farmed wheat and wool at Numurkah and joined the Victorian Farmers' Union. In July 1930 he visited Canberra
in his capacity as vice-president of the Victorian Wheat Growers' Association as a lobbyist, and joined the Australian Country Party in 1931. Moss opposed the pledge guaranteeing support for party policy instituted by the United Country Party
and ran against the UCP's candidate John McEwen
for the seat of Echuca
in 1934 as the federal party's endorsed candidate. There was another split in 1938, when McEwen accepted office in the Lyons
government; this time Moss supported McEwen and joined the breakaway Liberal Country Party
. The parties were reunited in 1943 and Moss was involved in drafting the new constitution. He contested the Senate
unsuccessfully in 1946.
In 1949 Moss was elected state president of the Victorian Country Party, serving until 1952. He was appointed commissioner of the State Savings Bank of Victoria in 1951 and served as chairman in 1958, 1963 and 1968. He was a councillor of the Shire of Numurkah
from 1939 to 1955 (president 1943) and was chairman of the Goulburn Regional Committee from 1944 to 1954. On 17 December 1953, at the age of 62, he married 28-year-old Dorothy Gertrude Hill at the Presbyterian Church in Batesford
.
In 1962 Moss was elected federal president of the Country Party, serving until 1968. He regularly contributed to a variety of newspapers, and was chairman of the Enterprise of New Guinea Gold and Petroleum Development company. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1965. Moss died at Camberwell
in 1971 and was buried at Numurkah.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(9 October 1891 – 4 June 1971) was an Australian grazier who served as federal president of the Australian Country Party from 1962 to 1968.
Moss was born near Numurkah
Numurkah, Victoria
Numurkah is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Goulburn Valley Highway, north of Shepparton, in the Shire of Moira. At the 2006 census, Numurkah had a population of 4,643.- History :...
to farmer Frederick George Moss and Isabella, née Spiers. He attended local state schools and helpd on his parents' property before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
on 1 February 1917. He served in the 12th Army Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery as a gunner on the Western Front
Western Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
, but was badly gassed in October 1918 and returned to Australia; he was discharged from the AIF on 19 February 1919.
Returning to Victoria, Moss farmed wheat and wool at Numurkah and joined the Victorian Farmers' Union. In July 1930 he visited Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in his capacity as vice-president of the Victorian Wheat Growers' Association as a lobbyist, and joined the Australian Country Party in 1931. Moss opposed the pledge guaranteeing support for party policy instituted by the United Country Party
United Country Party (Australia)
The United Country Party was the name given to the "loyalist" faction of the Victorian branch of the Australian Country Party following a split in 1937 resulting from the expulsion of federal MP John McEwen for supporting the federal Coalition government...
and ran against the UCP's candidate John McEwen
John McEwen
Sir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
for the seat of Echuca
Division of Echuca
The Division of Echuca was anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria.The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1937. It was named for the town of Echuca. It was located in the Murray Valley area,...
in 1934 as the federal party's endorsed candidate. There was another split in 1938, when McEwen accepted office in the Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
government; this time Moss supported McEwen and joined the breakaway Liberal Country Party
Liberal Country Party
The Liberal Country Party was a splinter group of the Victorian branch of the Australian Country Party, formed after federal MP John McEwen was expelled from the state branch, the United Country Party, for accepting a ministry in the Lyons-Page Coalition government in 1937...
. The parties were reunited in 1943 and Moss was involved in drafting the new constitution. He contested the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
unsuccessfully in 1946.
In 1949 Moss was elected state president of the Victorian Country Party, serving until 1952. He was appointed commissioner of the State Savings Bank of Victoria in 1951 and served as chairman in 1958, 1963 and 1968. He was a councillor of the Shire of Numurkah
Shire of Numurkah
The Shire of Numurkah was a Local Government Area located on the Murray River in the Goulburn Valley region about north of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia...
from 1939 to 1955 (president 1943) and was chairman of the Goulburn Regional Committee from 1944 to 1954. On 17 December 1953, at the age of 62, he married 28-year-old Dorothy Gertrude Hill at the Presbyterian Church in Batesford
Batesford, Victoria
Batesford, Victoria is a small township located approximately 10 kilometres west of Geelong and 167 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Melbourne.It is located on the banks of the Moorabool River and on the Midland Highway.-History:...
.
In 1962 Moss was elected federal president of the Country Party, serving until 1968. He regularly contributed to a variety of newspapers, and was chairman of the Enterprise of New Guinea Gold and Petroleum Development company. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1965. Moss died at Camberwell
Camberwell, Victoria
Camberwell is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Camberwell had a population of 19,637....
in 1971 and was buried at Numurkah.