Hal Colebatch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Hal Colebatch
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| 12th Premier of Western Australia | |
| In office 17 April 1919 – 17 May 1919 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Governor | Sir William Ellison-Macartney |
| Preceded by | Sir Henry Lefroy |
| Succeeded by | Sir James Mitchell |
| Minister for Education | |
| In office 27 July 1916 – 17 June 1923 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Walker |
| Succeeded by | John Ewing |
| Minister for Public Health | |
| In office 17 May 1919 – 3 April 1921 |
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| Succeeded by | Frank Broun |
| Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council | |
| In office 22 May 1912 – 17 June 1923 Serving with Vernon Hamersley, Thomas Wilding and Charles Baxter
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| Preceded by | Warren Marwick |
| Succeeded by | William Carroll |
| Constituency | East Province |
| Senator for Western Australia | |
| In office 1 July 1929 – 20 March 1933 Serving with George Pearce, Patrick Lynch, Walter Kingsmill, William Carroll and Bertie Johnston
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| Preceded by | Charles Graham Ted Needham |
| Succeeded by | Herbert Collett |
| Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council | |
| In office 22 May 1940 – 21 May 1948 Serving with Leonard Bolton and James Gordon Hislop
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| Preceded by | James Franklin |
| Succeeded by | Keith Watson Harry Hearn |
| Constituency | Metropolitan Province |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harry Pateshall Colebatch
29 March 1872 Underley, Wolferlow, Herefordshire, England |
| Died | 12 February 1953 (aged 80) Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Resting place | Karrakatta Cemetery |
| Political party | Liberal (1912–1917) Nationalist (1917–) United Australia Party Liberal (1945–1948) |
| Spouses |
Mary Maude Saunders
(m. 1896; died 1940)Marion Frances Gibson
(m. 1944) |
| Children | Hal G. P. Colebatch |
| Occupation | Journalist, politician |
Sir Harry Pateshall Colebatch (29 March 1872 – 12 February 1953) was an important figure in Western Australian politics. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for almost 20 years. He also served as the Premier of Western Australia for one month in 1919. Later, he was the state's representative in London, called the agent-general, for five years. He also spent four years as a senator in the Australian Parliament.
Colebatch was known for supporting free trade and a strong federal system for Australia. He also believed Western Australia should separate from the rest of Australia. He was against communism, socialism, and fascism. Born in England, his family moved to South Australia when he was four. He started working at age 11 for newspapers. He later moved to Broken Hill and then to the Western Australian Goldfields during the gold rush. He worked for several newspapers before starting his own, The Northam Advertiser, in Northam. He was also the mayor of Northam from 1909 to 1912.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Harry Pateshall Colebatch was born on 29 March 1872 in Underley, England. His father was a chemist and farmer. The family was not rich. Due to tough economic times in England, his family moved to South Australia in 1878. They settled in Goolwa, South Australia, where they had relatives.
At age eleven, Colebatch had to leave school because his family could not afford it. He passed an exam to leave school early in August 1883. His first job was at a small newspaper in Adelaide. He worked as a junior reporter and helped with printing. He also took evening classes to learn shorthand, literature, and Latin.
In 1888, at 16, Colebatch moved to Broken Hill in New South Wales. He worked as a reporter for the Silver Age newspaper for six years. Broken Hill faced many challenges, including droughts and worker strikes. Colebatch reported on these events. He also became very good at chess and was the Broken Hill chess champion.
Moving to Western Australia
In the early 1890s, gold was found in Coolgardie, Western Australia, and Kalgoorlie. This started a big gold rush in Western Australia. Colebatch's newspaper in Broken Hill was struggling. In 1894, he moved to Western Australia to work for a newspaper in Coolgardie. He had to walk 180 kilometres across the desert to get there.
Coolgardie's gold soon ran out, and Kalgoorlie became the biggest town in the Goldfields. Colebatch moved to Kalgoorlie to work for the Kalgoorlie Miner. In Kalgoorlie, he met Mary Maud Saunders, who would become his wife. In 1896, they moved to Perth, the capital city. Colebatch joined the Morning Herald as its mining and chess editor. He also reported for other newspapers. He married Mary Saunders on 29 April 1896.
Colebatch faced a challenge in 1898. He was banned from the parliamentary press gallery for reporting an exaggerated story about a fight between politicians. The story turned out to be just a verbal disagreement. After public criticism, the ban was lifted. He became the state chess champion in 1898. Colebatch was against the federation of Australia, believing it would not benefit Western Australia. However, Western Australia voted to join the federation in 1900.
Life in Northam
In 1904, Colebatch moved to Northam and bought his own newspaper, The Northam Advertiser. He focused on the journalism side, and the newspaper did well. He had two sons, Harley and Gordon Lindsay, and wanted a more stable life.
In Northam, Colebatch became good friends with James Mitchell, a local bank manager. Colebatch encouraged Mitchell to run for state parliament and helped manage his campaign. Mitchell won the seat of Northam in 1905. Colebatch often put Mitchell's political career first. Mitchell quickly became a minister in 1906.
Colebatch was a well-known person in Northam. He helped create bowling clubs and became vice-president of the Western Australian Bowling Association. In November 1909, he was elected mayor of Northam without opposition. As mayor, he oversaw the paving of Northam's roads and improvements to the Avon River. He secured large grants from the state government for these projects.
Entering State Politics
Colebatch first ran for parliament in 1910 but lost. He tried again in 1911 and was narrowly defeated. In 1912, he helped form a Liberal League in Northam and became part of the Liberal Party's executive committee. He decided to run for the East Province in the Legislative Council in May 1912. He won, taking his seat on 27 June 1912.
In Opposition and Government Roles
Colebatch quickly became a strong voice in the Legislative Council. He was a sharp debater and often criticized the Labor government led by John Scaddan. He was against the government owning and running many businesses, like brickworks and tramways. He believed private businesses were better. He fought against the bill to nationalize Perth's tramways, arguing it was unfair.
Colebatch also helped shape important laws about workers' rights. He worked to make sure workers' compensation applied to more people. He also helped improve laws about how unions and businesses settled disagreements. He became a vice-president of the Liberal Party in 1913.
In July 1916, the Liberal and Country parties formed a new government. Frank Wilson became premier. Colebatch was chosen to be the Minister for Education and Colonial Secretary. He was also the government leader in the Legislative Council. He loved being the education minister. He had always wanted to create high schools outside of Perth. He established district high schools in Northam, Geraldton, Bunbury, and Albany. He also created scholarships for children from rural areas.
Colebatch supported conscription (forcing people to join the army) during World War I. Both of his sons joined the army and fought in France. One son, Gordon, was badly injured. Colebatch also chaired a fund to help soldiers and their families. He worked to turn Rottnest Island from a prison into a holiday resort. The last prisoners left the island by 1922.
In May 1917, the Liberal Party became the Nationalist Party. Henry Lefroy became the new premier. Colebatch remained a minister and became the unofficial deputy premier.
The Spanish Flu and Premier Role
In late 1918, the Spanish flu spread around the world. As Colonial Secretary, Colebatch was in charge of public health. When a ship with sick soldiers arrived in Fremantle, he set up an emergency isolation camp. He criticized the federal government for not doing enough to help.
In early 1919, while Premier Lefroy was away, Colebatch became acting premier. When the Spanish flu broke out in other Australian states, Colebatch decided to close Western Australia's border. This meant Lefroy and other ministers were stuck outside the state. Western Australians strongly supported Colebatch's actions to protect the state.
In April 1919, Lefroy resigned, and Colebatch became Premier. He was the only premier to come from the Legislative Council. He also became the Treasurer, Minister for Education, and Minister for Railways. He brought James Mitchell back into the cabinet.
A major event during his time as premier was the 1919 Fremantle Wharf riot. Two different unions were fighting over work at Fremantle Harbour. Colebatch tried to get the federal government to help, but they refused. On 1 May, Colebatch and other officials went to the wharf by boat. Union members threw rocks at their boats. A riot broke out between union workers and police. A man was injured and later died. Colebatch did not want police to use their guns. He announced on 8 May that one union agreed to leave the wharf to stop the conflict.
Colebatch resigned as premier on 15 May 1919. He was having health problems and could not find a seat in the Legislative Assembly. James Mitchell became premier. Colebatch remained a minister, taking on roles like Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Health. He was also deputy premier again.
Working with the Mitchell Government
Colebatch often represented Premier Mitchell at meetings with the prime minister and other state leaders. He was against the federal government gaining too much power. In 1920, he toured the north-west of Western Australia, a region often overlooked. He traveled 8,000 kilometers over three months.
He helped convince Prime Minister Billy Hughes to increase immigration to Western Australia. This was important for growing the state's population and building its infrastructure. An agreement was signed to bring 75,000 British migrants to the state. Colebatch also worked to reduce unemployment by starting public works projects.
In 1923, Colebatch was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. Later that year, Mitchell chose Colebatch to be the next Agent-General for Western Australia in London. He resigned from parliament on 17 June 1923.
Agent-General in London
On his way to England, Colebatch visited Queensland. He found Frank Wise, who later became a Labor premier of Western Australia. In India, he became very ill and was diagnosed with diabetes.
In London, Colebatch represented Western Australia. His job included talking with the British and Australian governments, finding loans, buying things for state departments, and promoting migration to Western Australia. He also helped Western Australians visiting London.
He became chairman of the Australian section for the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. He found it hard to get loans for Western Australia because the London money market was slow. In 1927, he was made a Knight Bachelor (meaning he became "Sir Hal Colebatch").
While in London, Colebatch and his wife traveled to Italy. His son, Gordon, arranged a private meeting between Colebatch and Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy. This trip helped Colebatch form his strong anti-fascist beliefs.
Returning to Australia and the Senate
After returning to Australia in 1927, Colebatch wrote a book about Western Australia's history. It was called A Story of A Hundred Years: Western Australia 1829–1929. He wrote most of it himself.
He also joined the Royal Commission on the Constitution. This group suggested changes to Australia's constitution. Colebatch suggested that the way senators were elected should change to proportional representation. This idea was adopted 20 years later.
Serving in the Australian Senate
Colebatch was elected as a senator for Western Australia in 1928. He took his seat on 1 July 1929. He told the Nationalist Party that he would not always follow party rules. He believed the Senate should represent the states, not just political parties.
During the Great Depression, Colebatch spoke out against protectionism (taxes on imported goods). He believed it hurt Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, which relied on exports. He argued that protectionism made the Great Depression worse. He was one of the few politicians to oppose raising tariffs. He also pushed for the government to pay market price for gold, which helped Western Australia's gold industry.
Colebatch was the vice-chairman of a committee that looked into how the Senate worked. His recommendations led to the creation of the Committee of Regulations and Ordinances, which became a permanent part of the Senate. He also became friends with a Labor senator, James Patrick Digger Dunn, even though they had very different political views.
In 1931, Colebatch helped ensure all Coalition members were present for a vote that led to an early election. This election resulted in the defeat of the Labor government. However, Colebatch was disappointed that the new government was still very protectionist.
Second Term as Agent-General
In January 1933, James Mitchell offered Colebatch the agent-general position again. Colebatch accepted, believing his efforts against protectionism in the Senate were not working. He became the first person to be agent-general for Western Australia twice.
Supporting Secessionism
Colebatch was involved in the campaign for Western Australian secession (leaving Australia). He joined the Dominion League, which supported secession. He became one of their main speakers.
On 8 April 1933, Western Australia held a referendum on secession. 66.23% of voters said yes to leaving Australia. The new Labor premier, Philip Collier, sent a delegation to London to ask the British Parliament for permission to secede. Colebatch led this delegation.
Colebatch knew the chances of success were low. He saw it as a way to get the federal government to treat Western Australia more fairly. The British Government said they would not allow secession unless all of Australia agreed. The British Parliament rejected the petition.
After this, the secession movement faded. However, Colebatch's efforts were not entirely in vain. The federal government soon reduced import taxes on some goods. It also created the Commonwealth Grants Commission to help distribute money fairly to the states. The federal government also started spending more on defense in Western Australia, building the Fremantle Fortress on Rottnest Island.
Other Activities as Agent-General
In 1933, Colebatch had to accept a British company's bid for a new generator for the East Perth Power Station. He was frustrated because a German bid was much cheaper, but import taxes made it more expensive. He also arranged to buy new ships, railcars, and trolleybuses for Western Australia.
He helped convince the Australian government to negotiate with Belgium. Belgium had stopped importing Australian goods after Australia raised taxes on Belgian glassware. Colebatch also suggested creating an Australian Trade Council.
He represented Australia at the funeral of King George V and the coronation of King George VI. He also helped arrange for James Mitchell to become the next lieutenant governor of Western Australia.
In 1936, Colebatch was reappointed Agent-General. He toured Scandinavia and Germany, giving lectures on Australian products. He met with anti-fascist Germans and some Nazi political figures. He also urged Britain to adopt conscription. When his term ended in 1939, he returned to Perth.
Later Life and Death
During World War II, Colebatch helped raise money for the war effort. Western Australia raised more money per person than richer states. He used his newspaper, The Northam Advertiser, to encourage people to take the war seriously and support conscription.
Colebatch was elected to the Legislative Council again in July 1940, representing the Metropolitan Province. He believed his experience in local, national, and international affairs would be useful during the war. He was also chairman of a Royal Commission that looked into how young offenders were cared for.
In the 1948 Western Australian Legislative Council election, Colebatch ran again but lost. The Liberal Party did not fully support him.
After a short illness, Colebatch died on 12 February 1953 at Royal Perth Hospital. He received a state funeral at St George's Cathedral. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.
Family Life
Colebatch married Mary Maud Saunders on 29 April 1896. They had two sons, Harley and Gordon Lindsay. Both sons fought in France during World War I, and Gordon was seriously injured. Mary Maud died on 20 January 1940.
Colebatch later met Marion Frances Gibson, an Army Nursing Sister. They married in December 1944 and had one son together, Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch.
