Sir Charles Wade | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Justice of theSupreme Court of New South Wales | |
| In office 15 March 1920 – 26 September 1922 | |
| 17thPremier of New South Wales | |
| In office 2 October 1907 – 1 October 1910 | |
| Governor | Sir Harry Rawson Lord Chelmsford |
| Preceded by | Sir Joseph Carruthers |
| Succeeded by | James McGowen |
| Member of theNew South Wales Parliament forGordon | |
| In office 6 August 1904 – 21 February 1917 | |
| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Bavin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1863-01-26)26 January 1863 Singleton,Colony of New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 26 September 1922(1922-09-26) (aged 59) Potts Point,New South Wales, Australia |
Sir Charles Gregory WadeKCMG,KC,JP (26 January 1863 – 26 September 1922) wasPremier of New South Wales2 October 1907 – 21 October 1910. According toPercival Serle, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character. His ability, honesty and courage were quickly recognized and, though he could not be called a great leader, he was either in office or leader of the opposition for nearly the whole of his political life of 14 years. His career as a judge was short, but his sense of justice and grasp of principles and details, eminently fitted him for that position."[1]
Charles Gregory Wade was born inSingleton, New South Wales. He was the son of William Burton Wade, a civil engineer.[2] Educated atAll Saints College, Bathurst, andThe King's School,Parramatta. Wade won the Broughton and Forrest scholarships and went toMerton College, Oxford.[2] He had a distinguished career, both as a scholar and an athlete, graduating as Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with honours in classics in 1884 and representing his university and, eight times,England atrugby union[1] (for example, he played for England in the first Home Championship, becoming first to score a hat-trick of tries when playing againstWales).[2][3] He played county cricket forHerefordshire andShropshire between 1881 and 1884,[4] and also excelled atlawn tennis, rowing and target shooting.[1]
He was called to the bar at theInner Temple in 1886[2] and in the same year returned toSydney. He married Ella Louise Bell,[2] daughter of a civil engineer, in 1890. He made a reputation as a barrister and was appointed a crown prosecutor in 1891[2] and successfully prosecutedGeorge Dean for attempted murder in a notorious case in 1895. He was an acting Judge of theDistrict Court between 1896 and 1902.[5] From 1902, he represented employers before the new Industrial Arbitration Court.[1][6]
In September 1903, he ran successfully for theLegislative Assembly seat ofWilloughby, with the support of theLiberal and Reform Association, People's Reform League, New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, Loyal Orange Institution and Australian Protestant Defence Association. From 1904 to 1917, he representedGordon.[6][7]
Within a year of his first election he joined theCarruthers ministry asAttorney-General and Minister for Justice. When Carruthers resigned Wade became Premier on 2 October 1907, but still retained his previous portfolios. He was an energetic leader and a large number of acts were passed by his government dealing with among others, industrial disputes, neglected children, minimum wage, employers' liability, the liquor problem, and closer settlement. There was some remission of taxation and each year the treasurer was able to show a surplus. The greatBurrinjuck Dam for which the Carruthers government was responsible was started, and special care was taken that the consequent increase in the value of the land should be preserved for the people generally and not merely the landholders.[1]
During the 1909–10 coal strike, Wade appeared to favour the mine-owners and lost significant community support.[6]
In spite of his good record Wade was defeated at the general election, and a Labour government came in on 21 October 1910, Wade becoming leader of the opposition. In November 1916 there was a split in the Labor party on the issue of conscription, with premierWilliam Holman and 17 other pro-conscription Labor MPs were expelled from the party on the issue.[8] The eighteen formed agrand coalition with Liberal Reform, giving the coalition a majority in parliament, with Holman remaining Premier.[9]
Wade was prominent in the negotiations for a coalition,[10] but the state of his health did not allow him to seek office. He thus had no role when Liberal Reform merged with Holman's pro-conscription ex-Labor MPs a few months later to form the New South Wales branch of theNationalist Party of Australia, though the new party was dominated by Liberal Reformers. He also declined the office ofAgent-General for New South Wales but went to London on holiday. A few months later, finding his health much improved, he became agent-general.
A series of seven lectures on Australia delivered atUniversity College, London, was published in 1919 under the titleAustralia, Problems and Prospects. In December of that year Wade was appointed a judge of theSupreme Court of New South Wales at Sydney and took up his duties in March 1920.[2]
Wade died after aheart attack at his house at the Sydney suburb ofPotts Point on 26 September 1922(1922-09-26) (aged 59) and was survived by Lady Wade, two sons and two daughters.[1]
His funeral was held atSt Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney on 22 September 1922. He was buried atSouth Head Cemetery on the same day.
Wade became aKing's Counsel on 6 March 1905,[11][12][13] wasknighted in 1918,[14] and was createdKCMG on 5 June 1920.[1][2][15]
| Parliament of New South Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Premier 1907–1910 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Attorney General of New South Wales 1904–1910 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Justice 1904–1909 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Opposition 1910–1916 | Succeeded by |
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | Member for Willoughby 1903–1904 | Succeeded by |
| New district | Member for Gordon 1904–1917 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Liberal Reform Party 1907–1916 | Merged intoNationalist Party |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Agent-General for New South Wales 1917–1919 | Succeeded by |
 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
