George Henry Wise (1 July 1853 – 31 July 1950) was an Australian politician. He held the Division of Gippsland in federal parliament (1906–1913, 1914–1922) and served as Postmaster-General (1920–1921) under Prime Minister Billy Hughes. He was a lawyer by profession.
Wise was born in Melbourne and educated at Scotch College from the age of five until he matriculated in 1868. He became an articled clerk and was admitted to the bar in September 1874, setting up his own practice in Sale in 1877. He married Mary Thornton (née Smith) in 1880.
He was a member of Sale Borough Council from 1880 to 1904 and was mayor six times. He established the Sale branch of the Australian Natives' Association (ANA) in 1886 and became president of the Victorian branch of the ANA in 1891.[1]
George Wise was born in Melbourne, the eldest child of James Wise, hairdresser, and his wife Mary Macintosh, both from Edinburgh. His biographer writes that George, ‘a slight, wiry child’, was sent ‘as a 5-year-old to Scotch College, Melbourne, where he remained until matriculating in 1868, failing to excel in anything the school then considered important’.[2] He studied law as an articled clerk, was admitted to the Bar in 1874, worked in Sale as a solicitor's clerk, and began his own practice in 1877. In 1880 he married Mary Thornton, née Smith. In 1880 he was elected to the local municipal council and held that position for 24 years, serving as mayor 6 times.
Political career
Wise in 1917
Wise was a strong supporter of the federation of Australia, and stood unsuccessfully for election to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892, 1894 and 1904. He also failed win election to the Australian Senate in both the 1901 election and 1903 election His politics were perhaps too radical for the farmers of Gippsland. Wise stood unsuccessfully for parliament no less than five times before narrowly winning the House of Representatives seat of Gippsland in 1906, by 97 votes, standing as a Deakinite Liberal. He did not follow Deakin into fusion with the Conservatives in 1909, rather standing as an Independent in the in 1910, gaining 62 percent of the vote against the Fusion candidate. Subsequently, he often supported the Australian Labor Party, but did not join it. Fusion candidate James Bennett beat him at the 1913 election, but Wise won Gippsland back in 1914, standing as an "Independent Labor" candidate.[1]
In 1906 when George Wise when was first elected to parliament a journalist described him as ‘a small figure, [with] a picturesquely bald head, two bright and restless eyes, and a mouth with a distinctly humorous twist to it’ – and always ‘an industrious political organiser’. Wise recalled that he got a taste for politics by watching the great democrat George Higinbotham debate in the legislative assembly in the late 1860s.[3] Certainly Wise's politics were always progressive. In 1887 when he was both the Mayor of Sale and the President of the Sale branch of the ANA, he told a meeting of the branch that ‘The wealthier or so-called upper classes can no longer treat the laboring and poorer classes as so much machinery to be worked at high pressure ... Man must begin to realise that his fellow man is a being like himself’.[4]
On 22 February 1917, following the events of the Australian Labor Party split of 1916, Wise announced that he would support the Nationalist government that included many of his former Protectionist colleagues.[5] He was easily re-elected at the 1917 election. Prime Minister Billy Hughes appointed him an honorary minister assisting the Minister for Defence from March 1918 to February 1920. He was Postmaster-General from February 1920 in the Fifth Hughes Ministry, but lost his position in the reshuffle when Stanley Bruce was brought into the ministry in December 1921. He was almost defeated in 1919 by a candidate from the newly formed the Country Party, and lost to the Country Party candidate, Thomas Paterson, in 1922. Wise failed to win the seat back in 1925 and 1928.[1]
Australian Natives' Association
George Henry Wise helped found the Sale branch of the Australian Natives' Association (ANA) in 1886, becoming its first president, and joined the board of directors in 1887. He was elected Chief President in 1892, and retained close links with the association for the next fifty years.
In 1887 he was both the mayor of Sale and the president of the Sale branch of the ANA. He became the Chief President of the ANA in 1891 and was a long-term member of the board of directors. Wise worked tirelessly to federate Australia on a democratic basis.
Later life
He continued to practice as a solicitor until 1948 two years before his death at 97 years of age. and He died in Sale in 1950, survived by three daughters and a son.[1]
References
^ abcdHancock, I. R. (1990). "Wise, George Henry (1853–1950)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 16 November 2007 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
george, wise, australian, politician, george, henry, wise, july, 1853, july, 1950, australian, politician, held, division, gippsland, federal, parliament, 1906, 1913, 1914, 1922, served, postmaster, general, 1920, 1921, under, prime, minister, billy, hughes, l. George Henry Wise 1 July 1853 31 July 1950 was an Australian politician He held the Division of Gippsland in federal parliament 1906 1913 1914 1922 and served as Postmaster General 1920 1921 under Prime Minister Billy Hughes He was a lawyer by profession The HonourableGeorge WisePostmaster General of AustraliaIn office 3 February 1920 21 December 1921Prime MinisterBilly HughesPreceded byWilliam WebsterSucceeded byAlexander PoyntonMember of the Australian Parliament for GippslandIn office 5 September 1914 16 December 1922Preceded byJames BennettSucceeded byThomas PatersonIn office 12 December 1906 31 May 1913Preceded byAllan McLeanSucceeded byJames BennettPersonal detailsBorn 1853 07 01 1 July 1853Melbourne Victoria AustraliaDied31 July 1950 1950 07 31 aged 97 Sale Victoria AustraliaPolitical partyProtectionist 1906 09 Independent 1909 17 Nationalist 1917 22 SpouseMary ThorntonOccupationLawyer Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Australian Natives Association 4 Later life 5 ReferencesEarly life EditWise was born in Melbourne and educated at Scotch College from the age of five until he matriculated in 1868 He became an articled clerk and was admitted to the bar in September 1874 setting up his own practice in Sale in 1877 He married Mary Thornton nee Smith in 1880 He was a member of Sale Borough Council from 1880 to 1904 and was mayor six times He established the Sale branch of the Australian Natives Association ANA in 1886 and became president of the Victorian branch of the ANA in 1891 1 George Wise was born in Melbourne the eldest child of James Wise hairdresser and his wife Mary Macintosh both from Edinburgh His biographer writes that George a slight wiry child was sent as a 5 year old to Scotch College Melbourne where he remained until matriculating in 1868 failing to excel in anything the school then considered important 2 He studied law as an articled clerk was admitted to the Bar in 1874 worked in Sale as a solicitor s clerk and began his own practice in 1877 In 1880 he married Mary Thornton nee Smith In 1880 he was elected to the local municipal council and held that position for 24 years serving as mayor 6 times Political career Edit Wise in 1917 Wise was a strong supporter of the federation of Australia and stood unsuccessfully for election to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892 1894 and 1904 He also failed win election to the Australian Senate in both the 1901 election and 1903 election His politics were perhaps too radical for the farmers of Gippsland Wise stood unsuccessfully for parliament no less than five times before narrowly winning the House of Representatives seat of Gippsland in 1906 by 97 votes standing as a Deakinite Liberal He did not follow Deakin into fusion with the Conservatives in 1909 rather standing as an Independent in the in 1910 gaining 62 percent of the vote against the Fusion candidate Subsequently he often supported the Australian Labor Party but did not join it Fusion candidate James Bennett beat him at the 1913 election but Wise won Gippsland back in 1914 standing as an Independent Labor candidate 1 In 1906 when George Wise when was first elected to parliament a journalist described him as a small figure with a picturesquely bald head two bright and restless eyes and a mouth with a distinctly humorous twist to it and always an industrious political organiser Wise recalled that he got a taste for politics by watching the great democrat George Higinbotham debate in the legislative assembly in the late 1860s 3 Certainly Wise s politics were always progressive In 1887 when he was both the Mayor of Sale and the President of the Sale branch of the ANA he told a meeting of the branch that The wealthier or so called upper classes can no longer treat the laboring and poorer classes as so much machinery to be worked at high pressure Man must begin to realise that his fellow man is a being like himself 4 On 22 February 1917 following the events of the Australian Labor Party split of 1916 Wise announced that he would support the Nationalist government that included many of his former Protectionist colleagues 5 He was easily re elected at the 1917 election Prime Minister Billy Hughes appointed him an honorary minister assisting the Minister for Defence from March 1918 to February 1920 He was Postmaster General from February 1920 in the Fifth Hughes Ministry but lost his position in the reshuffle when Stanley Bruce was brought into the ministry in December 1921 He was almost defeated in 1919 by a candidate from the newly formed the Country Party and lost to the Country Party candidate Thomas Paterson in 1922 Wise failed to win the seat back in 1925 and 1928 1 Australian Natives Association EditGeorge Henry Wise helped found the Sale branch of the Australian Natives Association ANA in 1886 becoming its first president and joined the board of directors in 1887 He was elected Chief President in 1892 and retained close links with the association for the next fifty years In 1887 he was both the mayor of Sale and the president of the Sale branch of the ANA He became the Chief President of the ANA in 1891 and was a long term member of the board of directors Wise worked tirelessly to federate Australia on a democratic basis Later life EditHe continued to practice as a solicitor until 1948 two years before his death at 97 years of age and He died in Sale in 1950 survived by three daughters and a son 1 References Edit a b c d Hancock I R 1990 Wise George Henry 1853 1950 Australian Dictionary of Biography Melbourne University Press ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 16 November 2007 via National Centre of Biography Australian National University I R Hancock Wise George Henry 1853 1950 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University https adb anu edu au biography wise george henry 9162 text16177 Punch Melbourne 18 July 1907 p 6 Gippsland Times 10 January 1887 p 3 Personal The Argus Melbourne 23 February 1917 Political officesPreceded byWilliam Webster Postmaster General1920 1921 Succeeded byAlexander PoyntonParliament of AustraliaPreceded byAllan McLean Member for Gippsland1906 1913 Succeeded byJames BennettPreceded byJames Bennett Member for Gippsland1914 1922 Succeeded byThomas Paterson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Wise Australian politician amp oldid 1059239865, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
