Eric Spooner
Eric Spooner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Secretary for Public Works | |
| In office 22 August 1935 – 21 July 1939 | |
| Premier | Bertram Stevens |
| Preceded by | Bertram Stevens |
| Succeeded by | Bertram Stevens |
| Minister for Local Government | |
| In office 15 February 1933 – 21 July 1939 | |
| Premier | Bertram Stevens |
| Preceded by | Joseph Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Bertram Stevens |
| Member of theNew South Wales Parliament forRyde | |
| In office 11 June 1932 – 23 August 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Evan Davies |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Williams |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forRobertson | |
| In office 21 September 1940 – 21 August 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Sydney Gardner |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1891 Waterloo,Colony of New South Wales |
| Died | 3 June 1952(aged 61) Sydney,New South Wales,Australia |
| Political party | United Australia Party |
| Spouse | Mary Berry |
| Relations | Bill Spooner(Brother) |
| Occupation | Accountant |
Eric Sydney Spooner(2 March 1891 – 3 June 1952) was an Australian politician.
Early life
[edit]Spooner was born in theSydneysuburb ofWaterlooand educated atChrist Church St Laurence School.At 14 he became a telegraph messenger and studied at night at theUniversity of Sydneyto gain a diploma in economics and commerce. He married Mary Berry in December 1919. He established the accounting firm of Hungerford, Spooner & Co in 1922 with his brotherBill,aLiberalcabinet minister from 1949 to 1964.[1][2]
State politics
[edit]Spooner was elected the seat ofRydein 1932 and became an honorary minister in theUnited Australia Partygovernment ofBertram Stevens.He subsequently became Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Local Government. From 1935 he was Minister for Local Government, Secretary for Public Works and deputy leader of the United Australia Party (NSW Branch).[3][4]He was responsible for establishing employment-creating schemes and theSydney County Council,a gas and electricity supplier. In 1939 he opposed budget cuts and resigned from Cabinet on 21 July. On 1 August, he moved a moved a motion that was critical of the proposal to cut government spending in order to restrain a growing deficit, with Spooner personally attacking Stevens, describing him as running the party as a dictatorship.[5]The coalition had a large majority in the assembly, however the motion was passed 43 to 41, with nine United Australia members joining Spooner in voting against the government.[1]Spooner's ambitions to replace Stevens as leader were thwarted as theLeader of the Country Party,Michael Bruxner,refused to join a coalition with him andAlexander Mairsucceeded Stevens as Premier.[1][6][7]
Spooner bathing costume
[edit]As the NSW Minister for Local Government, Spooner introduced an ordinance, commencing on 1 September 1935, regulating the design ofswimsuits,principally aimed at males who were wearingswim trunkswhich left their chests bare.[8]The lowering of the upper part of a costume to show a bared chest was considered by some people, including theBegabranch of theCountry Women's Association,as "disgraceful, and [meriting] rigorous attention".[9]A clergyman maintained that "if men were allowed to wear shorts, girls would want shorts and brassieres and that would lead to a steady increase of undesirable conduct on our beaches".[10]
Protests were received from the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia,[9]and the ordinance was derided as inappropriate for competitive swimming.[11]The prohibitive purchase cost of the required swimming costume was also mentioned. Spooner noted the change legalised costumes currently in use and removed the older "neck to knee" costumes ordinance, dating from 1910.[8]
The State of Victoria followed Spooner's regulation.[12]The law was still in effect in NSW in 1950.[10]
Federal politics and later life
[edit]In August 1940 Spooner resigned his seat and won the Federal seat ofRobertsonin theOctober election.In June 1941, he was appointedMinister for War Organisation of Industryin thethird Menzies Ministry,a position he retained until the fall of theFaddengovernment in October 1941. He lost his seat in the1943 election.He joined the newLiberal Party,but was almost expelled for questioning theWhite Australia Policy.He ran unsuccessfully againstPrime MinisterBen ChifleyinMacquariein1946.[1]
Spooner died of cancer in Sydney in 1952, survived by his wife, three sons and daughter.[1]
Notes
[edit]- ^abcdeLloyd, C. J. (2002)."Spooner, Eric Sydney (1891–1952)".Australian Dictionary of Biography.Canberra: National Centre of Biography,Australian National University.ISBN978-0-522-84459-7.ISSN1833-7538.OCLC70677943.Retrieved26 November2021.
- ^"The Hon. Eric Sydney Spooner (1891–1952)".Former members of theParliament of New South Wales.Retrieved5 May2019.
- ^"Deputy leader".Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate.20 November 1935. p. 6.Retrieved8 August2018– via Trove.
- ^"Mr. Spooner".The Sydney Morning Herald.20 November 1935. p. 15.Retrieved8 August2018– via Trove.
- ^"State finances: motion of urgency"(PDF).Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. 1 August 1939. pp. 5604–5647.Retrieved26 November2021.
- ^"Mr. A. Mair new Premier".The Sydney Morning Herald.7 August 1939. p. 11.Retrieved8 August2018– via Trove.
- ^"Mr. Spooner's address".The Sydney Morning Herald.7 August 1939. p. 12.Retrieved8 August2018– via Trove.
- ^ab"Beach dress".The Sydney Morning Herald.24 November 1936. p. 12.Retrieved1 March2020– via Trove.
- ^ab"The Spooner Costume".Nambucca and Bellinger News.27 November 1936. p. 3.Retrieved1 March2020– via Trove.
- ^ab"Wear modern swimsuits at your peril!".The Sunday Herald.27 August 1950. p. 1.Retrieved1 March2020– via Trove.
- ^"Spooner costume setback".The Labor Daily.18 November 1936. p. 5.Retrieved1 March2020– via Trove.
- ^"Victoria follows".The Daily Telegraph.21 May 1935. p. 9.Retrieved1 March2020– via Trove.
- Members of the Cabinet of Australia
- United Australia Party members of the Parliament of Australia
- Liberal Party of Australia politicians
- Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Robertson
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives
- 1891 births
- 1952 deaths
- United Australia Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
- 20th-century Australian politicians
- Australian accountants