 His amendment was for women to become eligible to be voted into the House of Representatives.This infuriated the suffragette Catherine Fulton, who organised a protest at the .He served as the Liberal Party's Senior Whip in 1902, his last year in the lower house

He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 18 March 1903 by the Liberal Government, and at the expiry of his seven-year terms, he was reappointed five times; on 18 March 1910, on 17 March 1917 & 17 March 1924 by the Reform Government; 17 March 1931 by the United Government; and 16 March 1938 by the First Labour Government.