 He was suspended around Easter of that year for publicly criticising a staff officer and encouraging insubordination; following unfavourable findings by a military inquiry, Neild avoided dismissal only by investing considerable amounts of money into the regiment.Neild contested the first federal election in 1901, running as a Free Trade candidate for the Senate.Together with Senator Cyril Cameron, he was one of two parliamentarians to wear full dress uniform to the opening of Parliament.