 He was Secretary for Mines and Minister for Labour and Industry in the first (June 1925 to October 1927) and second Lang governments (November 1930 to May 1932).He supported Lang during the Labor factionalism of the 1930s, but he supported McKell's election as leader in 1939.He was Deputy Premier, Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Mines in the McKell and McGirr governments from May 1941 until his retirement in September 1947, Minister for National Emergency Services from June 1944 to his retirement and Minister for Labour and Industry and Social Welfare from October 1947 to March 1948.