march december politician born rural victoria moved new south wales age worked coal primary education married interest politics early middle age joined union strikes wage reductions year stint returned rejoined local workers union treasurer won election seat transferred northumberland won seat hunter rose ranks government staying period opposition rose ranks party leader lost election campaign partly hospitalised illness course invited meeting united_nations unsuccessful getting australia adopt geneva protocol established meeting union strikes party lost election held year resigned died december early life little recorded early life grew relatively unknown mining district known born march victoria small town near today residents born english durham née year old father moved family suburb newcastle new south wales primary education began work coal children job opening coal old job given job coal face married nearby emerging interest politics plans reduce coal workers wages led strike action supported struggle wage reductions effort failed miners moved near years returned official treasurer occupying position prepared arbitration cases battling improvement workers conditions attended trade union congress november moved coal mining industry believing eliminate cut throat competition owners depressed miners wages conditions idea opposed radical compromise drawn urging state governments open run coal mines ultimate state political career colleagues urged stand state electoral district december second member district new south wales legislative assembly representation district short lived year transferred northumberland replacing unofficial spokesperson miners speaking principally mining matters parliament coal miners strike struck new_south_wales called represent wage board unsuccessful gaining better conditions miners settle dispute talking miners state convincing return work resigned state politics federal sitting hunter remained safe labor seat early federal career immediate success promoted temporary committees house threatened resign dispute government delays granting committee increased powers fisher proved loyalty new labor leader voting hughes conscription referendum bill opposed conscription fought hard accept result referendum proved loyalty hughes defending target caucus criticism attempted attacks hughes party conference hughes left party decision new labor leader weak leader health political prowess successor designate chosen caucus chosen died filled deputy leadership position election year tudor died going election leader opposition offered alternative policies looked favourite hospitalised illness halfway campaign labor won seats single party unable defeat strong government coalition labor remained opposition great losses world war opposed military training commitments australian forces invited united_nations conference geneva switzerland conference strongly opposed war geneva protocol took form return australia advocated adoption protocol government sided british refused observe lost election largely stance industrial relations continual militant union action plagued campaign aided maintaining relations party times lent expertise conflicts branch resigned positions march successor went prime minister australia managed final years following years service labor leader took interest local government merger city newcastle december died new south wales grew lived life named honour safe labor seat creation abolition
Matthew Charlton