Arthur Williams (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Arthur John Leonard Williams (17 December 1888 – 30 September 1968) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1940 until 1956. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) .
Williams was born in Paddington, New South Wales
and was the son of a hotel broker. He was educated at the Marist Brothers' School, Paddington and qualified as an accountant, opening his own accountancy company and specialising in the auditing of trade unions. Williams was elected to the parliament as the Labor member for Ryde
at the 1940 by-election caused by the resignation of the United Australia Party
member, Eric Spooner
who successfully contested the seat of Robertson
at the 1940
federal election. He defeated the UAP candidate by 220 votes. At the 1941
election, following an unfavourable redistribution Williams chose to contest the safer seat of Georges River
. He defeated the sitting UAP member Cecil Monro
and held the seat until the 1953
election when, after a further redistribution, he successfully contested the new seat of East Hills
. Williams retired from public life at the next election in 1956
. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1940 until 1956. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP) .
Williams was born in Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
and was the son of a hotel broker. He was educated at the Marist Brothers' School, Paddington and qualified as an accountant, opening his own accountancy company and specialising in the auditing of trade unions. Williams was elected to the parliament as the Labor member for Ryde
Electoral district of Ryde
Ryde is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It includes the suburbs and localities of Denistone, Denistone East, Denistone West, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Ryde, North Ryde, West Ryde; and part of Eastwood.It is...
at the 1940 by-election caused by the resignation of the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
member, Eric Spooner
Eric Spooner
Eric Sydney Spooner was an Australian politician.Spooner was born in the Sydney suburb of Waterloo and educated at Christ Church St Laurence School. At 14 he became a telegraph messenger and studied at night at the University of Sydney to gain a diploma in economics and commerce. He married...
who successfully contested the seat of Robertson
Division of Robertson
The Division of Robertson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located on the Central Coast, immediately north of the Hawkesbury River. It encompasses the towns of Woy Woy, Gosford and Terrigal....
at the 1940
Australian federal election, 1940
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 September 1940. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
federal election. He defeated the UAP candidate by 220 votes. At the 1941
New South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
election, following an unfavourable redistribution Williams chose to contest the safer seat of Georges River
Electoral district of Georges River
Georges River was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1930 to 2007. It was replaced by Oatley.-Members for Georges River:-Election results:...
. He defeated the sitting UAP member Cecil Monro
Cecil Monro
Mr Cecil Owen James Monro was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1932 and 1941 and 1950-53. He was a member of the United Australia Party and the Liberal Party of Australia....
and held the seat until the 1953
New South Wales state election, 1953
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
election when, after a further redistribution, he successfully contested the new seat of East Hills
Electoral district of East Hills
East Hills is a state electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is represented by Glenn Brookes of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for East Hills:-Election results:...
. Williams retired from public life at the next election in 1956
New South Wales state election, 1956
The 1956 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1956. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office.