10th Parliament · 1st Session
ThePresident (Senator the Hon. Sir John Newlands) took the chair at 11 a.m., and read prayers.
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[11.1]. - (By leave.) - I regret to announce the death of Mr. W. H. Lambert, member for West Sydney in the House of Representatives, which occurred last night. I move -
That the Senate expresses its profound regret at the death of William Henry Lambert, member of the House of Representatives for West Sydney, and places on record its appreciation of his public service, and tenders to his widow its deepest sympathy.
Mr. Lambert was first elected to the House of Representatives at a by-election on the 3rd September, 1921, and was returned to Parliament at the subsequent general elections of 1932 and 1925. Before his election to the House of Representatives, he occupied prominent positions in the Australian Labour party. He was president of the Australian Labour party executive and. the Australian Labour party conferences for five consecutive years from 1917 to 1921, and was also president of the Interstate Australian Labour party conference for one year.. From 1919 to 1924 he was an alderman of the Sydney City Council, and during the year 1920-21 occupied the distinguished position of Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Once again the Grim Reaper has been at work in our parliamentary ranks, and I am afraid this Parliament will be remembered as having suffered greater loss by death than any Parliament since the inception of federation. I submit this resolution as a mark of the Senate’s respect for the memory of the late honorable member, and of our sympathy with his widow in the loss she has sustained.
– I rise to second the motion moved by the right honorable the
Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Sir George Pearce). On behalf of my colleagues and myself I wish to express our heartfelt regret at the. untimely death of Mr. Lambert, and to extend to his widow our sincere sympathy in her bereavement. It is approximately twelve months since the Parliament first assembled in this, the National Capital of Australia, and during that short period the dread visitor of death has made his calls with regrettable frequency. To begin with, two very able and competent officers of the House of Representatives, Mr. Gale and Mr. John McGregor passed away. Then came the death of the Minister for Trade and Customs the Honorable Mr. H. E. Pratten, and a few weeks ago Mr. E. B. C. Corser, the member for Wide Bay, died. The Senate has also lost through death, since first we met here, the valuable services of Senator McHugh, Senator Grant and Senator Givens. The death of Mr. Lambert, another member of the Legislature, makes a total of eight in the short period I have mentioned.
The deceased gentleman lived an active and useful life. He took a keen and prominent part in the industrial affairs of this country, in the higher sphere of municipal government, and in the still more important sphere of our parliamentary life. He has now passed away to his reward at an age when in the ordinary course of events one would expect to he enjoying the prime of life. It is indeed sad to mourn the loss of another comrade, and I am sure all honorable senators join with me in expressing regret, and in extending sympathy to his widow. We can only hope that the Great Arbiter of all our destinies will sustain and comfort her in her hour of trial.
– It was with extreme sorrow that I heard the news of the death of Mr. William Lambert, and I wish to associate myself with the remarks of the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Sir George Pearce) and the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Needham) concerning the late honorable member. I was his senior by many years, but our birthplaces were within a few miles of each other, and I was able in. our early political struggles to watch the growth of his intellect which, backed by resolution and determination, might have carried him almost anywhere. Now he is no more. I join with other honorable senators in expressing sympathy with his widow in her loss. Mr. Lambert was in the prime of life, and had he lived, might have been of great service to his country.
Question resolved in the affirmative, honorable senators standing in their places.
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Motion (by Senator Sir George Pearce) agreed to -
That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till
Tuesday next at 3 p.m.
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[11.8]. - As a mark of respect to the memory of the late Mr. Lambert, I move: -
That the Senate do now adjourn.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Senate adjourned at 11.9 a.m.
Cite as: Australia, Senate, Debates, 7 September 1928, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/senate/1928/19280907_senate_10_119/>.