HALL, GEORGE WILSON (1836-1916), Trade Unionist, journalist &
poltician, was born at Brighton, England, wher his father was an agent
for the British & Foreign Bible Society. He arrived in Melbourne in
1853 and later became a compositor. In 1873 he was Secretary of the
Melbourne Typographical Society and editor of its 'Australasian
Typographical Journal'. Unable to win worthwhile support and
continually involved in petty disputes with employers, the society
tried to improve its bargaining power through collective action with
other workers. In July 1874 Hall called an inaugural meeting of the
Trades & Labor Council. Though it failed to win major objectives and by
1875 was almost defunct, Hall as its secretary gained some prominence
in October by organising a public meeting to protest against the
jailing of two tanners at Castlemaine. he also seconded a motion by
Thomas Bent which called for a system of arbitration. the government
seemed prepared to discuss proposals for courts of consiliation but
nothing was achieved.
In 1878 Hall left his union post to become editor-proprietor of the
'Mansfield Guardian'. A few months later when the Kelly gang shot
three police from Mansfield, Hall published a pamphlet, 'The Kelly Gang
or the Outlaws of the Wombat Ranges' (Mansfield, 1879). Next year he
moved to Benalla and covered the capture of the Kellys at Glenrowan for
the Melbourne Argus and his own Benalla Standard. Police handling of
the Kellys led Hall to agitate for an inquiry into the police force
which in 1881 was setup with Hall as a commisioner.
Hall was elected for the Moira seat in the Legaslative Assembly in July
1880. He had long been concerned at the prevalence of sweating in the
printing industry & gave ijnfluential support to the printers' public
campaign for factory reform. In May 1883, at the request of W.C. Smith
, Hall joined the enlarged Royal Commision on shop employees and with
officials of the Typographical Society lobbied for new legislation.
Although active in parliament Hall held no portfolio but was a whip for
the Service-Berry, Munro & Sheils ministries. He was also a staunch
advocate for temperance.
From about 1886 Hall was a leader of the country section of the Liberal
-protectionists in the Deakin-Gillies coalition. In 1887-88 Hall held
that more was to be gained by staying with the government than by
opposition but at the 1889 election he announced his breakaway and,
backed by the Victorian Farmers Protection Association, won the new
seat of Shepparton and Euroa. Although he did not always maintain an
independent position he was prominent in extracting budgetary
concessions from the government in 1889 on behalf of farmers. He lost
his seat in 1891 & went on an official lecture-tour of England to
attract migrants to Victoria. After attempting in vain to re-enter
parliament in 1894 and 1897 he retired from public life. He was married
first to Marian Burton, second to Mary Juliet Worthington and third to
Mary Hughes. he died in Melbourne on 21 September 1916 aged 80,
survived by his widow and by three sons of the first marriage; two
children of the second marriage pre-deceased him.
