Bertram Stevens (politician)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

KCMG
Stevens c. 1939
25th Premier of New South Wales
Elections: 1932, 1935, 1938
In office
16 May 1932 – 5 August 1939
Monarchs
Governor
DeputyMichael Bruxner
Preceded byJack Lang
Succeeded byAlexander Mair
13th Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales
In office
5 April – 13 May 1932
MonarchGeorge V
GovernorPhilip Game
DeputyReginald Weaver
Preceded byThomas Bavin
Succeeded byJack Lang
Leader of the United Australia Party in New South Wales
In office
6 April 1932 – 5 August 1939
Deputy
Preceded byThomas Bavin
Succeeded byAlexander Mair
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales
In office
18 February 1931 – 5 April 1932
LeaderThomas Bavin
Preceded byRichard Ball
Cabinet Positions
Minister for Local Government
In office
21 July – 5 August 1939
Preceded byEric Spooner
Succeeded byAlexander Mair
Secretary for Public Works
In office
21 July – 5 August 1939
Preceded byEric Spooner
Succeeded byAlexander Mair
In office
10 February – 21 August 1935
Preceded byReginald Weaver
Succeeded byEric Spooner
41st Treasurer of New South Wales[a]
In office
16 May 1932 – 13 October 1938
Preceded byJack Lang
Succeeded byAlexander Mair
In office
16 April 1929 – 3 November 1930
PremierThomas Bavin
Preceded byThomas Bavin
Succeeded byJack Lang
Assistant Treasurer[b]
In office
18 October 1927 – 15 April 1929
PremierThomas Bavin
MinisterThomas Bavin
Preceded byRobert Cruickshank
Succeeded byEric Spooner[c]
Electorate
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Croydon
In office
7 September 1927 – 12 August 1940
Preceded byElectorate established
Succeeded byDavid Hunter
Department Positions
8th Director of Finance[d]
In office
22 November 1924 – 12 July 1925
Minister Responsible
Preceded byJohn Spence
Succeeded byClarence Radford Chapman
Personal details
Born(1889-01-02)2 January 1889
Pine Grove Memorial Park, Minchinbury
Political party
Spouse
Edith Lillie Anderson
​
​
(m. 1914)​
EducationFort Street School

Sir Bertram Sydney Barnsdale Stevens

KCMG (2 January 1889 – 24 March 1973), also referred to as B. S. B. Stevens, was an Australian politician who served as the 25th Premier of New South Wales, in office from 1932 to 1939 as leader of the United Australia Party
(UAP).

Stevens grew up in

the dismissal of Labor's Jack Lang, and subsequently led his party to victory at the 1932, 1935, and 1938 elections. Stevens was ousted in 1939 and replaced by Alexander Mair. He made an abortive attempt to enter federal politics at the 1940 election
, and thereafter played little part in public life.

Early life

Stevens was born on 2 January 1889 in Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales. He was the seventh surviving child of Sarah (née Barnsdale) and John Stevens; his father worked as a carpenter. Stevens attended the Fort Street Model School, leaving in 1905 to work as a clerk for the Sydney Municipal Council. As a young man he served as a Methodist lay preacher; he kept teetotal and did not smoke. After training as an accountant, Stevens was appointed deputy town clerk of Manly in 1908, and then in 1912 became a clerk in the Department of Local Government. He married Edith Lillie Anderson on 18 April 1914, with whom he had three children. By 1920, Stevens was working as an inspector for the Public Service Board. He was appointed under-secretary and director of finance at the New South Wales Treasury in 1924. However, he soon came into conflict with Premier Jack Lang and resigned his position the following year. His resignation made him a public figure, and in 1927 he was elected to the Marrickville Council.[1]

Political career

In 1927 Stevens entered the

Nationalist Party Premiership of Sir Thomas Bavin, Stevens served first as Assistant Treasurer, and from 1929 as Treasurer.[2] Not long after the Great Depression ended Bavin's administration in 1930, Stevens became Deputy Leader of the Opposition. In 1932 the Nationalist Party was absorbed into the United Australia Party
, and Stevens became that party's state parliamentary leader.

Premier of New South Wales

In May 1932 the

dismissed the government of the Labor Premier, Jack Lang, which was in dispute with Australia's federal government of James Scullin. Game appointed Stevens as caretaker Premier. Stevens immediately called a state election, which his party won in a commanding landslide.[1][3]

His major reform was the replacement of the appointed Legislative Council, by a Council elected by the whole parliament to terms equivalent to four Assembly terms, that is up to 12 years; this was passed by referendum in 1933. He reduced the protections for mortgagors and tenants that had been introduced by Lang's 1925–27 government. The UAP was re-elected (by somewhat reduced majorities) in 1935 and 1938, each time against the Lang-led Labor Party. For most of Stevens's seven-year Premiership, one of the longest in New South Wales history – it continued until the eve of World War II – he was his own Treasurer.[2]

Premier Bertram Stevens (left) at a polling place in Croydon on 13 May 1935.
Stevens with members of his cabinet in 1939.

Stevens disliked the restrictive aspects of the Premiers' Plan, and was seen as overly parochial in his dealings with other states and the federal government. In a November 1932 letter to Stanley Bruce, Prime Minister Joseph Lyons wrote "We have got rid of Lang but unfortunately we now have a Stevens to contend with. At least one could go out and attack Lang in the open. In the case of Stevens, however, one is continually sabotaged from behind."[4]

Although Stevens's dealings with

confidence of the assembly, Stevens resigned as UAP leader and premier. Spooner's ambitions to replace Stevens as leader were thwarted as Bruxner made it clear that he and the Country Party would not serve under him. TreasurerAlexander Mair succeeded Stevens as Premier.[1]

Federal politics

Still only 50 years old when he lost the premiership, Stevens had long had hopes of a career in the federal parliament.[9] Prime Minister Joseph Lyons had no clear successor, and within New South Wales many thought Stevens would be a suitable replacement; he had little support in other states, however.[10] Despite Robert Menzies's attempts to discourage him, he abandoned his Assembly seat in 1940 and ran for the Labor-controlled Division of Lang [11] during that year's federal election. He was easily defeated by the ALP incumbent, Dan Mulcahy.[1][12]

Croydon residence

Stevens lived at 15 Malvern Avenue, Croydon, New South Wales for around 25 years. He lived there whilst Premier of NSW (1932–1939). He also briefly resided at 'Hillcrest' at 26 Malvern Avenue.[13]

Later life

In 1941 and 1942, Stevens served as the Australian representative to the

Pine Grove Memorial Park, Minchinbury, New South Wales.[1]

Honours

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Similar to the position of Assistant Treasurer, full title of the cabinet position was: “Colonial Treasurer”.
  2. ^ The full title of the cabinet position was: “Assistant Colonial Treasurer”.
  3. ^ The Assistant Treasurer cabinet position was not filled again until 1933; the title was officially changed to: “Assistant Treasurer”.
  4. ^ During his tenure as Director of Finance, the title of “Director of Finance” had changed to “Under Secretary and Director of the Treasury”.

Citations

  1. ^
    ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Sir Bertram Sydney Barnsdale Stevens (1889–1973)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. ^ Green, Antony. "1932 election totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  4. ISBN 9781742240992
    .
  5. ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  6. ^ "State finances: motion of urgency" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. 1 August 1939. pp. 5604–5647. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  7. ISSN 1833-7538
    .
  8. ^ "State finances" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. 3 August 1939. pp. 5700–5720. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  9. ^ Henderson (2011), pp. 319, 323.
  10. ^ Henderson (2011), pp. 413–415.
  11. ^ Named after former politician and clergyman John Dunmore Lang not Stevens's opponent Jack Lang.
  12. ^ "1940 legislative election: House of Representatives − New South Wales". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  13. ^ Johnson, John (2008). "Malvern Hill". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (Imperial) (KCMG) entry for Mr Bertram Sydney Bairnsdale Stevens". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 January 1941. Retrieved 26 November 2021. Premier of New South Wales

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bertram Stevens (politician).

 

Government offices
Preceded by
Director of Finance

1924 – 1925 		Succeeded by
Himself
as Under Secretary and Director
Preceded by
Himself
as Director of Finance
Under Secretary and Director of The Treasury

1925 		Succeeded byas Under Secretary of The Treasury
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New district Member for Croydon
1927 – 1940 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Assistant Treasurer

1927 – 1929 		Vacant
Title next held by
Eric Spooner
Preceded by
Treasurer of New South Wales

1929 – 1930 		Succeeded by
Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales
1932
Preceded by Premier of New South Wales
1932 – 1939 		Succeeded by
Treasurer of New South Wales

1932 – 1938
Preceded by
Secretary for Public Works

1935 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Secretary for Public Works

1939 		Succeeded by
Minister for Local Government
1939
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the United Australia Party
1932 – 1939 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bertram_Stevens_(politician)&oldid=1220335484"