William Hill (Australian politician)

William Caldwell Hill (14 April 1866 – 15 November 1939) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the

Hill was born on 14 April 1866 at Burnt Creek near Dunolly, Victoria. He was the son of English immigrants Sarah (née Baker) and John Hill; his mother was illiterate. His father and uncle ran the local flour mill, but after the mill burned down the family moved to Stradbroke to take up a selection of uncleared forest.^[1]

Hill was educated at a part-time school in Stradbroke before joining the clerical division of

In 1906, Hill took up a portion of David Mitchell's subdivided estate at Colbinabbin. He served as the secretary of the Colbinabbin Progress Association and in 1915 was elected secretary of the Wheat Pool Vigilance Committee, formed by farmers concerned that the government and wheat merchants were conspiring to reduce the price of wheat. In 1916, Hill was elected as the founding president of the Victorian Farmers' Union (VFU). He was also a delegate to the Australian Farmers' Federal Organization, a member of the Victorian Wheat Commission's advisory council, a growers' representative on the Australian Wheat Board, and chairman of the Farmers' Advocate newspaper published in Melbourne. He led a movement to supply cheaper superphosphate to farmers and served as chairman of the Phosphate Co-operative Company of Australia.^[1]

Politics

On 20 September 1919, at the by-election caused by the death of

Hill died at Nar Nar Goon, survived by his wife Bella and by six children.

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