Clarence Goode
Clarence Goode | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Canowie Station, South Australia |
| Died | April 30, 1969 (aged 93) |
| Occupation(s) | Farmer, politician |
| Years active | 1902–1935 |
| Known for | Commissioner of Crown Lands and Minister of Agriculture in South Australia |
Clarence Goode (17 August 1875 – 30 April 1969) was a farmer and political figure from South Australia. The pronunciation of his surname rhymes with "wood."
History
Clarence was born at Canowie Station to pastoralist Thomas Goode. His education comprised private tutoring and attendance at Glenelg Grammar School. He managed farming and grazing operations near Laura and on the Booyoolie estate close to Gladstone. In 1902, he was elected as a Councillor for the Corporate Town of Gladstone and was returned without opposition in 1904. Additionally, he served as chairman of the Gladstone branch of the Agricultural Bureau.
At the 1905 election, Goode secured a seat in the Assembly representing the Stanley electorate as a member of the United Labor Party. He maintained his position through successive elections in 1906, 1910, 1912, and 1915, working alongside colleagues including Peter Reidy. In 1917, he aligned with the National Party but left its parliamentary faction in 1918 and chose not to stand as an independent candidate thereafter.
Between April 1915 and July 1917, Goode held the roles of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Minister of Agriculture within the Crawford Vaughan Labor administration, a government often referred to as the "Family Ministry" due to kinship links among its members. During this tenure, he faced criticism linked to contentious land transactions involving inflated prices for soldier-settler initiatives.
He was instrumental in creating the wartime wheat scheme aimed at providing financial support to Australian farmers during World War I and contributed to founding the Australian Shipping Board, collaborating with leading Australian business figures. Following his departure from politics in 1918, he remained politically independent for over eighteen years.
Goode accepted the position of general manager at the British Australian Cotton-growing Association but resigned in 1923 to embark on cotton cultivation near Miles, Queensland. This enterprise ultimately failed, leading him to return destitute to South Australia about ten years later. He lived modestly at Henley Beach and took up work as a cleaner at Centennial Park Cemetery.
In the midst of the Great Depression in 1935, he stood unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate for a legislative council seat, campaigning on platforms including job creation programs, proportional representation, enhanced pensions, and constitutional amendments aimed at mitigating unemployment.
Subsequently, Goode was employed by A. M. Bickford and Sons and remained active in public debates through frequent correspondence published in The Advertiser.
Family
On 17 August 1900, he married Helen Ethel Miriam "Ethel" Marston. They had a son born in 1901 before Ethel succumbed to tuberculosis. He later wed Ethel’s sister, Hilda Anna Margaret Marston. Together they had three children: a son named Ray in 1909 and two daughters born in 1912 and 1920.
Clarence Goode passed away on 30 April 1969. His last residences were located at 301 Military Road, Henley Beach, followed by 1 Murray Avenue, Koongarra Park.