Hector Rason
Sir Hector Rason | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Cleeve, Somerset, England |
| Died | March 15, 1927 (aged 68) Beckenham, Kent, England |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, businessman |
| Years active | 1889–1911 (politics) |
| Known for | Seventh Premier of Western Australia |
Sir Cornthwaite Hector William James Rason (18 June 1858 – 15 March 1927), commonly referred to as Hector Rason, served as the seventh Premier of Western Australia.
Early life
Born on 18 June 1858 in Cleeve, Somerset, England, Rason was the son of Cornthwaite Hector Rason Sr., a Royal Navy surgeon who also held the position of medical officer in York, Western Australia during 1866–67. He received his education at private institutions located in Eastbourne, Brighton, and Reading, before beginning his career as a railway clerk.
Business career
Rason relocated to Perth, Australia, in October 1880 but returned to England after a year and a half. In February 1883, he married Mary E. Terry and soon after moved back to Western Australia accompanied by her and her brother, W. R. Terry. The trio launched retail enterprises in both Toodyay and Guildford. Following Terry’s departure back to England, Rason formed a partnership with Mr Webster and explored ventures connected to gold rushes in the Kimberley and Goldfields areas. Additionally, he worked as a mining engineer and auctioneer based in Coolgardie.
In July 1889, while a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, Rason was appointed as the first president of the newly established Stock Exchange of Perth. He withdrew from business activities in 1891 but was affected by his company’s insolvency in 1892. Between 1893 and 1895, he resumed work as a mining agent and auctioneer at Coolgardie before moving to Mount Magnet in 1896. From 1897 until 1898, he held the office of Mayor for the Municipality of Guildford.
Politics
Rason secured election to the Western Australian Legislative Council representing the Swan district in January 1889. A firm advocate for responsible government, he resigned from the Council in October 1890 following its reconstitution. In 1897, he gained election to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the constituency of South Murchison, aligning with the administration led by Sir John Forrest. In 1898, he assumed the role of president for the royal commission on mining. After the dissolution of South Murchison in 1901, Rason was elected to represent Guildford that April. Upon the formation of George Leake’s second ministry in December 1901, he was appointed minister for works, managing projects including the Coolgardie Water Scheme. Under Premier Walter James from July 1902 through August 1904, Rason served as minister for works and railways and briefly held the treasurer portfolio in 1904. Following Labor’s rise to power in August 1904, he took on the position of Leader of the Opposition.
On 25 August 1905, Rason assumed office as Premier, Treasurer, and Minister for Justice after defeating Henry Daglish's Labor government. Although lacking an outright majority initially, he obtained an early dissolution in October and achieved a strong victory in the resulting general election. Later that year, he chaired a royal commission focused on immigration.
Later life
Rason's time as premier was characterized by ineffective leadership, compounded by personal and financial difficulties. In May 1906, he stirred controversy by appointing himself as Agent General for Western Australia in London, stepping down from the premiership to take on this position. He held this post until 1911, after which he focused on commercial ventures in the United Kingdom. Among his notable roles was serving as Chairman of Bode Rubber Estates (1914) Ltd., a company engaged in natural rubber production in British North Borneo. Knighted in 1909, Rason passed away on 15 March 1927 in Beckenham, Kent, England.