William Kidston

William Kidston
Born	Falkirk, Scotland
Died	25 October 1919(1919-10-25) (aged 70) Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia
Occupation(s)	Politician, bookseller
Known for	Premier of Queensland (1906–1907, 1908–1911)

William Kidston (17 August 1849 – 25 October 1919) was an Australian politician and bookseller who held the position of Premier of Queensland twice, first from January 1906 to November 1907 and again from February 1908 until February 1911.

Early life

Born in Falkirk, Scotland on 17 August 1849, Kidston was the son of an ironworker. At the age of 13, he began an apprenticeship as an ironmoulder. In 1874, he married Margaret Scott. Finding little satisfaction in ironmoulding, he emigrated to New South Wales in 1882 before moving to Queensland, settling in Rockhampton in 1883.

Upon arriving in Rockhampton, Kidston shifted his career to bookselling. During the early 1890s, amid industrial disputes between trade unions and the conservative colonial government led by Thomas McIlwraith, Kidston sided with striking workers despite his militia membership. His refusal to act as a special constable against the strikers led to a court martial.

Ascent into Parliament

Following setbacks for the unions, the labour movement sought direct political influence within the Parliament of Queensland. The Australian Labour Federation (ALF) aimed to repeal legislation that restricted striking. As a prominent ALF representative in Rockhampton, Kidston advocated for electoral reforms such as abolishing plural voting and expanding the franchise. He also supported efforts to establish Central Queensland as a separate colony, standing unsuccessfully as a separatist candidate in 1893. In 1896, he was elected as an endorsed Labor candidate.

In Parliament, Kidston championed a coalition among progressive groups to challenge the conservative "Continuous Ministry" led by Hugh Nelson and promote electoral reform, though with limited achievements. After his re-election in 1899, he opposed Federation, expressing concerns over financial disadvantages for Queensland and the powers granted for creating new states. By 1902, the separatist cause had largely diminished.

When Premier Robert Philp resigned following a close vote, Kidston briefly served as Treasurer in the world's first parliamentary labour government under Anderson Dawson in 1899. This administration lasted only a week but convinced Kidston to broaden his political alliances beyond the ALF.

In 1903, a coalition of Ministerialists, Liberals, and ALF members replaced Philp with Arthur Morgan. Kidston resumed his role as treasurer and became the senior Labor minister after William Browne's death in 1904. With Parliament evenly divided between the Morgan-Kidston coalition and former Ministerialists, an election was called. Labor emerged as the largest party; however, Kidston allowed Morgan to remain leader of the coalition. He defended their partnership on grounds that it delivered public works programs alongside more equitable taxation and electoral reforms.

Premiership

By 1905, Kidston's cooperation with non-Labor factions attracted criticism from segments within the Labor movement, particularly after the May convention endorsed a socialist objective that Kidston opposed. Following the death of Hugh Nelson in January 1906, Morgan became president of the Queensland Legislative Council, enabling Kidston’s ascension to premier. In May 1907, he established his own political party, securing support from most Labor parliamentarians.

Early in his premiership, Kidston struggled against resistance from the conservative Legislative Council, which blocked much of his proposed legislation. In 1908, after Governor Lord Chelmsford declined to appoint additional Council members to pass Kidston’s bills, Kidston resigned. Although Robert Philp was commissioned premier, he lacked majority support in the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly withheld supply funds, creating a deadlock until Chelmsford dissolved it, ensured supply was granted, and called an election.

Kidston’s party won a plurality and formed government with Labor backing. He initiated measures to limit the Council’s authority and introduced electoral reforms along with Wages Boards. However, his authorization of private railway construction alienated Labor supporters; nevertheless, he maintained power through support from Philp’s conservatives. Later that year, Kidston’s group merged with Philp’s party forming an anti-Labor alliance that anticipated the federal Fusion. Facing defections from his base, Kidston called another election in October 1909 where his Liberal Party secured a decisive victory.

Kidston achieved amendments to the Commonwealth Constitution restoring customs and excise revenues to States. He also reformed electoral boundaries by eliminating dual-member electorates and enshrining one vote one value, although subsequent administrations introduced various forms of malapportionment. , he remains the last Queensland Premier to reclaim office after losing it.

In 1911, Kidston resigned from politics upon appointment as President of the Land Court, a role he held until his death in 1919. He passed away in October that year at Coorparoo and was interred at South Rockhampton Cemetery.

Further reading

• Murphy, D J. William Kidston: A Determined Reformer. In Murphy D, Joyce R, Cribb M, and Wear, R (Eds.), The Premiers of Queensland pp. 30–69. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press. .
• Ross McMullin, The Light on the Hill: The Australian Labor Party 1891–1991