MVM 1926

Continues to build law practice.

Robert Menzies delivers his first political speech. It is at Prahran Town Hall and his Uncle, Sydney Sampson, is present. Menzies tells W M Hughes many years later that, after the speech he asked his Uncle Sydney for his reaction:

"Crisp, polished and learned, he said, the speech would have made an excellent address to the High Court, but as a political effort it was abysmal. ... the politician must take care to speak simply, introduce a little humour and, above all, keep repeating, albeit with variations in his choice of words, a few uncomplicated ideas."
Dawes, in A W Martin, Robert Menzies: A Life. Vol 1 1894-1943, 1993 p 50.

In his book Afternoon Light Robert Menzies describes the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1926:

"By the time of the First World War, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand had been added to Canada as completely self-governing 'Dominions', as they were soon to be called. Each of them participated in the First World War with unstinted patriotism and sacrifice.
… These Dominions were to be 'within the British Empire', and were to constitute 'the British Commonwealth of Nations'.
So defined, this was the British Commonwealth at the time at which I became involved in politics. For many years after I went to Canberra, I could and did speak of it with emotion. For it was something in the blood; it connoted a common allegiance, and a great brotherhood."
Sir Robert Menzies, Afternoon Light, 1967 p 187.

October 11: Cabinet holds its first meeting in Parliament House Canberra, before the official opening on 9 May, 1927.

J McCallum Smith (MLA in WA) begins a secessionist campaign for Western Australia to withdraw from the Commonwealth.

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is established. In 1949 it will become the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Invention of the pedal wireless by Alfred Traeger, a young inventor from Adelaide, was about to revolutionize life in outback Australia.

Eric Scott begins his police career after volunteering for service during the 1923 police strike in Melbourne 1

Operating the new pedal wireless 1

John Logie Baird invents television.

Hirohito becomes Emperor of Japan.

The Pasteur Institute in Paris announces the discovery of an anti-tetanus serum.

Alan Cobham makes aviation history when he lands his sea plane on the Thames at Westminster to complete his record 28,000 mile round-trip to Australia. It took his De Havilland 50 biplane 29 days each way on the journey across Europe, the Middle East, India and the Dutch East Indies.

John L Baird, circa 1943 16

Emperor Hirohito of Japan 16


	Continues to build law practice. Robert Menzies delivers his first political speech. It is at Prahran Town Hall and his Uncle, Sydney Sampson, is present. Menzies tells W M Hughes many years later that, after the speech he asked his Uncle Sydney for his reaction: "Crisp, polished and learned, he said, the speech would have made an excellent address to the High Court, but as a political effort it was abysmal. ... the politician must take care to speak simply, introduce a little humour and, above all, keep repeating, albeit with variations in his choice of words, a few uncomplicated ideas." Dawes, in A W Martin, Robert Menzies: A Life. Vol 1 1894-1943, 1993 p 50. In his book Afternoon Light Robert Menzies describes the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1926: "By the time of the First World War, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand had been added to Canada as completely self-governing 'Dominions', as they were soon to be called. Each of them participated in the First World War with unstinted patriotism and sacrifice. … These Dominions were to be 'within the British Empire', and were to constitute 'the British Commonwealth of Nations'. So defined, this was the British Commonwealth at the time at which I became involved in politics. For many years after I went to Canberra, I could and did speak of it with emotion. For it was something in the blood; it connoted a common allegiance, and a great brotherhood." Sir Robert Menzies, Afternoon Light, 1967 p 187.


	John Logie Baird invents television. Hirohito becomes Emperor of Japan. The Pasteur Institute in Paris announces the discovery of an anti-tetanus serum. Alan Cobham makes aviation history when he lands his sea plane on the Thames at Westminster to complete his record 28,000 mile round-trip to Australia. It took his De Havilland 50 biplane 29 days each way on the journey across Europe, the Middle East, India and the Dutch East Indies.		John L Baird, circa 1943 16
			Emperor Hirohito of Japan 16