1923

Sir Robert Menzies

Posted in 1923

  • Ian Menzies (Photo: 1936)Builds busy law practice including four cases in the High Court.
  • Birth of second son, Ian.
  • Apart from the High Court Menzies was also very active as an Advocate in the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court.

"... the 1920s were marked in Australia by bitter social tensions and intermittent industrial conflict which put the arbitration system under great strain and produced much litigation. But in Menzies' case a close concern with the legal problems created by these troubles was to have a special significance: indirectly it became one of the major influences which drew him into active politics."
A W Martin, Robert Menzies A Life Vol 1 1894-1943, 1993 p 46.

Australian Events

Posted in 1923

  • Special constables during the Victorian Police strikeBruce-Page Government, February 9 (see Australian Prime Ministers)
  • November 5: A strike by Victorian Police against a new supervision system leaves Melbourne undefended, tempting vandals and looters into the city. The government dismisses all the strikers and hastily swears in special constables who lead a baton charge to clear Melbourne's streets of an estimated 100,000 people. The Sun newspaper headline reads: "Running like rabbits from a baton charge of special constables".
  • An Australian favourite: "Vegemite"Silver and lead are discovered at Mt Isa, Queensland.
  • Women in Victoria are granted the right to stand for election to the Legislative Assembly in August.
  • Construction of the new federal Parliament House in Canberra begins. Intended only as a "provisional" home, it would be used by the Parliament for 61 years.
  • "Vegemite" is first produced by the Fred Walker Cheese Co.

World Events

Posted in 1923

  • Adolf HitlerHitler attempts to seize power in Munich but fails and is imprisoned. His book Mein Kampf is dictated during his nine month prison term.
  • Massive inflation in Germany leads to the collapse of the currency.
  • The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established.
  • Japan's biggest earthquake devastates Tokyo and Yokohama: 300,000 killed and 2.5 million people are made homeless.

 

 

 

USSR