Notes to Lewis on Latham

Notes

(1) The Latham papers are kept in the National Library of Australia at MS1009 and MS 6409. They use over eighteen metres of shelf space. One of the few works to consider Latham’s role in the history of Australian conservatism is David Pott’s 1972 Melbourne MA Thesis.

(2) Even in the 1950s, Latham was involved in anti-communist organisations such as the AACF.

(3) He was not corrupt, in the sense that he made any personal gain from his dealings. In fact, he went to great pains to highlight how little material gain he made from politics.

(4) Commonwealth Paliamentary Debates (hereafter CPD), House of Representatives, 17 July 1931, pp. 4061 – 4070.

(5) CPD, House of Representatives, 17 July 1931, p. 4063.

(6) ibid, p. 4063.

(7) Cf. Robert Menzies view of the English Civil War as a gradualist event in the development of the British constitution. Brett, J, Robert Menzies Forgotten People, Sun Books, 1992, p. 142.

(8) Garran, R.R, Prosper the Commonwealth, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1958, p. 326.

(9) Wheare, K.C, The Statute of Westminster and the Dominions, Oxford University Press, 1949, p. 15.

(10) See Osmond, W., Eggleston,: An Intellectual in Australian Politics, Allen and Unwin, North Sydney, 1985; also Cowan, Z., Sir John Latham and other papers, Oxford University Press, 1965.

(11) Garran, op.cit, pp. 265 – 267.

(12) Imperial Conference 1926, Inter-Imperial Relations Committee, 1st meeting, p. 2, quoted in Hudson, W.J, and Sharp, M.P, Australian Independence: Colony to Reluctant Kingdom, Melbourne University Press, 1988, p. 93.

(13) ibid., (Hudson and Sharp) p. 93.

(14) Latham, J.G, Australia and the British Commonwealth, Macmillan, London, 1928.

(15) Latham, op.cit, p.6.

(16) ibid., p. 103.

(17) MS 1009/48/b, p.26.

(18) Cowan, Z., Isaac Isaacs, University of Queensland Press, 1992, p. 193.

(19) Alomes, S, and Jones, C., Australian Nationalism: A Documentary History, Angus and Robertson, 1991, p. 202.

(20) CPD, 17/8/1931, pp. 4062 – 4070.

(21) ibid., p. 4063.

(22) It was a long speech; it was twice extended, and he spoke for approximately one hour.

(23) op.cit, p. 4062.

(24) ibid., p. 4062.

(25) ibid., p. 4063.

(26) ibid., p. 4064.

(27) ibid., p. 4064.

(28) He arrived at this conclusion, though it is not mentioned in the speech, through discussion with various state Attorneys-General, particularly H.E Baker of Tasmania. See MS 1009/48/70.

(29) e.g The Revision of the Commonwealth Constitution: Notes of an address by Mr J.G Latham to Members of the National Union Committee, Monday, September 19/21, in Herbert and Ivy Brookes Papers, MS 1924/19/321, National Library of Australia.

(30) ibid., p. 4069.

(31) MS 1009/2 is the series containing Lathams diaries. The earlier diaries give some description of his home life.