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For the English miser, see John Camden Neild.

The Honourable
Ikeshut2/sandbox3
Neild in 1901
Senator for New South Wales
In office
29 March 1901 – 30 June 1910
Personal details
Born(1846-01-04)4 January 1846
Bristol, England
Died8 March 1911(1911-03-08) (aged 65)
Woollahra, New South Wales
NationalityEnglish Australian
Political partyFree Trade (1887–1906)
Anti-Socialist (1906–09)
Liberal (1909–10)
Spouse(s)Clara Matilda Gertrude Agnew (1868–79)
Georgine Marie Louise Uhr (1880–1911)
OccupationCommission agent, insurance agent, alderman

John Cash Neild (4 January 1846 – 8 March 1911) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator from New South Wales from 1901 to 1910.

Neild's family arrived in Australia in 1860, and he worked as an insurance agent and company manager before winning election to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1885. He served intermittently until 1901 and had a tumultuous career as a backbencher, eventually contributing significantly to the fall of the Reid government in 1899. He also established his own volunteer regiment, which had a difficult and sometimes hostile relationship with military command.

Elected in 1901 to the Senate, Neild was a vigorous supporter of old-age pensions, free trade and several other causes, but his ambitions of promotion were never realised. Passionately loyal to the British Empire, he questioned aspects of the White Australia policy and spoke in support of the children of Kanaka labourers facing deportation. His continued disputes with the military, including an attempt to have the commander of the Australian military forces found in contempt of Parliament, saw him lose respect among his colleagues and his later career was spent in comparative isolation. He lost his seat in 1910 and died the following year.

Biography

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Early life

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John Cash Neild was born on 4 January 1846 in Bristol, England, the second son of John Cash Neild and Maria (née Greenwood). His father was a surgeon and his mother was the daughter of a banker.[1]

In 1853 the family emigrated to the Taranaki region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. They evacuated to Sydney in 1860 to escape the Maori War at Taranaki.[1][2] Dr. Neild and his family travelled to Sydney aboard the steamer Lord Worsley in July 1860.[3]

John Neild (junior) was educated privately.[4]

Local government

[edit]

Neild was first employed at Montefiore, Joseph & Co., an importing firm.[4] In October 1865 Neild commenced business as a broker and commission agent, located in the Lyons Buildings in George Street, Sydney. He was the sole agent in the Australian colonies for J. S. Fry and Sons of Bristol and London, manufacturers of chocolates and cocoas.[5]

As a young man Neild was active in the Free Church of England (FCE).[4] The FCE had separated from the established Church of England in the mid-1840s by evangelical low church clergy and congregations, in response to what were perceived as attempts to re-introduce traditional Catholic practices into Anglican liturgy and theology.[6] In November 1866 Neild successfully applied to the Municipality of Cook at Camperdown, an inner western suburb of Sydney, for the use of a room in the council chambers for the purpose of holding divine worship by the FCE.[7] In May 1867 Neild delivered a lecture at the Free Church of England premises in Woolloomooloo "on the subject of the Taranaki Volunteers, and the New Zealand War". The event was chaired by Captain R. Peel Raymond of the Sydney Volunteer Rifles.[8]

On 29 October 1868 Neild married Clara Agnew, the eldest daughter of Rev. Philip Agnew, founder of the Free Church of England in New South Wales, and his wife Matilda. The marriage took place at the residence of the bride's father in Paddington.[9][4]

In October 1869 Neild was listed as a member of the Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment in New South Wales.[10] By April 1870, working from his business premises in the Lyons Buildings, Neild became an agent for the Queen Insurance Company of England.[11] He was also recorded as carrying on business as an actuary and accountant.[12]

John and Clara Neild initially lived at a residence named 'Caylus', in Ocean Street, Woollahra. The couple had one child, a boy named Philip, born in April 1872. Their son died on 19 June 1876 at their residence, "after a few hours' illness, of croup".[13]

In September 1875 Neild was one of a group of "influential residents of Woollahra" who signed a requisition calling for the establishment of a volunteer fire brigade in the Borough of Woollahra.[14] In January 1876 Neild was nominated to stand as an alderman in Piper Ward of the Borough of Woollahra.[15] He was elected as an alderman in 1876.[4] In January 1878 Alderman Neild was appointed to act as the Council returning officer for elections to be held in the following month.[16]

Clara Neild died on 16 September 1879 at her residence, 'Greycairn' in Edgcliff Road, Woollahra, "after a long illness".[17]

Neild remarried on 19 February 1880 at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Redfern, to Georgine Uhr, the daughter of the late George Uhr, a former Sheriff of New South Wales.[18] The couple had two surviving children, a daughter born in May 1882 and a son born in December 1884.[19][20][21]

Colonial politics

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Engraving illustration of John C. Neild by Frank Godart, published in The Sydney Mail, 30 July 1887.

At the colonial election of December 1882 Neild stood as an independent candidate for the electorate of Paddington in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. However, he failed a gain a seat in the two-member electorate, finishing in third place.[22] Neild stood for election again in the New South Wales general election of November 1885 for the Paddington electorate, this time a three-member electorate. On this occasion he was successful, finishing on top of the poll and elected to serve in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly alongside with William J. Trickett and Robert Butcher, who had been the members for Paddington in the previous parliament.[23] Neild made his first speech to the Legislative Assembly on 20 November 1885, delivering "a general condemnation" of the Protectionist Dibbs government.[24]

... became known for pursuing causes such as free trade, old-age pensions and law reform.[1]

Neild earned the nickname 'Jawbone' on 23 June 1886, after speaking for nine hours against the Jennings government's introduction of ad valorem duties.[4]

In June 1886 Neild delivered a speech, during the debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Customs Duty Bill, that extended for nearly nine hours. He began his speech soon after nine o'clock in the evening of 23 June and continued throughout the night until ten minutes to seven the following morning (excluding an forty-five minute adjournment commencing at four in the morning). His speech was confined to the question of custom duties and was delivered "from an ultra free-trade point of view". For the duration of his speech Neild was called to order by the Speaker on only two occasions, "once for irrelevency, and once for repeating himself". During his address Neild was "loudly cheered and encouraged by his colleagues on the Opposition side... and received an ovation from them at the conclusion".[25] When the New South Wales Hansard for the week was published, Neild's speech took up 29 of the 165 pages.[26]

Neild was narrowly passed over by Parkes for a ministry in January 1887.

Legislative Assembly in 1885-89.

... remaining on Woollahra Council, he served as mayor from 1888 to 1889, leaving the council in 1890.[1]

In April 1887 Neild was recorded as "a freetrader, and gives an independent support to the present Ministry".[12]

In 1887 he was appointed to represent New South Wales as Acting Commissioner to the Adelaide Exhibition.[12] Neild began to encounter difficulties in his political career towards the end of the 1880s; his oversight of the establishment of the 1887 Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition led to investigation by a Legislative Assembly select committee, which absolved him of accusations of extravagance and using his office for personal gain.[1]

In the election of February 1889 Neild was defeated for a seat to represent the four-member Paddington electorate, finishing seventh from a field of nine candidates.[27]

1890 Neild bankrupt.[28][29][30]

Neild was narrowly passed over by Parkes for a ministry in January 1887, but was given charge of Sir Alfred Stephen's divorce extension bill, which passed in 1892.[4] Neild continued to be active in religious affairs, serving from 1891 to 1893 as Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Loyal Orange Institution of New South Wales,[1] although he offended many extreme Protestants by praying for the recovery of the Pope.[4]

Legislative Assembly in 1891-94.

Neild was re-elected as a member of the four-member Paddington electorate in the New South Wales election of June 1891.[31] In July 1894 Neild, a sitting member for Paddington, contested the election for the electorate of Woollahra but was defeated by Adrian Knox.[32]

In 1895 he began to agitate for old-age pensions, but in 1899 he was investigated again after Premier George Reid paid him £350 for writing a report; although Neild repaid the money, the incident was part of the pretext for a successful no confidence motion in September which brought down the Reid government.[4][33]

Legislative Assembly in 1895-1901.

In July 1895 Neild was elected as the member for Paddington.[34]

Military

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In 1896, in response to the establishment of an Irish-Australian unit in the New South Wales citizen army, Neild raised a volunteer regiment that became St George's English Rifles. He was promoted major of the regiment in July 1896 and lieutenant-colonel in April 1898, and frequently led his men, dressed as British soldiers, around Circular Quay to the tune of "The British Grenadiers" or "The English Gentleman".[1] Despite his promotions, Neild had no previous military experience, and in 1899 Lord Beauchamp, the Governor, wrote that his organisation was "in a state of ridiculous insubordination".[4] He was suspended around Easter of that year for publicly criticising a staff officer and encouraging insubordination; following unfavourable findings by a military inquiry, Neild avoided dismissal only by investing considerable amounts of money into the regiment.[1]

He became manager of several companies and later worked as an arbitrator and adjuster.

Poetry

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Neild published an anthology of his own poetry, Songs 'neath the Southern Cross, in 1896.[1] A review in The Bulletin considered the anthology as unoriginal and adorned with dated expressions such as 'eftsoons', for 'soon afterward'.[35] Neild's usage of this word was oft-quoted,[36][37] and also mentioned in several of his death commemorations.[38]

Senate

[edit]

Neild contested the first federal election in 1901, running as a Free Trade candidate for the Senate. Together with Senator Cyril Cameron, he was one of two parliamentarians to wear full dress uniform to the opening of Parliament.[1] He introduced the Parliamentary Evidence Bill on 9 August 1901, which aimed "to enable and regulate the taking of evidence by Parliament and Parliamentary Committees".[1] The bill was withdrawn and reintroduced several times over the next decade but never passed into law. Harbouring ambitions of becoming deputy President, Neild was active in many committees but failed to achieve his aim, although he did serve as Temporary Chairman of Committees from 1903 to 1910.[1]

Neild was not a supporter of party discipline, refusing to follow Sir Josiah Symon's leadership of the Free Trade Senators.[1] He spoke against the dictation test for non-British immigrants and the deportation of Kanaka workers, and continued to advocate free trade and old-age pensions.[1] Having won the fifth position at the 1901 election, Neild faced re-election in 1903, and his impassioned support of the British Empire saw him elected at the head of the poll despite failing health.[4][39]

In March 1904 Neild attacked the government's military policy and the commander of the military forces, Major-General Sir Edward Hutton, who had long wished to dismiss Neild from the citizen army.[1] Neild had incited a near mutiny by destroying a well-known sergeant's military career, and was suspended from duty; Neild responded by accusing Hutton of intimidation and infringing a Senator's right of freedom of expression.[1] In April 1904 the Senate formed a committee to investigate alleged contempt of Parliament by Hutton, which found that Neild had not been intimidated.[4] In 1905 Neild retired from the militia.[4]

Neild's adventures had seen him lose respect in his political career, and he was now openly mocked in the Senate chamber, becoming something of a joke.[1] He introduced a number of bills in his remaining five years in the Senate, all of which lapsed.[1] He spoke in support of Muslim camel drivers and opposed military training for boys, and continued to oppose elements of the White Australia policy, raising concerns about Australian-born children of Kanaka labourers: "They will have difficulties enough in front of them in a country that is so rampantly strong on the white Australia policy without our making their case worse."[1] Neild was defeated at the 1910 election.[40][41]

Last years

[edit]

Suffering from hepatic cirrhosis.[1]

Prior to his death Neild was confined to his bed. During his last few days his heart was "rapidly failing, and his demise was not unexpected". John Cash Neild died on 8 March 1911 at his home in Edgecliff Road, Woollahra, aged 65.[42] He received a military funeral before being buried at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney, with Anglican rites.[4]

Cartoon representations

[edit]

Early references.[43][44]

Hopkins' cartoons.[45] In the 3 July 1886 issue of The Bulletin a small item was published: "It used to be J. C. Neild. Now it is J. B. Neild - Jaw Bone Neild", together with a cartoon by Phil May depicting Neild as "the man with the iron jaw". On the previous page May's fellow cartoonist, Livingston Hopkins, represented Neild as a "patent self-acting, self-winding, talking machine, warranted to go on for nine hours and produce sweet and refreshing slumber".[46]

[edit]
John Neild as depicted by cartoonists
  • 'Resigning the Jawbone', a cartoon depicting John 'Jawbone' Neild and Justice Windeyer by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 4 December 1886.
    'Resigning the Jawbone', a cartoon depicting John 'Jawbone' Neild and Justice Windeyer by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 4 December 1886.
  • 'The Knight of the Iron Jaw – Or the Champion of Virtue', cartoon depicting Neild by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 22 October 1892.
    'The Knight of the Iron Jaw – Or the Champion of Virtue', cartoon depicting Neild by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 22 October 1892.
  • Cartoon of John 'Jawbone' Neild by John Henry Chinner, published in Quiz and the Lantern, 14 May 1896.
    Cartoon of John 'Jawbone' Neild by John Henry Chinner, published in Quiz and the Lantern, 14 May 1896.
  • 'Poet-Warrior Jawbone Neild's Latest and Greatest Role', cartoon depicting John C. Neild by "Taylor", published in The Arrow, 20 October 1900.
    'Poet-Warrior Jawbone Neild's Latest and Greatest Role', cartoon depicting John C. Neild by "Taylor", published in The Arrow, 20 October 1900.
  • 'Jawbone Neild's Tariff Nightmare', a group of cartoons depicting John C. 'Jawbone' Neild by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 3 October 1907.
    'Jawbone Neild's Tariff Nightmare', a group of cartoons depicting John C. 'Jawbone' Neild by Livingston Hopkins, published in The Bulletin, 3 October 1907.
  • 'Old Ghosts at a Modern Feast', cartoon depicting Jack Lang and the ghosts of George Reid and John C. Neild, by Cecil Humphrey Percival, published in The Bulletin, 4 November 1926.
    'Old Ghosts at a Modern Feast', cartoon depicting Jack Lang and the ghosts of George Reid and John C. Neild, by Cecil Humphrey Percival, published in The Bulletin, 4 November 1926.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Craig Wilcox (2000), Neild, John Cash (1846-1911), The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate Online Edition, Parliament of Australia (accessed 7 January 2025); originally published in: The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, Vol. 1: 1901-1929, Carlton South, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 2000, pages 22-26.
  2. ^ Mr John Cash Neild (1846-1911), Former Members website, Parliament of New South Wales; accessed 7 January 2025.
  3. ^ Shipping Intelligence, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 8 August 1860, page 2.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Martha Rutledge (1986), John Cash Neild (1846–1911), Australian Dictionary of Biography website, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University; accessed 7 January 2025.
  5. ^ Advertisement, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 1865, page 4.
  6. ^ John Fenwick (2004), The Free Church of England: Introduction to an Anglican Tradition, London: Continuum, pages 9–33.
  7. ^ Municipality of Cook, Camperdown, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 November 1866, page 2.
  8. ^ Lecture on New Zealand, Sydney Mail, 11 May 1867, page 4.
  9. ^ Marriages, Sydney Mail, 14 November 1868, page 2.
  10. ^ Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment in New South Wales, Empire (Sydney), 8 October 1869, page 1.
  11. ^ Queen Insurance Company, Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 1870, page 2; Central Police Court, Sydney Mail, 14 January 1871, page 14.
  12. ^ a b c Mr. J. C. Neild, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 23 April 1887, page 842.
  13. ^ Deaths, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 1876, page 1.
  14. ^ Woolahra Volunteer Fire Brigade, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 September 1875, page 5.
  15. ^ Piper Ward, Borough of Woollahra, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 January 1876, page 2.
  16. ^ Borough of Woollahra, New South Wales Goverment Gazette, 5 February 1878 (Issue No. 41), page 539.
  17. ^ Deaths, Sydney Daily Telegraph, 1 October 1879, page 8.
  18. ^ Marriages, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 28 February 1880, page 389.
  19. ^ Births, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 25 December 1880, page 1189.
  20. ^ Births, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 May 1882, page 1.
  21. ^ Births, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 5 January 1884, page 42.
  22. ^ Polling for Paddington, The Sydney Daily Telegraph, 4 December 1882, page 3.
  23. ^ Paddington (3 Members), Sydney Morning Herald, 17 October 1885, page 9.
  24. ^ Mr. Buchanan and the Government and Parliament, Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 21 November 1885, pages 5-6.
  25. ^ Stonewalling Scene in the N.S.W. Assembly, The Herald (Melbourne), 24 June 1886, page 3.
  26. ^ Political Points, The Bulletin, 3 July 1886, page 22.
  27. ^ Paddington - 1889, New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 website, New South Wales Parliament; accessed 11 January 2025.
  28. ^ Mr. J. C. Neild Bankrupt, Macleay Argus (Kempsey), 27 June 1890, page 7.
  29. ^ In Bankruptcy, Evening News (Sydney), 14 October 1890, page 3.
  30. ^ J. C. Neild's Bankruptcy, Evening News (Sydney), 5 August 1893, page 5.
  31. ^ Paddington - 1891, New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 website, New South Wales Parliament; accessed 11 January 2025.
  32. ^ Woollahra - 1894, New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 website, New South Wales Parliament; accessed 11 January 2025.
  33. ^ The Cause of Mr. Reid's Defeat, Press (New Zealand), 16 September 1899, page 7.
  34. ^ Paddington - 1895, New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 website, New South Wales Parliament; accessed 11 January 2025.
  35. ^ Songs 'Neath the Southern Cross, The Bulletin, 7 March 1896, page 7.
  36. ^ "Nothing for Nixey". Truth. 27 August 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via Trove.
  37. ^ "John Cash Neild". The Sunbury News. 25 December 1902. p. 32. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via Trove.
  38. ^ John Cash Neild: The Passing of a Remarkable Personality, The Sun (Sydney), 9 March 1911, page 4.
  39. ^ Carr, Adam. "Senate New South Wales 1903". Psephos. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  40. ^ Carr, Adam. "Senate New South Wales 1910". Psephos. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  41. ^ A Fallen Brother: An Ode to Ex-Senator Neild by Solomon Gay, The Star (Sydney), 22 April 1910, page 4.
  42. ^ Colonel Neild Dead, Maitland Daily Mercury, 9 March 1911, page 5.
  43. ^ Acta Populi, Freeman's Journal (Sydney), 10 July 1886, page 14.
  44. ^ The Mayor's Ball, Nepean Times (Penrith), 31 July 1886, page 3.
  45. ^ Marguerite Mahood (1973), The Loaded Line: Australian Political Caricature 1788-1901, Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, page 174.
  46. ^ Topics of the Times and Personal Items, The Bulletin (Sydney), 3 July 1886, pages 5-6.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Paddington
1885–1889
With: Robert Butcher / Alfred Allen
William Trickett / William Allen 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Paddington
1891–1894
With: Alfred Allen
James Marks
Jack Want 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Paddington
1895–1901 		Succeeded by


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