Labour Australia

The list of Labor pioneers is becoming smaller. The latest addition has been made by the death of Phil Halfpenny which occurred at Oakleigh on January 14, at the age of 70 years. He was possessed of the requisite courage for the fighting days of the infancy of the Australian Labor Movement, into which he thrust himself with tenacity and unselfishness. He gave knocks and took them. Phil, who was a felt hatter by trade, was formerly a colleague in political and industrial activities with the late Frank Tudor, who was also a hatter. He was elected president of the Richmond branch of the Political Council when it was formed in 1902. He was prominent and serviceable in support of Parliamentary and municipal Labor candidates when pertinacious Labor propagandists were scarce. Becoming dissatisfied with the tactics of the Labor Party about twenty-five years ago, Phil left it and joined the Socialist Labor Party. Mr. Halfpenny's father was one of the earliest settlers in Melbourne. In the thirties of last century he pitched his residence in what was then regarded as the "bush"—in Collins-street, near where the "Age" office now stands.