Labour Australia

With the death of Edward Joseph Hanson last Thursday Queensland had lost its two previous Speakers in the State Parliament within a month. The late Mr Hanson retired from the speakership and parliament after five years as speaker in 1944 and was succeeded by the late Mr. S. J. Brassington who, after six years as Speaker, died on October 4 while still in office. Mr. Hanson was 70 and Mr. Brassington 49.

The late Mr. Hanson was a plumber by trade, and a founder of the Australian Plumbers and Gasfitters' Employees union of which he was secretary for many years before he entered politics.

He was a member of the old Legislative Council, which he helped to abolish when Parliament became unicameral under the Theodore Government.

From 1916 to 1922 he was also a member of the Brisbane Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board.

On the appointment of Mr. John Huxham as Agent-General for Queensland in 1924 Mr. Hanson succeeded to the Buranda seat, which he won at a by-election in August of that year. He retained the seat until his retirement from politics in 1944.

He was Parliamentary Chairman of Committees from 1922 to 1939, and Speaker from 1939 to 1944.

The late Mr. Hanson, who was born at Woolloongabba, lived in O'Keefe Street, Buranda, and has left a widow and a family of eight children. One son is Mr. E. J. Hanson, Painters' Union secretary.

Surviving members of Queensland's Boer War contingent on Saturday filed past the coffin of Mr. E. J. Hanson and gave a last salute prior to the State funeral. Mr. Hanson was president of the Boer War Veterans' Association.

Representatives of the Government and the services were present at the State funeral. Boer War veterans formed a guard of honour.

The cortege, more than a mile long, led by Queensland mounted police, traversed Victoria Bridge, Queen Street, and the Story Bridge to the Crematorium.