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Mr John Henry CANN (1860 - 1940)

Date of Birth: 19/04/1860 Place of Birth: Horrabridge, Devonshire, England Date of Death: 21/07/1940 Place of Death: Petersham, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 20 Jun 1891 20 Dec 1916 25yr(s) 6mth(s) 1day(s) Member for Sturt 20 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3yr(s) 6day(s) 15th (1891 - 1894) Member for Broken Hill 17 Jul 1894 5 Jul 1895 11mth(s) 19day(s) 16th (1894 - 1895) Member for Broken Hill 20 Jul 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 19day(s) 17th (1895 - 1898) Member for Broken Hill 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 16day(s) 18th (1898 - 1901) Member for Broken Hill 3 Jul 1901 16 Jul 1904 3yr(s) 14day(s) 19th (1901 - 1904) Member for Broken Hill 26 Jul 1904 19 Aug 1907 3yr(s) 25day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for Broken Hill 30 Aug 1907 14 Sep 1910 3yr(s) 16day(s) 21st (1907 - 1910) Member for Broken Hill 23 Sep 1910 6 Nov 1913 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 15day(s) 22nd (1910 - 1913) Member for Sturt 15 Nov 1913 20 Dec 1916 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 6day(s) 23rd (1913 - 1917) Colonial Treasurer 6 May 1912 29 Jun 1913 1yr(s) 1mth(s) 24day(s) Colonial Treasurer 30 Jun 1913 29 Jan 1914 7mth(s) Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Mines 29 Jan 1914 15 Mar 1915 1yr(s) 1mth(s) 15day(s) Minister for Public Works 15 Mar 1915 15 Nov 1916 1yr(s) 8mth(s) 1day(s) Chairman of Committees 28 Jun 1900 11 Jun 1901 11mth(s) 15day(s) Chairman of Committees 25 Jul 1901 29 May 1902 10mth(s) 5day(s) Chairman of Committees 10 Jan 1904 16 Jul 1904 6mth(s) 7day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 15 Nov 1910 31 Jul 1911 8mth(s) 17day(s) Yongaleatha Marble, Flag and Flux Company Bill Committee No.17 1 Sep 1891 3 Sep 1891 3days 15th (1891 - 1894) Application for a Free Pass made by Mr Black, MP Committee No.27 17 Dec 1891 21 Mar 1891 15th (1891 - 1894) Broken Hill Water Supply Act Amendment Bill Committee No.32 1 Feb 1892 17 Feb 1892 17days 15th (1891 - 1894) Menindie and Broken Hill Tramway Bill Committee.10 18 Oct 1892 10 Nov 1892 24days 15th (1891 - 1894) Menindie Irrigation Bill Committee No.21 23 Feb 1893 22 Mar 1893 28days 15th (1891 - 1894) Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill Committee No.13 1 Dec 1893 8 Dec 1893 8days 15th (1891 - 1894) Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill Committee No.7 25 Jan 1894 5 Jun 1894 4mths 12days 16th (1894 - 1895) Children’s Protection Act Amendment Bill Committee No.9 20 Feb 1894 5 Jun 1894 3mths 17days 16th (1894 - 1895) Working of Collieries Committee No.11 13 Mar 1894 19 Apr 1894 1mth 7days 16th (1894 - 1895) Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 9 13 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 23days 16th (1894 - 1895) Amendment of the Mining Laws. Committee No. 12 27 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 9days 16th (1894 - 1895) Resumption of Land, Woolloomooloo Bay. Committee No. 13 29 Nov 1894 5 Jul 1895 7mths 7days 16th (1894 - 1895) Elections and Qualifications. Committee No. 5 14 Aug 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yrs 10mths 25days 17th (1895 - 1898) Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 6 12 Sep 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yrs 9mths 27days 17th (1895 - 1898) Borough of Redfern Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.11 8 Oct 1895 17 Oct 1895 10days 17th (1895 - 1898) Printing Committee No.5 14 May 1896 16 Nov 1896 6mths 3days 17th (1895 - 1898) City and North Sydney Railway Bill; Sydney and North Sydney Bridge and Tramway Bill. North Shore Bridge Bill Committee No.17 21 Jul 1896 21 Oct 1896 3mths 1day 17th (1895 - 1898) North Shore Bridge Bill Committee appointed on 13 August 1896 Claim of Captain Rossi Committee No.20 28 Jul 1896 1 Oct 1896 2mths 4days 17th (1895 - 1898) Evidence before the Civil Service Commission by Mr H.C.L Anderson Committee No.19 28 Jul 1896 11 Nov 1896 3mths 15days 17th (1895 - 1898) Lawson’s Estate Mortgage Enabling Bill Committee No.29 23 Sep 1896 30 Sep 1896 8days 17th (1895 - 1898) Case of Thomas Buckley – Public Works Department Committee No.33 20 Oct 1896 16 Nov 1896 28days 17th (1895 - 1898) Refreshment Committee No.4 28 Apr 1897 10 Dec 1897 7mths 13days 17th (1895 - 1898) Nyngan Town Hall (Mortgage) Bill Committee No. 22 17 Nov 1897 10 Dec 1897 24days 17th (1895 - 1898) Refreshment Committee No. 3 28 Jun 1898 8 Jul 1898 11days 17th (1895 - 1898) Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 17 Aug 1898 19 Oct 1898 2mths 3days 18th (1898 - 1901) Refreshment Committee No. 5 25 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3mths 29days 18th (1898 - 1901) Saywell’s Tramway and Electric Lighting Bill Committee No. 12 20 Sep 1898 23 Dec 1898 3mths 4days 18th (1898 - 1901) Case of Sydney Cooper as to Mining under a Road, parish of Clive, county of Gough Committee No. 17 27 Oct 1898 23 Dec 1898 1mth 27days 18th (1898 - 1901) Illawarra Harbour and Land Corporation Act Further Amendment Bill Committee No.22 2 Dec 1898 6 Dec 1898 5days 18th (1898 - 1901) Refreshment Committee No.3 21 Feb 1899 30 Mar 1899 1mth 10days 18th (1898 - 1901) Refreshment Committee No.4 13 Apr 1899 21 Apr 1899 9days 18th (1898 - 1901) Refreshment Committee No.6 2 Aug 1899 10 Oct 1899 2mths 9days 18th (1898 - 1901) Municipal District of Broken Hill Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.9 10 Aug 1899 16 Aug 1899 7days 18th (1898 - 1901) Chairman Broken Hill Abattoirs, Markets, and Cattle sale Yards Bill Committee No.2 19 Jun 1900 18 Jul 1900 30days 18th (1898 - 1901) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.4 20 Jun 1900 24 Jul 1900 1mth 5days 18th (1898 - 1901) Refreshment Committee No.3 20 Jun 1900 5 Dec 1900 5mths 16days 18th (1898 - 1901) Conditional Purchase of George Humphries Cowled Committee No. 10 3 Jul 1900 26 Jul 1900 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Municipal District of Cowra Reduced Area Bill Committee No.8 1 Nov 1904 16 Nov 1904 16days 19th (1901 - 1904) Allegation by the Rev. W.Woolls Rutledge respecting an appointment to the Public Service Committee No.15 29 Aug 1905 25 Oct 1905 1mth 27days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.3 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 9days 20th (1904 - 1907) David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.14 22 Nov 1906 6 Dec 1906 15days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.4 9 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Oct 1907 20 Dec 1907 1mth 27days 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.2 13 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 30days 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.3 5 Aug 1908 19 Dec 1908 4mths 15days 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.3 14 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5mths 4days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 21 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 2mths 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.3 28 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 1mth 24days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Refreshment Committee No.5 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Refreshment Committee No.5 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Sep 1911 28 Mar 1912 6mths 17days 22nd (1910 - 1913) The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 23 Jul 1912 23 Jul 1912 1day 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 7 Aug 1912 5 Dec 1912 3mths 29days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Administration of the Rocks Resumed Area Committee No.7 20 Aug 1912 5 Dec 1912 3mths 16days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Petition of Thomas Michael Slattery Committee No. 7 6 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917)

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Miner. Emigrated to Australia with his wife in 1887, and became a miner at Port Kembla and later with Broken Hill Proprietary Company at Broken Hill. Member of the Amalgamated Miners' Association, and became a Branch President in 1889, a District President between 1890 and 1893 and leader of the Association during the maritime strike of 1890. Following his retirement from politics he became the Assistant Railway Commissioner. Was a founding member of the Labor Party and became Deputy Leader in 1913. As a candidate in the Labor Party's first electoral campaign of 1891, John Cann won the Legislative Assembly seat of Sturt. He was also the Member for Broken Hill between 1894 and 1913 and for Sturt again between 1913 and 1916. He was Chairman of Committees between 1900 and 1904, Colonial Treasurer between 1912 and 1914, Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Mines between 1914 and 1915 and Minister for Public Works between 1915 and 1916. When Labor took office in 1910 with a majority of one, Cann was elected the first Labor Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He stood down from this position in the following year when Premier Holman arranged for Henry Willis to become Speaker after the unexpected resignation of two Labor Members left the Government without a majority. Although a founding member of the Labor Party and its Deputy Leader in 1913, Cann was expelled from the Party over his support for conscription in November 1916.

Personal

Son of Richard Cann, miner, and Rebecca Sowden. Married Eliza Ann Callard on 20 August 1885 and had no issue.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995

John Cann was born on 19 April 1860 in England. In August 1885 he married Elizabeth Wright. They had no children. After emigrating to Australia with his wife in 1887, he became a miner at Port Kembla and later with BHP at Broken Hill. A member of the Amalgamated Miners' Association, he became a Branch President in 1889, a District President between 1890 and 1893 and leader of the Association during the maritime strike of 1890. Following his retirement from politics he became the Assistant Railway Commissioner. He was a founding member of the Labor Party and became Deputy Leader in 1913. As a candidate in the Labor Party's first electoral campaign of 1891, John Cann won the Legislative Assembly seat of Sturt. He was also the Member for Broken Hill between 1894 and 1913 and for Sturt again between 1913 and 1916. He was Chairman of Committees between 1900 and 1904, Colonial Treasurer between 1912 and 1914, Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Mines between 1914 and 1915 and Minister for Public Works between 1915 and 1916. When Labor took office in 1910 with a majority of one, Cann was elected the first Labor Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He stood down from this position in the following year when Premier Holman arranged for Henry Willis to become Speaker after the unexpected resignation of two Labor Members left the Government without a majority. Although a founding member of the Labor Party and its Deputy Leader in 1913, Cann was expelled from the Party over his support for conscription in November 1916. He died at Petersham in Sydney on 21 July 1940.

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