Railway worker and union official. Educated in convent and public schools; farm hand; employee of the New South Wales Railway Service, as a labourer, fettler, then ganger at Dunedoo, Emu Plains and Sydney from 1914 until 1917, Daniel Clyne became an active member of the Australian Railways Union, but was dismissed from service for taking part in the strike of 1917. Working his way up through the union movement, Clyne served as President of the Federal Storemen and Packers' Union between 1927 and 1957. As an energetic member of the Labor Party, he became a Branch Secretary and a member of the Party's Central Executive between 1918 and 1919 and again between 1923 and 1925. Elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for King in 1927, his strong ties with local constituents ensured that he won the seat of King on ten consecutive occasions. He continued in his commitment to improving working conditions even after his election to Parliament through his development of a set of safety regulations to govern the rapidly expanding building industry. A popular figure within the Parliament, Clyne was elected to the office of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1941 without opposition. As Speaker, Clyne was considered to be impartial in his rulings and he developed a reputation for treating Members with great fairness.