|
Was born at Falkirk,
Scotland, on 27 August 1849, the third son of an irondresser. Educated at
the local school, Kidston was apprenticed at 13 years of age to an
ironmoulder. He afterwards attended a technical school at Alloa and
studied chemistry privately. In 1882 he went to Australia with his wife
and family, and after working at Sydney went to Rockhampton about 1883 and
opened a bookseller's shop. He was a Labour candidate for the legislative
assembly at Rockhampton in 1893, but was not elected until three years
later. In 1899 he became treasurer and postmaster general in the A. Dawson
(q.v.) ministry which, however, lasted only a few days. When the Morgan
ministry was formed in September 1903 Kidston was placed in charge of the
treasury, and when Morgan became president of the council in 1906 Kidston
took his place as premier. He was not afraid of work and took the
portfolios of premier, treasurer, chief secretary and vice-president of
the executive council, but there were three parties in the house, it was
difficult to carry on its business effectively, and in November 1907 he
resigned when parliament was dissolved. Kidston had finally broken with
Labour and was returned as head of a democratic party. Philp (q.v.)
carried on for a little while, but eventually made a coalition with
Kidston who in February 1908 again became premier and treasurer. In 1909
his government was responsible for the introduction of a university bill
which became law, and the university was founded at the end of the year.
In February 1911 partly for health reasons Kidston retired from politics
and was appointed a member of the Queensland land court. He retired from
this position on completing his seventieth year in August 1919, and died
on the following 25 October. His wife had predeceased him and he was
survived by three sons.
Kidston was a man of
forceful personality. He had a hard beginning, but prosperity modified the
extreme democratic views he held when he was first in politics. He was a
shrewd and capable treasurer, an excellent fighter, able to say "no" when
necessary. In his early days he found public-speaking difficult, but
developed into a good and even eloquent speaker. He was a good enemy, he
could also be a good friend, and was a successful leader of the house,
showing as occasion demanded both tact and determination. |
