Carty Salmon

Charles Carty Salmon (27 July 186015 September 1917) was an Australian politician who served as the second speaker of the Australian House of Representatives from 1909 to 1910. A member Protectionist Party for most of his career, he was the member of parliament (MP) for the division of Laanecoorie from 1901 to 1913 and the division of the Grampians from 1915 until his death in 1917.

A doctor by profession, he began his political career in the Victorian Legislative Assembly before winning election to the House of Representatives at the inaugural 1901 federal election. He represented the Protectionist Party initially and then the Liberal Party, serving as Speaker for the duration of the Third Deakin Ministry. Salmon lost his seat in 1913, but returned to the House at a by-election in 1915. He died in office two years later.

Early life Salmon was born on 27 July 1860 in Amherst, Victoria. He was the sixth child born to Susannah Carty (née Arnell) and Frederick Browne Salmon. His parents were born in England,

Salmon's father had arrived in South Australia in 1849. He later moved to Victoria and profited from the subsequent gold rush, acquiring a grazing property near Talbot. He was said to have disliked the industry and returned to the family grazing property, but later resumed his association with Arnell & Dudgeon and served as a managing director of the firm, which he combined with his parliamentary career. He was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in May 1894, winning a by-election for the seat of Talbot and Avoca. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, "immediately he abandoned medicine for politics and soon identified with the Deakinite liberal causes of anti-sweating legislation, a shorter working week and a high tariff".

Salmon was re-elected at the 1894, 1897 and 1900 general elections. He held ministerial office in the government of Allan McLean, serving briefly as minister without portfolio in 1899 and then as Minister of Public Instruction and Commissioner of Trade and Customs from 1899 to 1900. Holder had died in office in dramatic circumstances five days earlier while presiding over the house, with Salmon attending him in his capacity as a physician.

Salmon's elevation to the speakership was largely at the behest of his close friend Deakin. He narrowly defeated Agar Wynne in a Liberal partyroom ballot, then was elected by 37 votes to 29 following an acrimonious debate presided over by the clerk of the House, Charles Gavan Duffy. The balloting took several hours and the ALP unsuccessfully attempted to engineer Wynne's election, with Billy Hughes describing Salmon as a "notorious partisan". Punch also noted that his election in 1898 as chief president of the ANA was 'great luck for Carty'. 'That year was the year of the referendum over Federation, and he was able to achieve a great reputation as a Federalist through the efforts of the association over which he presided'. A close examination of Carty Salmon's record as chief president does not disprove this judgement.

Freemason

Salmon was a freemason and from 1914 was the grand master of the Grand Lodge of Victoria. He was also a lieutenant-colonel in the Australian Army Medical Corps and commanded a base hospital in Melbourne in 1914. He died on 15 September 1917 at his home in South Yarra and was buried with Masonic rites and full military honours. His eulogy was delivered by Lowther Clarke, Archbishop of Melbourne, and both Prime Minister Billy Hughes and Leader of the Opposition Matthew Charlton attended his funeral.

Personal life In 1900, Salmon married Nancy Harris, the daughter of Sydney mayor Matthew Harris. The couple had three sons.

Salmon collapsed at his office three days after winning re-election at the 1917 election. He died of a cerebral tumour at his home on South Yarra on 15 September 1917, aged 57.