William Schey

William Francis Schey (1857–1913) was an Australian politician.

Biography

Schey was born in England and educated in London. After a short time in New Zealand, Schey arrived in Sydney as first mate of a ship in 1875. After tiring of work on the seas, Schey worked as a chainman for the Harbours Department then joined the railways, after becoming the first paid secretary of the Railways and Tramways Association.

Schey entered the New South Wales Parliament in 1887, serving until his electoral defeat in 1898. Schey initially served as an independent member for the Electoral district of Redfern in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. From 1889 he served as a member for Redfern and then member for the Electoral district of Darlington with the Protectionist Party.^[1] Schey twice carried the "eight hour" bill through the Legislative Assembly only to see it defeated in the Legislative Council.

In 1900 Schey was elected Chairman of the Royal Commission to Labor Matters. In 1905 Schey was appointed Director of Labor, a position he held until his death in 1913.

In 1895 Schey was concerned at the social toll of the 1890s depression. Schey was an engine behind the 1896 creation of a Government funded co-operative farm, established to assist men and their families who were victims of sickness and unemployment. Schey took so much interest in the co-operative training farm that the area became favourably known as Scheyville from 1907 onwards.^[2][3]

References