Charles Wade
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The Honourable Sir Charles Wade KCMG KC JP |
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| Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales | |
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In office 15 March 1920 – 26 September 1922 |
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| 17th Premier of New South Wales | |
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In office 2 October 1907 – 1 October 1910 |
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| Governor |
Sir Harry Rawson Lord Chelmsford |
| Preceded by | Sir Joseph Carruthers |
| Succeeded by | James McGowen |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Gordon |
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In office 6 August 1904 – 21 February 1917 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Bavin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
26 January 1863 Singleton, Colony of New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 26 September 1922 (aged 59) Potts Point, New South Wales, Australia |
Sir Charles Gregory Wade KCMG, KC, JP (26 January 1863 – 26 September 1922) was Premier of New South Wales 2 October 1907 – 21 October 1910. According to Percival Serle, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character. His ability, honesty and courage were quickly recognized and, though he could not be called a great leader, he was either in office or leader of the opposition for nearly the whole of his political life of 14 years. His career as a judge was short, but his sense of justice and grasp of principles and details, eminently fitted him for that position."
Charles Gregory Wade was born in Singleton, New South Wales. He was the son of William Burton Wade, a civil engineer. Educated at All Saints College, Bathurst, and The King's School, Parramatta. Wade won the Broughton and Forrest scholarships and went to Merton College, Oxford. He had a distinguished career, both as a scholar and an athlete, graduating with honours in classics and representing his university and England at rugby union. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1886 and in the same year returned to Sydney. He married Ella Louise Bell, daughter of a civil engineer, in 1890. He made a reputation as a barrister and was appointed a crown prosecutor in 1891 and successfully prosecuted George Dean for attempted murder in a notorious case in 1895. From 1902, he represented employers before the new Industrial Arbitration Court.
In September 1903, he ran successfully for the Legislative Assembly seat of Willoughby, with the support of the Liberal and Reform Association, People's Reform League, New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, Loyal Orange Institution and Australian Protestant Defence Association. From 1904 to 1917, he represented Gordon. Within a year of his first election he joined the Carruthers ministry as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. When Carruthers resigned Wade became Premier on 2 October 1907, but still retained his previous portfolios. He was an energetic leader and a large number of acts were passed by his government dealing with among others, industrial disputes, neglected children, minimum wage, employers' liability, the liquor problem, and closer settlement. There was some remission of taxation and each year the treasurer was able to show a surplus. The great Burrinjuck Dam for which the Carruthers government was responsible was started, and special care was taken that the consequent increase in the value of the land should be preserved for the people generally and not merely the landholders. During the 1909–10 coal strike, Wade appeared to favour the mine-owners and lost significant community support.
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