Obituaries Australia

Probably the best-known man in the printing industry of the State passed away on Wednesday, March 22, in the person of Mr. James E. B. Keaughran, at the ripe age of 72 years. He was a native of Western Australia and learned the trade of compositor in Perth. He was the last of the foundation members of the Western Australian Typographical Society (now the Printing Industry Union), which was inaugurated in 1889. He was the first advocate of the Printers' Union before the Arbitration Court, but before that he had succeeded by private negotiation in raising the wages of compositors from £2/11/- to £3 per week, as well as securing the limitation of apprentices, etc. He filled the position of president of the Union on four occasions, and was also secretary four times (all except once in an honorary capacity).

The late Mr. Keaughran spent most of his life in the metropolitan area, but was employed by Mr. J. M. Drew at Geraldton for three years in the early nineties. In 1906 he was appointed overseer of the "Westralian Worker" at Kalgoorlie, and came to Perth when the "Worker" was transferred to the metropolis in 1912. He returned to Kalgoorlie as manager of the goldfields branch of the "Worker" in 1921.

He was elected full-time secretary of the Western Australian Branch of the P.I.E.U.A. in 1922, defeating several other candidates; and was instructor of composing at the Technical School, Perth, until reaching the retiring age six years ago. He was then appointed examiner of apprentices for the Union, and held this position at the time of his death.

In addition to his services to the Printers' Union, Mr. Keaughran had filled many honorary positions in the labor Movement, and had attended many conferences in Western Australia and in the Eastern States.

Hundreds of members have passed through the Printers' Union since its foundation half a century ago. "Old Jim" (as he was affectionately known to his trade associates) had come into personal contact with the majority of them, and no official was ever held in higher esteem by the membership.

Thus a useful life was brought to a close when he passed peacefully away last week. He had retained his full mental faculties and and enjoyed tolerably good health to the last.

"Old Jim" was a kindly and unassuming man and never looked for praise and acclamation for his good work, and it was quite in accordance with the fitness of things (and his expressed wish) that his remains were privately interred in the Karrakatta Cemetery on Thursday. He leaves a widow and grow-up family to mourn their loss, to whom the "Worker" and all printers extend their sincere sympathy.