Obituaries Australia

The death of Mrs. Bertha McNamara, in the Glenmore Private Hospital, North Sydney, early last Saturday morning, caused general regret, for her association with the Labor Movement dated close on half a century back.

For years that now seem uncountable she was a delegate to Labor Conferences, and during the war period, with voice and pen, she strenuously opposed the conscripting of Australia's youth.

Very many were the grand old lady's friends. During the long years that she was the proprietress of the little book shop in Castlereagh-street that address was a rendezvous for men and women of every shade of political, philosophical and religious opinion.

Amongst the many who made the house their more or less constant or frequent Mecca in the earlier days of the N.S.W. sector of the Labor Movement were Messrs. W. M. Hughes, W. A. Holman and later Messrs. McTiernan, Sproule, the late Percy Brookfield, and, amongst other visitors, Henry Lawson (her son-in-law), Tom Mann, Harry Holland and Bob Ross. Also other men who are now Judges, leading journalists, or otherwise in the limelight, took a delight in browsing amongst her books, or listening to her conversation.