Obituaries Australia

A sterling Laborite was lost to the Movement when E. J. [Ernest Josiah] Polkinghorne died at Leeton (N.S.W.) recently. Ernie was one of the Union officials who fought the Broken Hill mine-owners in the memorable strike. With others, including Dick Sleath and W. J. Ferguson, both of whom, by the way, afterwards renegaded to Fat— he was thrust into quod. Returning to the Barrier after his release, he was materially responsible for the establishment of the Broken Hill Co-operative Stores, and was appointed manager. When a later industrial upheaval eventuated, and his beloved stores, for the time being, at any rate, were practically squelched, he, with Billy Nulty and several other conspicuous Barrier Unionists, went to Leeton and settled down to the much less exciting job of growing peaches and apricots and various other varieties of fruit.