Obituaries Australia

By the death in the Ballarat hospital last Thursday morning of Mr. Frank J. Rogers the Victorian Labor movement lost one of its most strenuous workers, and one whose fine qualities were admired even by extreme opponents. He had long been in delicate health, but stuck to his work as enthusiastically as ever. Some few months ago his friends decided that he should spend the winter in Sydney, but he got no further than Melbourne and went back to Berringa in worse state than he left it. Then pneumonia set in, and he was sent to the Ballarat hospital, where for three weeks his life hung in the balance. Then the end came, and last Saturday his comrades laid him in Buninyong cemetery —

He has gone and he fares the best;
He fought against odds, he struggled up hill;
He has fairly earned his season of rest.

Born in 1866 at Napoleon, near Ballarat, Frank Rogers after his schooldays was a Jack-of-all-trades for awhile, and then took up mining pursuits in the Creswick alluvial mines. Presently he went to Rokewood and became secretary of what is now the Rokewood, Pitfield and Berringa branch of the A.M.A., holding the post until his death. He was also general treasurer of the A.M.A., a guiding spirit in the P.L.C., or any movement that in his opinion made for the betterment of the conditions of mankind. He played his part well, and the world is the poorer for his going. His 40 years of life were spent in the Ballarat district, and he had a name absolutely free from reproach. He fought keenly but fairly; he held strong opinions but was tolerant to all; he never spared himself but was very kindly to others; above all, he never harmed man, woman or child. That was the character of Frank Rogers and the only estate he leaves.