Frank James Smith (1852 – 4 January 1910) was an English-born Australian politician.

Early life

His parents were land speculator Lewis Francis Smith and Sarah Leicester. He arrived in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

around 1867, and then spent some time in Hobart. He worked as a printer's apprentice in Victoria and then moved to Balmain in Sydney around 1877. He trained as a solicitor, however he never practised. Around 1872 he married Sarah Thursdon, with whom he had a daughter.

Political career

In 1887 he was elected to the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

as a

Free Trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econ ...

member for Balmain. He was re-elected in 1889, but was defeated in 1891.

Criminal conviction

Smith was the managing director of the Australian Mercantile Loan and Guarantee Company from September 1889 until September 1890, and the company was placed into liquidation on 11 September 1891. In February 1892 he was convicted of conspiracy to fraudulently misrepresent the financial affairs of the company, and was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. Peter Howe, another member of the Legislative Assembly, was also a director of the company. In 1891 Howe had been convicted of

conspiracy to defraud Conspiracy to defraud is an offence under the common law of England and Wales and Northern Ireland. England and Wales The standard definition of a conspiracy to defraud was provided by Lord Dilhorne in '' Scott v Metropolitan Police Commissioner'' ...

the company and was also sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. Smith was released from prison in June 1895 after serving 3 years.

Later life

He attempted to return to politics, standing as an independent candidate at the July 1895 election for Balmain North, but polled just 32 votes. Smith died at

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on .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Frank 1852 births 1910 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Free Trade Party politicians Australian politicians convicted of fraud Colony of New South Wales people