Herbert Hays OBE (20 September 1869 – 16 February 1960) was an Australian politician. Hays was born near Forth in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, and was educated at Don State School before becoming a farmer. He was chairman of the Don Road Trust and senior warden of the Mersey Marine Board. He also held office as a Freemason in their Grand Lodge of Tasmania and was a long-time member of the

Independent Order of Rechabites The Independent Order of Rechabites (IOR), also known as the Sons and Daughters of Rechab, Alan Axelrod ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'' New York; Facts on File, inc 1997 p.206 is a fraternal organisation ...

. Hays was elected to the

Tasmanian House of Assembly The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart. The Assembly has 25 m ...

as a member for

Wilmot Wilmot may refer to: Places Australia *Division of Wilmot, an abolished Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania * Wilmot, Tasmania, a locality in the North-West Region Canada *Wilmot, Nova Scotia, an unincorporated rural community and former t ...

at a 1911 by-election, having nominated as a Liberal League candidate. He supported assistance for farmers, liberalising requirements for settlers of Crown lands, increased railway construction to allow new districts to be opened up for farming and for the construction of an experimental farm. He denounced preference to trade unionists in employment and advocated reducing taxation on landowners. Hays was re-elected at the 1912 election, at which time the '' Daily Telegraph'' described him as "essentially a representative of the agricultural industry." He served as an Honorary Minister 1916–1922. In 1922, he transferred to federal politics, winning a Tasmanian seat in the Australian Senate as a

Nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

. In 1931, he joined the

United Australia Party The United Australia Party (UAP) was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. The party won four federal elections in that time, usually governing in coalition with the Country Party. It provided two prim ...

, successor to the Nationalists. Hays served as Chairman of Committees from 1932 to 1935. He was defeated in 1946 as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

. Hays died in 1960.

References

Nationalist Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia United Australia Party members of the Parliament of Australia Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian Senate for Tasmania Members of the Australian Senate Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly 1869 births 1960 deaths 20th-century Australian politicians {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub