Bruce Walker (politician, born 1897)

This article is about the NSW politician. For his father, the NSW politician, see Bruce Walker (politician, born 1870).

For other people with similar names, see Bruce Walker (disambiguation) and Ronald Walker (disambiguation).

(Ronald) Bruce Walker (7 December 1897 – 1981) was an Australian politician.

Early life

He was born at Windsor,^[1] to Lucinda Isabel Rowthorn and (Robert) Bruce Walker, who was also a politician.^[2] Ronald attended Sydney Grammar School and was admitted as a solicitor in 1925. On 19 December 1923 he married Muriel Smith, with whom he had a son. He joined the family law firm, William Walker & Son, becoming a senior partner in 1932.^[1]

Member of parliament

In 1932 he succeeded his father in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the United Australia Party member for Hawkesbury.^[3] He was re-elected in 1935,^[4] and 1938,^[5] serving until 1941.^[1]

Conspiracy conviction

In August 1939 he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to defraud members of the public in connection with the Scottish Loan and Finance Company of which he was a director.^[6] After a 36-day hearing in the Supreme Court in 1941,^[7] in which Walker addressed the jury for 9 hours,^[8] Walker and one of his co-accused, solicitor Albert Levitus, were convicted.^[7] Justice Sir Percival Halse Rogers sentenced Walker to three years imprisonment and Levitus to five years imprisonment.^[9] Walker was struck off the roll of solicitors in 1941.^[1] He was released from prison in July 1943.^[10]

Later life

Walker became an estate agent and was elected an alderman of the Windsor Council in 1945.^[11] Walker died in 1981 (aged 83–84).^[1]

See also

• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• 1932-1935
• 1935-1938
• 1938-1941

• Results of the New South Wales state elections for Hawkesbury
• 1932
• 1935
• 1938

References

1. "Mr Ronald Bruce Walker (1897-1981)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
2. "Major Robert Bruce Walker (1870-1932)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
3. Green, Antony. "1932 Hawkesbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
4. Green, Antony. "1935 Hawkesbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
5. Green, Antony. "1938 Hawkesbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
6. "Arrest of MLA". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 August 1939. p. 11. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.
7. "Conspiracy verdict". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 32, 285. New South Wales, Australia. 19 June 1941. p. 8. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.
8. "Conspiracy charge: Walker in box". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.
9. "Week to week". Windsor and Richmond Gazette. New South Wales, Australia. 27 June 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.
10. "Bruce Walker released". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 1943. p. 7. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.
11. "Former MLA as alderman". Truth. 1 July 1945. p. 23. Retrieved 3 May 2019 – via Trove.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Bruce Walker Sr	Member for Hawkesbury 1932–1941	Succeeded by Frank Finnan