Frederick McDonald

He had been teaching at Hurstville Superior Public School for thirteen years at the time of his election; among his previous postings was at Wellington.[12] McDonald was involved in an extremely contentious race for re-election at the 1925 federal election, when he was challenged by Nationalist candidate and former state minister Thomas Ley.[18] In March 1926, it was reported that he and Ley had agreed on a legal settlement wherein McDonald issued an apology for the bribery allegations and they both stated their intention to withdraw their respective lawsuits.[20] On 15 April 1926, McDonald disappeared on his way to a meeting with New South Wales Premier Jack Lang, in which he was to have discussed a proposal to have the election result declared void.Despite the March announcement, McDonald's Court of Disputed Returns litigation had not been formally withdrawn, and when the matter went to court on 23 April, his solicitor denied knowledge of the settlement and sought an adjournment in the hope that McDonald would be found alive; however, the matter was struck out on the basis of the March announcement.
Australian ParliamentBartonThomas LeyGrafton, New South WalesdisappearedAustralian Labor PartyAlma materUniversity of SydneyAustralian House of RepresentativesNationalistWellingtonNew South Wales Teachers FederationIndustrial CourtLabor Party1920 state election1922 federal electionIllawarraHector LamondScots ChurchMelbourne1925 federal electioncommunistsdefamationNew South Wales PremierJack LangChallis HouseMartin PlaceinsaneEnglandBroadmoor HospitalThe St George CallThe PropellerThe Sydney Morning HeraldDaily ExaminerNational AdvocateCasino and Kyogle Courier and North Coast AdvertiserThe Labor DailyThe Argus (Melbourne)Australian Broadcasting CorporationParliament of Australia