Arthur Stanislaus Rodgers was an Australian politician.
19 Facts About Arthur Rodgers
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Arthur Rodgers served in the House of Representatives as a Liberal and Nationalist, representing the Victorian seat of Wannon.
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Arthur Rodgers was Minister for Trade and Customs in the Hughes government from 1921 to 1923.
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Arthur Rodgers was the son of Irish immigrant parents Margaret and Patrick Rodgers; his father was a farmer.
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Arthur Rodgers engaged in mixed farming, growing wheat, raising sheep, and breeding horses, both draught and Thoroughbreds.
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Arthur Rodgers worked briefly in the office of a local solicitor and as a manager for Young Bros.
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Arthur Rodgers married Eileen Eleanor Young in 1905, with whom he had a son and three daughters.
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In 1910, Arthur Rodgers was involved in the formation of the People's Party, serving as an inaugural vice-president and assisting in drafting the party manifesto.
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Arthur Rodgers campaigned on a platform that included increased migration, a national insurance scheme, sharefarming, and opposition to a land tax.
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Arthur Rodgers later acted as Minister for Repatriation in the absence of Edward Millen.
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In December 1921, Arthur Rodgers was appointed Minister for Trade and Customs in place of Walter Massy-Greene.
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Arthur Rodgers was in favour of a "national brand for all export goods made in Australia", and announced that the government would preference other British Empire countries in negotiating reciprocal trade agreements.
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Arthur Rodgers stated support for greater trade with Asia, qualifying that "the business men could look after the business end of the stick and the Government could help on the financial side".
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Arthur Rodgers lost his seat to the ALP candidate John McNeill at the 1922 federal election, one of five ministers to be defeated.
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Arthur Rodgers remained active in public life, writing to the new prime minister S M Bruce to request a royal commission into the War Service Homes Commission.
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Arthur Rodgers re-contested Wannon at the 1925 election and defeated McNeill.
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Arthur Rodgers was re-elected in 1928 but lost his seat again to McNeill in 1929.
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Arthur Rodgers was general manager of Western and Wimmera Land and Pasture Development.
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Arthur Rodgers suffered from diabetes and died suddenly of coronary vascular disease in Melbourne in 1936.