Thomas Scholfield | |
Honorific-Suffix: | MC |
Constituency Mp: | Wannon |
Parliament: | Australian |
Predecessor: | John McNeill |
Successor: | Don McLeod |
Term Start: | 19 December 1931 |
Term End: | 21 September 1940 |
Birth Date: | 1894 5, df=yes |
Birth Place: | Telangatuk East, Victoria |
Nationality: | Australian |
Party: | United Australia Party |
Occupation: | Farmer |
Thomas Hallett Scholfield, MC (9 May 1894 - 25 June 1964) was an Australian politician. He was a United Australia Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1931 to 1940, representing the electorate of Wannon.
Scholfield was born in Talangatuk East, Victoria, where he attended state schools and became a farmer. He enlisted to serve in World War I in January 1915, fought with the 21st Battalion at Gallipoli and in France, and received the Military Medal and Military Cross, returning to Australia in June 1919. He subsequently became a soldier settler in the Balmoral area before acquiring a farm near Hamilton, and was a councillor and president of the Shire of Kowree.[1]
He was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1931 federal election, defeating Labor MP John McNeill. He had campaigned on a platform of addressing the needs of primary producers.[1] [2] [3] He held the seat until his defeat by Labor candidate Don McLeod at the 1940 election.[4] He unsuccessfully recontested the seat as an independent in 1943.[5]
During World War II, Scholfield served as deputy-assistant quartermaster general in the Volunteer Defence Corps.[6]
Following World War II, Scholfield moved to New South Wales and assumed a prominent role as organising secretary of the New England New State Movement.[7]
Scholfield died in 1964.[8]