The Warwick Egg Incident
During the height of the conscription campaign of 1917, Prime Minister Billy Hughes an infamous incident known simply as the Warwick Egg Incident occurred, which would demonstrate Queenslands opposition to conscription. On Thursday, 29 November 1917, a large crowd, predominately comprised of railway workers greeted the Hughes as he arrived at Warwick train station at 2.59p.m.[i] A podium had been erected at station for Hughes to argue for conscription before the referendum would take place on 20 December 1917. As Hughes approached the dais two rotten eggs were thrown, one of which knocked the Prime Minister’s hat from his head. The assailants, Paddy and Bart Brosnan were immediately set upon by police and Hughes Nationalists supporters as Hughes screamed “arrest those men,” whilst threatening the local police Senior-Sergeant Kenny, “If you don’t, I’ll have you reduced.”[ii] Kenny replied that he was under the jurisdiction of Queensland State Government and could not charge the Brosnan brothers with any offence. Hughes would leave Warwick sunken and bitter, emphasising at succeeding rallies that Queensland was a lawless state.
[i] Murphy, D. J. “Thirteen Minutes of National Glory, The Warwick Egg Incident, 1917,” Queensland Heritage 3, no.3: 15-18.
[ii] Murphy, D. J. “Thirteen Minutes of National Glory, The Warwick Egg Incident, 1917,” Queensland Heritage 3, no.3: 15-18.
During the height of the conscription campaign of 1917, Prime Minister Billy Hughes an infamous incident known simply as the Warwick Egg Incident occurred, which would demonstrate Queenslands opposition to conscription. On Thursday, 29 November 1917, a large crowd, predominately comprised of railway workers greeted the Hughes as he arrived at Warwick train station at 2.59p.m.[i] A podium had been erected at station for Hughes to argue for conscription before the referendum would take place on 20 December 1917. As Hughes approached the dais two rotten eggs were thrown, one of which knocked the Prime Minister’s hat from his head. The assailants, Paddy and Bart Brosnan were immediately set upon by police and Hughes Nationalists supporters as Hughes screamed “arrest those men,” whilst threatening the local police Senior-Sergeant Kenny, “If you don’t, I’ll have you reduced.”[ii] Kenny replied that he was under the jurisdiction of Queensland State Government and could not charge the Brosnan brothers with any offence. Hughes would leave Warwick sunken and bitter, emphasising at succeeding rallies that Queensland was a lawless state.
[i] Murphy, D. J. “Thirteen Minutes of National Glory, The Warwick Egg Incident, 1917,” Queensland Heritage 3, no.3: 15-18.
[ii] Murphy, D. J. “Thirteen Minutes of National Glory, The Warwick Egg Incident, 1917,” Queensland Heritage 3, no.3: 15-18.