# Moses Gabb

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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name             = Moses Gabb
| honorific_suffix = 
| image            = Joel Moses Gabb (cropped).jpg
| constituency_MP  = [Angas](/source/Division_of_Angas_(1903%E2%80%9334))
| parliament       = Australian
| majority         = 
| predecessor      = [Paddy Glynn](/source/Paddy_Glynn)
| successor        = [Walter Parsons](/source/Walter_Parsons_(politician))
| term_start       = 13 December 1919
| term_end         = 14 November 1925
| predecessor1     = [Walter Parsons](/source/Walter_Parsons_(politician))
| successor1       = ''Division abolished''
| term_start1      = 12 October 1929
| term_end1        = 7 August 1934
| birth_date       = {{birth date|df=yes|1882|11|21}}
| birth_place      = [Glenelg, South Australia](/source/Glenelg%2C_South_Australia)
| death_date       = {{death date and age|df=yes|1951|3|6|1882|11|21}}
| death_place      = [Rosewater, South Australia](/source/Rosewater%2C_South_Australia)
| spouse           = Florence Ethel Hobbs
| party            = [Labor](/source/Australian_Labor_Party) (1919&ndash;31) <br /> [Independent](/source/Independent_politician) (1931&ndash;34)
| relations        = 
| children         = Sesom Gabb, Nance Gabb, Ruth Gabb, Glen Gabb
| alma_mater       = 
| occupation       = Church worker, greengrocer
| profession       = 
| signature        = 
| website          = 
| footnotes        =  
}}
'''Joel Moses Gabb''' (21 November 1882 &ndash; 6 March 1951) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the [Australian House of Representatives](/source/Australian_House_of_Representatives) from 1919 to 1934, representing the electorate of [Angas](/source/Division_of_Angas_(1903%E2%80%9334)). He represented the [Australian Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party) until resigning during the [1931 Labor split](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_split_of_1931); however, he did not join the [United Australia Party](/source/United_Australia_Party) along with the other dissident MPs, and instead remained in parliament as an independent.

==Early life, missionary and business work==

Gabb was born in [Glenelg](/source/Glenelg%2C_South_Australia), and was educated at [St Peter's College](/source/St_Peter's_College%2C_Adelaide). He worked for printers A. & E. Lewis and then for grocers Barns, Stobie, & Co. after leaving school. He had studied at night to become a Methodist missionary while working at the grocers, and after qualifying for home mission work, worked from 1905 reopening a mission on [Kangaroo Island](/source/Kangaroo_Island), then at churches in [Cockburn](/source/Cockburn%2C_South_Australia), [Silverton](/source/Silverton%2C_New_South_Wales), [Kalangadoo](/source/Kalangadoo%2C_South_Australia) and [Penola](/source/Penola%2C_South_Australia), and on the [Tea Tree Gully](/source/Tea_Tree_Gully%2C_South_Australia)&ndash;[Modbury](/source/Modbury%2C_South_Australia) circuit. He passed as a candidate for ministry and studied at [Prince Alfred College](/source/Prince_Alfred_College) in 1908, before spending two and a half years preaching from a motor launch on the [Murray River](/source/Murray_River) between [Swan Reach](/source/Swan_Reach%2C_South_Australia) and [Loxton](/source/Loxton%2C_South_Australia). He then left missionary work because of doctrinal differences, did not enter the ministry, and instead opened a store at [Alberton](/source/Alberton%2C_South_Australia) until his election to parliament. He married Florence Ethel Hobbs on 9 October 1912. He was publicly involved in the campaign against conscription during World War I, and unsuccessfully contested the [1918 state election](/source/1918_South_Australian_state_election) in the electorate of [Barossa](/source/Electoral_district_of_Barossa), narrowly losing to Sir [Richard Butler](/source/Richard_Butler_(Australian_politician)).<ref name="adb">{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography | id2=gabb-joel-moses-10263 | title=Joel Moses Gabb (1882–1951) | last=Lloyd | first=C.J. | year=1996 | volume=14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105456715 |title=Mr. J. M. Gabb. |newspaper=[The Daily Herald](/source/The_Daily_Herald_(Adelaide)) |volume=8 |issue=2476 |location=Adelaide |date=26 February 1918 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78652995 |title=Mr. Moses Gabb Dead |newspaper=[The Border Watch](/source/The_Border_Watch) |volume=90 |issue=10,278 |location=South Australia |date=8 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="oncemissionary">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165611997 |title=Mr. Gabb Was Once Missionary |newspaper=[The Observer](/source/The_Observer_(Adelaide)) |volume=LXXXVI |issue=4,504 |location=South Australia |date=19 October 1929 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=43 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63771628 |title=Moses Gabb |newspaper=[The Mail](/source/The_Mail_(Adelaide)) |volume=11 |issue=545 |location=Adelaide |date=21 October 1922 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Gabb was a strict teetotaller.<ref name="candid">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18493985 |title=Candid Comment |newspaper=[The Sunday Herald](/source/The_Sunday_Herald_(Sydney)) |issue=111 |location=New South Wales|date=11 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==Federal politics==

In [1919](/source/1919_Australian_federal_election), he was elected to the [Australian House of Representatives](/source/Australian_House_of_Representatives) as the [Labor](/source/Australian_Labor_Party) member for [Angas](/source/Division_of_Angas_(1903%E2%80%9334)), defeating long-serving [Nationalist](/source/Nationalist_Party_of_Australia) MP and Minister for Home and Territories [Paddy Glynn](/source/Paddy_Glynn).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27671567 |title=South Australia. |newspaper=[The West Australian](/source/The_West_Australian) |volume=XXXV |issue=5,527 |date=25 December 1919 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He drew public attention in 1920 when he refused to accept a salary increase from £600 to £1,000.<ref name="Mr. Moses Gabb, ex-MHR">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130376710 |title=Mr. Moses Gabb, ex-MHR. |newspaper=[The News](/source/The_News_(Adelaide)) |volume=56 |issue=8,604 |location=Adelaide |date=6 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was known for often calling quorum when the amount of MPs in the parliamentary chamber was low, believing that its strict application forced MPs to do their elected duties.<ref name="adb" /><ref name="candid" /> He was re-elected at the [1922 election](/source/1922_Australian_federal_election), defeating [George Ritchie](/source/George_Ritchie_(politician)), who had resigned as state Treasurer to challenge Gabb.<ref name="oncemissionary" /> Gabb was defeated by Nationalist candidate [Walter Parsons](/source/Walter_Parsons_(politician)) in [1925](/source/1925_Australian_federal_election), but defeated Parsons in [1929](/source/1929_Australian_federal_election) to regain the seat.<ref name="adb" />

In 1931, he joined [Joseph Lyons](/source/Joseph_Lyons) and several other members in leaving the Labor Party in the [1931 Labor split](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_split_of_1931) and supported a no-confidence motion in Labor Prime Minister [James Scullin](/source/James_Scullin); Gabb stated that he believed Scullin was a "sincere man", but strongly disapproved of Treasurer [Ted Theodore](/source/Ted_Theodore).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139099663 |title=Mr. Moses Gabb |newspaper=[Cootamundra Herald](/source/Cootamundra_Herald) |location=New South Wales|date=11 February 1931 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Unlike his colleagues, did not join the new [United Australia Party](/source/United_Australia_Party) and instead remained in parliament as an independent.<ref name="adb" /> In the same year, the ''[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)'' described Gabb as being an "unexciting speaker" and "a sort of inverted alchemist afflicted with an ambition for turning gold into lead."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16783212 |title=From The Gallery. |newspaper=[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald) |issue=29,146 |date=4 June 1931 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He responded to criticism for wasting parliamentary time with quorum calls in May by stating "if the economy were really considered this show [parliament] would be shut down" and "close it and let me act as Mussolini and I will run things in a better way!"<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95227512 |title="Let Me Act As Mussolini" |newspaper=[Kalgoorlie Miner](/source/Kalgoorlie_Miner) |volume=37 |issue=9821 |location=Western Australia |date=23 May 1931 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

He was re-elected as an independent with the support of the [Emergency Committee of South Australia](/source/Emergency_Committee_of_South_Australia) at the [1931 federal election](/source/1931_Australian_federal_election).<ref name="adb" /> In 1932, he moved a bill to reduce parliamentary salaries to £600, which while opposed by the vast majority of MPs, caused Minister for Commerce [Charles Hawker](/source/Charles_Hawker) to resign from the ministry in order to vote for the bill.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229252757 |title=Hawker's Word Was His Bond |newspaper=[The Sun](/source/The_Sun_(Sydney)) |issue=7093 |location=Sydney|date=23 September 1932 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=10 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Gabb's seat of Angas was abolished in a redistribution prior to the [1934 election](/source/1934_Australian_federal_election), at which he retired.<ref name="adb" />

==Later life and death==

After losing his seat in 1925, he was secretary of the South Australian branch of the Federated Gas Employees' Industrial Union until he regained the seat in 1929.<ref name="advdeath">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45693311 |title=Former M.H.R. Found Dead |newspaper=[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide)) |volume=93 |issue=28,831 |location=Adelaide |date=7 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48634348 |title=Death of Mr. J. M. Gabb |newspaper=[The Barrier Miner](/source/The_Barrier_Miner) |volume=LXIV |issue=17,403 |location=New South Wales|date=6 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He contested the [1938 state election](/source/1938_South_Australian_state_election) as an independent, nominating against Premier [Richard Layton Butler](/source/Richard_Layton_Butler) in his seat of [Light](/source/Electoral_district_of_Light), but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95942065 |title=Premier To Contest Light Seat Against Four Men Mr. Moses Gabb Seeks To Enter Assembly |newspaper=[The Recorder](/source/The_Recorder_(Port_Pirie)) |issue=12,130 |location=South Australia |date=24 February 1938 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Gabb rarely listened to radio coverage of politics in later years because he felt broadcasting was bringing Parliament into disrepute.<ref name="Mr. Moses Gabb, ex-MHR"/> He remained publicly critical of parliamentary salary increases in later life, accusing politicians of "feathering their nests".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55895077 |title=Moses Gabb Hits Out At Politicians |newspaper=[The Mail](/source/The_Mail_(Adelaide)) |volume=36 |issue=1,846 |location=Adelaide |date=11 October 1947 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He killed himself at his [Rosewater](/source/Rosewater%2C_South_Australia) home in 1951, and was cremated.<ref name="advdeath" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45700587 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide)) |volume=93 |issue=28,832 |location=Adelaide |date=8 March 1951 |access-date=17 October 2016 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au}}
{{succession box | title=Member for [Angas](/source/Division_of_Angas_(1903-34)) | before=[Paddy Glynn](/source/Paddy_Glynn)| after=[Walter Parsons](/source/Walter_Parsons_(politician))| years=1919–1925}}
{{s-bef|before=[Walter Parsons](/source/Walter_Parsons_(politician))}}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [Angas](/source/Division_of_Angas_(1903-34)) | years=1929–1934}}
{{s-non|reason=Division abolished}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabb, Moses}}
Category:1882 births
Category:1951 deaths
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Australian politicians who died by suicide
Category:Independent members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Angas
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:Politicians from Adelaide
Category:Australian MPs 1919–1922
Category:Australian MPs 1922–1925
Category:Australian MPs 1929–1931
Category:Australian MPs 1931–1934

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Moses Gabb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Gabb) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Gabb?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.