The things most nearly affecting the Labour movement in Australia—immigration, land legislation, prices, and political action—are dealt with herein almost to the exclusion of other matters to which historians usually devote their chief attention, and therefore while this book is a history of Labour it is not a history of Australia. It is based on official records, contemporary newspapers or other publications, and on information obtained direct from many persons who played a prominent part in Australian affairs from 1880 onwards. For the statistics I am my own authority, as also for the account of the banking crisis of 1893 and for some phases of the Labour movement.

In compiling this work I have had help from many quarters. I am especially grateful for the co-operation of Mrs. J. St. H. Lander, whose wide knowledge and great industry I cannot praise too highly. I stand indebted to the late Captain J. Nowell Sievers for notes and suggestions on the later history of the Labour movement, and to Mr. J. Le Gay Brereton for researches in regard to the developments of the second period.