Herbert Hays

{{short description|Australian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Herbert Hays

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Herbert Hays.jpg

| title = Senator for Tasmania

| term_start = 1 July 1923

| term_end = 30 June 1947

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1869|9|20}}

| birth_place = Forth, Tasmania

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1960|2|16|1869|9|20}}

| death_place = Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

| nationality =

| spouse =

| party = Nationalist (1923–31)
UAP (1931–45)
Liberal (1945–47)

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

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}}

Herbert Hays OBE (20 September 1869 – 16 February 1960) was an Australian politician.

Hays was born near Forth in Tasmania, and was educated at Don State School before becoming a farmer. He was chairman of the Don Road Trust and senior warden of the Mersey Marine Board. He also held office as a Freemason in their Grand Lodge of Tasmania and was a long-time member of the Independent Order of Rechabites.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64193392 |title=Mr. Herbert Hays, M.H.A. |newspaper=The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times |date=12 June 1911 |access-date=18 December 2017 |page=2 |via=Trove}}

Hays was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a member for Wilmot at a 1911 by-election, having nominated as a Liberal League candidate.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64199263 |title=House of Assembly |newspaper=The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times |date=2 May 1911 |access-date=18 December 2017 |page=2 |via=Trove}}{{cite Tas Parliament |id=haysh321 |title=Herbert Hays |access-date=26 July 2022}} He supported assistance for farmers, liberalising requirements for settlers of Crown lands, increased railway construction to allow new districts to be opened up for farming and for the construction of an experimental farm. He denounced preference to trade unionists in employment and advocated reducing taxation on landowners.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64192350 |title=Wilmot election |newspaper=The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times |date=13 May 1911 |access-date=18 December 2017 |page=4 |via=Trove}}{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152440113 |title=State elections |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=2 March 1912 |access-date=19 December 2017 |page=4 |via=Trove}} Hays was re-elected at the 1912 election, at which time the Daily Telegraph described him as "essentially a representative of the agricultural industry."{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152457539 |title=North-Western notes |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=9 May 1912 |access-date=19 December 2017 |page=2 |via=Trove}}{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10220479 |title=The elected members for Wilmot |newspaper=The Mercury |date=4 May 1912 |access-date=19 December 2017 |page=7 |via=Trove}}

He served as an Honorary Minister 1916–1922. In 1922, he transferred to federal politics, winning a Tasmanian seat in the Australian Senate as a Nationalist. In 1931, he joined the United Australia Party, successor to the Nationalists. Hays served as Chairman of Committees from 1932 to 1935.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/aso/Appendix_3|title=Appendix 3―Deputy Presidents and Chairmen of Committees (1901–2009)|website=Parliament of Australia|access-date=2017-09-10}} He was defeated in 1946 as a Liberal.{{cite Au Senate |title=HAYS, Herbert Ephraim Digby (1869–1960) Senator for Tasmania, 1923–47 |Sen id=hays-herbert-ephraim-digby |access-date=2022-08-02}} Hays died in 1960.{{cite web|last=Carr |first=Adam |title=Australian Election Archive |work=Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia |year=2008 |access-date=2008-11-23 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717093439/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/ |archive-date=17 July 2007}}