[1] Wilson first stood for parliament at the 1901 state election (aged 23), as the endorsed Labor Party candidate for the seat of Murray, but was defeated by William George.
George resigned from parliament the following year, and Wilson contested the resulting by-election, but was defeated by William Atkins.
[3] His recommendations were perceived as favouring the interests of the industry's employers over its employees, and it was later found that a timber company (Millars) had paid some of his expenses.
[5] Wilson subsequently left the Labor Party to sit as an independent, and often voted with the government of Newton Moore.
At the 1911 state election, Wilson contested the seat of Roebourne for a second time (representing the new Liberal Party), but was defeated by Labor's Joseph Gardiner.