He helped establish the Labor Electoral League of New South Wales and directed the party's campaign at the 1891 general election.

He was one of the first socialists to head a government in a parliamentary system, attracting international attention, and remains Australia's youngest prime minister.

While Watson did not succeed in passing legislation while in office, his term as prime minister is seen as significant as a demonstration that the ALP could form a competent government.

His successor as party leader Andrew Fisher would lead the ALP to a majority government at the 1910 election, in which many of Watson's ministers played a key role.

[2] He arrived in New Zealand aboard La Joven Julia on 24 December 1865 and married Martha Minchin in Port Chalmers less than a month later, on 19 January 1866.

On legal documents he listed George Watson as his biological father and provided an incorrect maiden name for his mother.

[9] Watson's biographers have suggested he may have originally concealed his background for convenience, but later deliberately did so for political reasons, including concerns over parliamentary eligibility and possible xenophobia.

Birth overseas to a non-British father would have made him an alien ineligible for election to federal parliament under section 44(i) of the constitution.

[10][11] Watson attended the state school in Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand until ten years of age when he left to become a rail nipper.

Then after a period of helping on the family farm, at thirteen years of age he was apprenticed as a compositor at The North Otago Times, a newspaper run by prominent reformist politician William Steward, with the public affairs exposure augmenting his minor formal schooling.

He worked for a month as a stablehand at Government House, then found employment as a compositor for a number of newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Star.

Through this proximity to newspapers, books and writers he furthered his education and developed an interest in politics and became active in the printing union.

[16] At the 1895 colonial election the incumbent Free Trade Party minority government led by Premier George Reid increased their support but remained several seats short of a majority.

Although rarely known to resort to anger, on this occasion Watson 'jumped to his feet in a most excited manner and in heated tones ... contended ... that they should not interfere with the referendum'.

Under Watson, Labor provided confidence and supply to the Protectionist Party minority governments of Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin in exchange for legislation enacting the Labour platform, such as the immensely popular White Australia policy which left the free Trade Party led by George Reid to form the opposition.

Deakin wrote in one of his anonymous articles in a London newspaper that "The Labour section has much cause for gratitude to Mr Watson, the leader whose tact and judgement have enabled it to achieve many of its Parliamentary successes.

[19] During the debate over what became the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, Watson stated that the issue of racial purity was "the larger and more important one" for the passage of the bill, where some speakers had emphasised concerns over the economic impact of cheap foreign labour.

He opposed the government's dictation test provision on the grounds that it could be easily circumvented, and that "education does not eliminate the objectionable qualities of the Baboo Hindoo".

[20] In 1905, Watson drafted a new plank for the ALP platform calling for "an Australian sentiment based upon the maintenance of racial purity".

[12] Billy Hughes later recalled the first meeting of the Labour Cabinet with characteristic sharp wit:[22] Mr Watson, the new Prime Minister entered the room, and seated himself at the head of the table.

His morning coat and vest, set off by dark striped trousers, beautifully creased and shyly revealing the kind of socks that young men dream about; and shoes to match.

He was the perfect picture of the statesman, the leader.Despite the apparent fitness of the new prime minister for his role, the government hung on the fine thread of Deakin's promise of 'fair play'.

[25] Once he became the Prime Minister Watson recognised the limitations of his position in the Labour caucus and endorsed the concept of a deputy leader.

Unable to command a majority in the House of Representatives, Watson resigned the premiership less than four months after taking office, his term ending on 18 August 1904 (Deakin was later defeated on a similar bill).

[27] Reid became prime minister and four months later his government managed to pass the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill after compromising to extend the scope to state public servants as Watson had proposed.

But in October 1907, recognising his work for the foundation of the parliamentary party was complete and also due to fatigue and concern over the health of his wife Ada, he resigned the Labour leadership in favour of Andrew Fisher.

Watson sided with ex-Labor Prime Minister Billy Hughes and the conscriptionists and had his party membership terminated as a result.

The NRA was intended as a peak body for New South Wales motorists, lobbying the state government to create a Main Roads Board and borrow money to improve local highways.

[35] As well as his involvement with the NRMA, Watson also was a director of a taxi company, Yellow Cabs of Australia, and as chairman of the state government's Traffic Advisory Committee.

[39] He was granted a state funeral at St Andrew's Cathedral, with Joseph Cook, Albert Gardiner, John Curtin and William McKell serving as pallbearers.