Thomas d'Alton
Thomas George De Largie "Tom" d'Alton was an Australian politician and diplomat. He was born in Warracknabeal in Victoria. In 1931 d'Alton was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Darwin; he was a minister from 1934 to 1943, and had been Deputy Premier.
In 1943 Herbert Evatt saw a need for a High Commissioner in Wellington to coordinate views and chose the "colourful figure" d'Alton, who however chose to retain his seat and salary in the Tasmanian Parliament. Three months after arriving he got into a punch-up with the landlord of the Post Office Hotel, Wellington. Questions from the Opposition in the Federal Parliament asked if he was a worthy reply to boxer Bob Fitzsimmons the Freckled Wonder who moved to Australia from New Zealand.
In 1946 he was the subject of a Royal Commission alleging corruption. He was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council, again representing Labor, for the seat of Gordon in 1947, serving until his death in Hobart in 1968.
