 He next went to the goldfields in Western Australia and started the "Coolgardie Mining Review".A fire destroyed his plant and he was penniless, but after working for some time as a dry-blower he went to Boulder and with his brother Frank started the "Boulder Star" and later the "Boulder Miner's Right".Hales stood as a labour candidate for parliament but was defeated, and when the South African war broke out became a war correspondent for the "London Daily News".