-.{ a a 3'h'1 È 2 Ò c Y i!' ?.

POIJTTC^A¡ REPRESENTAflON 1N

COI¡NI.A¡ SOUITI AUSTR.ALIA

1857 1go1

by Dean H Jaensch

Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of philosopt\y.

Department of Politics Universj-ty of Adelaid.e 1973 l_

lab1e of Contents

Aclslon'ledgements.

A Note on Format.

State.ment.

Lists of : TaÌ:Ies l_x-xl-l_. : Diagrams viii. : Maps xLv.

VOLUME 'I fntroduction - The Study of Colonia1 Politics xv-xxvJ_l_

P.ART 1 z The Makirrg of Representative Goverr¡nerrt Chapter I Poli tical- Re¡,resentation FN

- Political replesentation 'l The contemporery climate of opinion 10 - 'Ihe elimate of opinic,n iri South Austrafia 17 - Conclusion 24

Chapter II - Plaruing f'or Representative Goverrme¡rt 11-76

- introduction 3'l +;he | - The natule i,i' Ìiybrj d.r Ct¡uncil 51 - Tiie issue of nomineeism ù!:¡ - Bicameralism aml the r)¿ìtìrre of the hc¡uses 51 ì.855 : abalarrced corÌsjti-tution 55 - Patterns of J-egisì-artive behav-iour 6t - Conclusion 68

Chapter III - f4q f'ilst Session - 01d a¡d New Problems 77-122

- Introduction 77 - the first general electj-ons 79 An unstable begirrnj-ng 92 - Deadl-ock 100 - Conclusion 1Ct9 ii. Pa¡:;e Nos.

P.¿IRT 2 TkLe Structr.res of Retrrresentative Govcrnment

Ch,arrter IV - The rDe¡locratict T,lfectìcn Syste¡rÞ 12J-17\ - Introduction 123 Burke a¡d I procedrrralr reprr;r;ertt ation 121+ - The Legíslative Conncil- ' tlLe Ilouse cif n-ral propcrty 128 - The House of Assembly - represent¡.ticn c¡f iriterr:sts 139 - Conclusion

Ctra.Prf,ss Y Producing the lìepresetita tives 175-2.J1

- Introcluction 175 A sunniary of elections fE57-f901 176 The ef'fects of volunti:r.y' voting 179 The colonial re¡rresenl,a.tives 198 - Cc¡ncfusion 223

Chapter VI The Relations of the Houses ?"32-27t4

Introcluction 232 - The cons¡titutional r'elatì-orrs;ÌLi.trr ?37 An obstrucl,Íve Le¡1i slati ve Cc¡unci1? 2 l+c) - C¿-r se strrclies 2r\ C onclu si on 266

Chapter \|rI - An Un^stable Derrrocracy ?-75-J12 - fntroduction: Representative and l,.esponsibl-e goverrrrnerrt 275 - the fa.ll of ministrir:s 281 - The stability of the rnirústers 297 - Conclusion 305 .t1L.

lutg-N'È voltnfE 2

P.,âRI I : Indetr:endents, !'actions :,.¿xl P¿¡-rties f ntrod,ucti on tcr Part J a-r-v

Chapter \TfI - The lvlethoclolo,ql' of' Le¡lislative Anaf.ysis 31J-182

' Introcluction 31J - Methocis of a.nalysis 31t+- - îhe PøT-LI tecluri que descriptive suffla-ry 118 numeric sL¡rìnra-ry J23 Exampl-e alaì-yses 108 ilhe Ì'IULTBIIT tecirrrì-qlre )lt3 The RICE tecluli<1ue 317 The Stri,ctutres of i,liç rrar.ìiaments 369

IX - r!-unctionalr Rc ,r'esent¿rtion - fnde ts ons 18)-t,t,t, - Burke and I functional-r representation rlrxlependencer 38t - iri South .A,ustralia 389 - The faction systenr in South Austr.alia 398 - Factions arrr1 Govtrrrme¡tts, 18!/-18/8 411 - La¡rd Legislation a-.nr-1 Lhe f'action systern 42t - New men, nd^¡ fact,i ons r:J5

rF'unctionalr Chapter X - Iìe r',re;serit¿tion - tr'actions anrl parties M5-511 Introrjucti-on rPartyr U+5 irr tl:e col-orúaL context ¿47 I The factions of the ei-p;hties 167 The electcrate of i,ire 'eighties 482 Patterns of Le¿:4islative Beha_viour - a turiff divlslon? ¿89 Conclusion 506

Chapter ,U - The Kingston Era f - ûle cforal Polil,ics i n the |Ninetics; ,1-, - ïntroduction - f,aborrs role in CoLrnc:ì 1 r:Iection.s, I Íj,¡1*1901'17 f.oz - trabor and the Asse,:,bl .ir clections I c.f' the r.r_i¡reties 5?-8 - Ilectc.ral Cltan,r,';e-. ¡:ncl í.ìtl..biIi1;y, r893-t.9ot ,42 ,LV.

Ì :r i 'e l"los .

-t]ra ¡rrcl lr¿r,rt L<:.1; ,)r'621 er lilr The Kingston 1,1 Lìr" ou¡rs t I'actions ,,, - Introductio¡r ,: !:-/ - Kin;;ston, rise a'nrl fe'Ìl )_t I fotíV irr the Lcgirl-ati've Council' - - 1ti91-1901 ,75 .uhe Patterns of conlllicrt i;l A::senbly' - 1B9l-1901 5ít? - Pa-1,terns of Politics - pra'gnatislÌì alrC princi ¡'1t: ,9t 615 - Conclusion

6zz-63J Chap ter XIII - Concl-usion

'ú4-65\ Lribli ,ïeeç_J_æ.

Introdrretoq¡ ncte to a_ppe;ncìices T tr., fV. (i) - (: f nlex of .:lectore,l clistri.cts. (") - (v Ar:renÈLx J - sr-'nary of l{ouse of A;ser roJ-;u EJ-ection Resurts, r8t7-1899. 1-79 Âpnenc-lix If - By-electi o:rs, I{ouse of' Ar:rembLy, Ig57_lgC1. oo-uu Apirenlij!-_IJ] - Leg;i.sla-Lirre Council-':.l.ecti cns, General and By-elect.j.cns, t857-f9Ot . 99 - 118 ÂT)perdix JV - I{ouse of Assenrbì.y lìlection IÌesults, Polling p_I,¿rcc Drrta. 11c) - ?I+1 Appendix V ' I{r:¡¡5""= of i,he Sou.Lh ¡h¡str¿,.lian pa¡liame¡its and l,finistlies 242 - 2r5 Arrpendix Vr - PøIJI progra::r, CDC 64C0 Listin¿a. 256 - 276 \ri..

ACIO[oWtiÐGEIÍEI{TS

îtús stud¡r of poti-bical representation in colori a-1- South Australia has been based. on a wide range of pri-rnar¡r sources, a¡rd. was only possíble ttrrougþ the wiJ-ling help of rnar¡1r people. I would. li,ke to ack¡eowledge j:r particrrlar the help Éven by the staffs of tlre Barr Smith Library of the Urriversity cf Adelaide, the State Library of South Australia anil the Parliamentary libra-:5r cf South Australia. I especially aclcronled.ge the patient assistance given by Mr. L. Marquis of the Nmspaper Collesfion at the State l,ibrary a-rrd- to the staff of the South l¡.ustralj-a¡r Archives. iWy tha¡ks, also, tc Mr. G. D. Coþbe, then Clerk cf the House of Assanbþ, for his invaluable help. I wculd. al-so l-ike to express ny appreciation to lvlr. I¡. Veitch and l[r. B" MÐowatl cf the CSIRO orgarrisation for their patience anl time in the preparation a¡ö planrring of the corrputer progra¡ns which fo:mecL al iropor'tant resealch base of this study. My tharks to the staffs of the Adelaid.e üniversity ard, CSIRO computing centres for thej-r riril.ling help at all stages of the statistica-l work. I am ind.ebtecL, alsc, to Mrs. E" Hawke for most patient secretar-ial assista¡rce. Fi-na11y, but among the most imporbarrt, this study owes its genesis a¡rd. ¡uuch of its direction to l[r. R. L. Reid., whose patience a¡rd assistance, ald. especially Lris probing critíci-srns, were invaluable over the past years. l\lthorgh my d.ebt to so rurgr is obvious, the responsibility fcr opinions, jud.ganents and. conclusions in this thesis ¡m:st be nine. I¡IL. A Note on Fo:moat

througþout the thesis, footnotes have been collateil at the end.

of each Chapter. Á.lthougþ this fonnat is more &ifficr¿lt for the rea.der,

nargr footnotes were long, or includ.ed- tables, and. in scme cases would have required. more tha¡r one page. To facìlitate reference, footnotes have been printed. on coloured. paper.

References rrrhich appear continr¡ously have been abbrer¡:Lated. as fo1Iøs:

SAPD : South Australiari parliamentarSr Debates. SAIB : South Austra_lia¡r parliarnentarSr papers.

SAI/P : Sotrth Australian Parlia¡rent, Votes a.nd. Þoceeèings. Advertiser : The South Àustralia'Advertiser. 3ggÞt* : The South Austra'tian Register. SAA : South AustraU_an State liUr"r1r Archives.

Readers are referred. to the rntroductor¡r note to vo}:me rï[, Apperdices r to rv, for the fo:ørat of the statistics of erections. tr:Ll_f-,

Statement

Thls thesis contairìs no naterial whictr has been accepted. for the awarcl of ar¡¡r other d.egree or cliplcEn¡ at ar¡1r TEriversity a.rÉ., to the best of 4y krcmleQge a¡lÈi belief, it contains no

¡naterj¿.I previans\r prblished. or written by a.rnother p€rsoin, except where d.ue referenæ is nad.e in the text or appenlices. tv

List c¡f Tabl-es Page ll 2:1 Fopu¡."tr1on and. Enrolments; 1851, IB]]1. ,b 222 Sunmary of resrrfis, 1851. 3u 2zJ Srnru::a:'y of rc;slrlts of by-clccti r;ns; IB5J, lBr4 19 t. t, Surnnrar;; of' results, l8ll 4't l.Te¡¡rbers I h¡'ìrrid.r of Counci_l-, 1íj51 -l-.[)r)/6. 42 I Votiug on compromisier nonj.nr-:* ¡rr.ol)osal_, ::Bltj. t+9 Elecr:cral proposa_l-s IBDJ. , 55 ¿:O Electoral Schedu.l_e 1.855 , 5¡l 2. c1 lllectc¡raf districts, l8f:5 fr,ì /.4 lv To¡rensf proposal- , L3,r,irs 6tt ? 211 Votin¿5 on Constitutiorurl_ .Alnenchrrr:rrts, 1Br)5. 6i) 2:12 Le¡1i sì divi si.on ative darta, ì.}ttl-tj6 . (t l+ 2:1j Ir¿:-ttcrns of votin¡¡, ffì5t -185r/6. 66

3:1 Sunn::rry of election results, l-Bl7: A. LegisÌatJ-ve Cc¡uncil 8l+ B. House ,_,f Assembly Ò) Ir:1 Eff'ects ¡:f fr¿:rLchir-;e pr.ovì sions, lÍlUl . 129 4:2 Ccnr¡rarì-sc;n of er¡rolrnents, l.tjt,l-lL). 1)t j Ir: Pt:rcento-¡:;e of total eru.ol¡ir:r:.tl; l,crt. Le¡1i slativc 0ouncil f r'cnr mr:trc;¡ olitan a¡ld. ir.on-nrcl,r.c:1.,o1 jtan ¿rleas. 1\1 L-z )t Iìe¡rr'esentati cr¡r ¿lri ¿1i,i,o1'1;i

4:1 2 Apportiorrnent to intere)sts, 1,r:r¿r i.s¡tr.ibrrtio¡r Á.ctr.; o 156 Lz|3 Indi-ces of a;:portiorrment, l.8j)6-1901 . 163 Ite" ljt"

5:'i Gr;nerel- l.ll-ectioils, l.857-1'8!ìÇ, iLor-r'se of Assernbly srrmtary' 177 5:Z General- iìf ections, 1857-l9UO, l,c,rii sletive Cr:unciì- Sumnary 178 -bc-rt 17 523 By-elections, lBllz-l-')01 , lrctures' )c) J:lr Voterr turriolLt at ¡cneraf elcct'' ons, 181/-19C0' 180 5:5 Vato r turrrortt .l8iJli-:l 89à . 131 5t6 l r'f'orrr¿r-L vo1;in¡¡, 1¿]t7-:l 900. 1BJ 5:7 SutìTilitì'), c¡f caruJiclate sul 1:or.L, l'lou'L: of' Âsselibly gene:'al cl.ections, l-95ò-I899 . I i',5

C general 5: B Surnar.;, of' calrdicia+r,e sll ll)ort , 1,r'r I ,ir1-ntivc c¡uncil elections, l-857-:l 900. 1b6 5zg sr.lrrrnar..y ef ;:¡r;rport for succer;::fil-L caricliclates, Legislative 1tJ7 C cruur.cil, LB57-J-9OO - 5:10 PhunJring in Light , 1862 1Bg 5:11 Plunrpirg in i-lurra arlcl Cl'¿rr:e, J.8l'7. 1go ir:'l 2 I'ltlrrl,rirr¡.¡ at gencral ol-ecti r:ris, 1[ìll-1900 ' 1 ttl b:1J Sucoets rate of Hour,ie of .rt¡¡,rcrrrl-¡l.y carrdiclates tiilr hi¡1h plurnping suPPort, IB57-L399. 192 1 r)l: 5: 1 4 lì---el ecti on of sitting mc:¡nbers, 1857-1890. i-,rrd lJciìi ! : 1f ilirt¡1>l ilce of rnembers, llou::e c¡f Alsenrl¡ì.y sl:ltive Council-' 1857-1899. 199. [i :16 per.ioci of arrival irr South r\ultla]-ia c¡f nemtre¡'s of párfianents. 200 'n1 5:17 ASes of rrr¿r¡r'.1ìr:;Í's of' parli'r:lt<:nts. 209 5: 18 PoErlation ¡';ron'th, I855-I9Q1' 5:1! Occupational Patterns, Count¡r Ac-le1ai<ìe, I8()1 , lB81' 210 5z2O Percentage of ma.l-e work force in the six cfasses of occupations, census, IBJJ to 1!01. 211 211 5221 Work situation cf male r'¡ork force, 1B!1 , by classes' 5222 Occupational categories, 18!1 . 212 5z2J Oecwpational categories, 1861 r l-871. 217 5224 Qcstpational categories, Legi.slative council, 1857-1899. 216 5225 Qccupational categories, llr:use of Assembly, I8)J-1'899' 217 5:26 Ocanpations of members of å.¡;s¡eirrbfi-es in three colonies 218 5227 Major occupational groups in the South Ar-r::tral-1:l::- parliaments, r957-r3gg. 220 5:28 Occupations of work force and ÌegisLati-ve members |LB61-I896. 221 5:29 South Austrafian ministers, IB\T-L911, by occupations' 222 Pa¡Ee Noo .

621 Sumrnary of passage of Public Bill-s, l-857-1901 . 211 622 Surnrnary of passage of Publ-ic Bi1ls, by ParÌiaments. 252 6:3 Analysis of üwe1ve categories of lliIIs, 1857-1901. 25J 624 Franchise liberal-isation atternpts, 1893-1899. 261

625 Franchise referendum, by AsseirrbÌy ctistricts, 1899. 26t+

721 Sr.rnn:rary of l\{in:istries, l.357-19Q1 . 279 7:2 Classification of tlLe nature of ministry rdefeatsr" 285 723 lvlinistry- changes by clrronoÌogical periods. 283 724 Ana,lysis of nrinistry portf olios, IB57-J-þ1. 297 rtermsr 725 Summary of and. serwice of selected rninis.tr.j_es. 299 726 Analysis of mirústry portfolj-os. 100 | 727 Analysis of members of minister.i a1 corer . 101 tcorer 7:B Ministerial involvement by members. 301

8:1 SumnrarXr of rnajor nume:rical resul-ts. PøI,trT exaniple arnlyses 3J2 B:2 Issucs rmd Patterns, Pfifi exa:npì-e arr,al-yses. JJ\ 823 Key to menrbc;r codes. 3J6 8:4 Sunmary of' dirrisions a¡rd issr.res in the rnost sigrrificant pattern, 1898-99. 3)+2 8:5 Cønparison of numerical results of YfitlT teclirúques, l,B>Ð*g], 352 8z6 Membership of groups in the 1B9B-!! session by I\ÍIILTBEî, I showing ind.ependent marbersh:ip of partiesr , where knourn. 356 8..7 ì[embership of blocs, ]-898-99, b.y RICE tectrÉque, shcnring I ind.ependent mernbership of ; artiesr , where k¡rorn. 36o. MULTtsET, B:8 RICE comparison, session l-,Bg1|.-gg. 161 I z9 Ccnrparison of resul-ts of IITCE and. PøIJT-RICE analysis of session 1898-99. 367 8:10 signi.ficant patterns and. rndices of structure, r,egislative Council , I857-In1. 37't B:11 Significant patterns and. Indices of Structure, House of Assembly, L857-In1. 37t+ +Paqe Nos

921 hTinistry membershi-p, IB6J-6J. uo4 Y=¿ l'{inistr¡' and l,'action leaclers, 1857-61 . U1 923 lriinistries arrd li'actj.on leilr)ers, If]62-78. )+16 9: )+ Short-term lvlinistries ù19 o. Ã. P¿rtterns of voti-rr¡1 bchaviour', Lu1,ì.slative c.r¡¡icil r r}6t)-67. 4J't 926 P.rtterns of mi-nisterial suirtr.ror.t , Ii36B-69. 41h. 9:7 Ilinistries ¿lnd !'actj-on leaclers , l-,B72-81r. t+16

1O:1 l[inistrj-es a.nd tr'action leac]ers, 1gB1 -1893. u6e 10:2 Ministry defeats, 1882-IBgJ. \69 1oz3 ith¡inerical r9¡glts of Ï'øLIT anarysi-s, Ilousre of Asserrbly, 1g78-188J. ltTO 10:4 on Voting Customs lJil-ls; L9BJ, l_887. 502

11:1 lrLP The and. Council clectiorrs 1891-1901 . 525 11:2 UIE support, House of Asse¡nb.ì,y, urùa' districts, lfllJ. 5J5 11:J llr,P support, House of Assernbry, extra-metroporitar¡ d-j-stricts, T89J. 5J6 11:l+ t¡,ar.iiest lll-ectiorr resrrlts, 18!6, by . lt19 1'1 Turnout :l 18!6, by sexes. 5Lû t 11 :6 Ilection rcsulf;s, 1B!!, by partiesr . 5t¿ 11 :7 House of Ar.sernbly clistricts, lBlJ-99, occupation inrliaes by percentages of' tot¿il ailult males in v¡ork force. 5t+5 1l:8 House or A-.j:,.r-.,¡r r',, t.ìiit'icts , IB91-9g, occupational siructr¡re arn part.f irrvolvement. 5\6 11:9 Stability of party support, House of Assenbly, IBgj_99. 549 1221 Patterns of legislative support for the Kingston rninistry, 18 gg. 566 12:2 Groups in Legislative Counci1, lB91-190t. 579 12:J Nr¡merical strengths of major iiroups, Legislative Council, 1Bg1 -1901 . 580 'l2z[Party and group alleftfance, IÌouse <_rf .A.ssembly, IgjJ-1901 . 582 1225 Patterns of Legislative lJehaviorr, House of Assembly, r893-r9Q1. 5u+ 12:6 sunrmary of legislative groups, IÍouse of Assen¡-.."-r-B9J-r901. 585 12,J Party and Group membership, House of AssembLy, Ig)J_1901 . 586 12:8 Patterns of support and opposition, House of Assembly, 1898-99 to 1!01. 591 Pap:e Ì'los List of Ðiagrans

8 1 PøffT analysi-s, 051, pfot of scores 1 arÈ. Z. a 118 U ¿. PøI'fT ar.ralysis, tll, plot of' rc.:oL.cs 1 ¿r¡xl Z. 141 B t PøfiI analysis, 15j, of. r:<:o¡.us l:Iot 1 a.rñ 2. 5Il) o pØt¡f O 4 analysis, 111, plot oi, scor.c$ 1 c,rt) :,). a i47 U 5 PøL1T analysis; scores of' UJ-F, ì,lDL members; 1tì!J_I90t " JL9 B 6 PøL"IT (modified.) analysis, 15J of, r i,Ìot scores 1 and. 2. 551 E 7 ¡'iuLä'BET ar,alysis , 15i, '¡rrot oJ' hierarchical crassÍfice.tion. 551+ B B I'i1UL1'bI.i1 analysi_s, lJJ, slxsv.rinl ¡¡r.outr¡ structures. 555 ö o RICE analysis, 153, matrix. 359 8:1o PþrLr a'alysis, 15J, srrorvin5¡ bloc structure by MULTBEî RrCE and 36t+ B:11 RICE analysis, 1JJ, on basi s of pþLlI scores. 366 8:1 2 Structure in voting patterns, Le¡.is1atj-ve Coun cii- TIBJJ_1901 . 372 8:1J Structure in voting patterrrs, l{ousie of AssembIy, ilg57_I9QZ. J75 9:0 tr'acti on Leaclers , 1857-189J. f'o11ovin¡¡ 410 9:1 Ì{inistries, f'action leacler¡, factj on support, Ilouse of Assembþ, 1861r-18. t417 9:2 Structule in voting pattcrrs ttjbT_6g. , 428 1o:1 Legislative goup membersrril: of poli_ti_car- .åssociation nenrbers and. I candidatesr , lg60_62. 4e 10:2 l\1inis1;r.ies, faction l_ear'ers, t.action support, House of .å,usc¡iri: ij .tiì'7{1-r¡1 , t+75 10:J Stlucture, Flou.se of Assernb iy, It3fJ-f2. )+91 1Ct:4 5.o"es of membersr_ House of Assernb-Ì,y, 1B6L_92. A - totaf_ membership 491+ B - shovring belavir¡lir of tr.,¡o blocs 10:5 Scores of members of nrirÉstries, IBìL_}Z. t+95 10:6 t"*r'tt scores of members of ihe Ilouse of .A.sser.l¡ryrlg'r¡-!2. whose 1/," 496 A - occupations jï.e irred.ominantly in the rural industry B - members of the trT!'.A 1o:7 scores of members of the House of Assembry who-rve'e groups. not in 497 '1 0:B scores rfree of trader membe*s, Ìlouse c¡f .¿11.-,.:rr,hrl, A reported' 1884.-g2. 505 - as freetraders, sholving ni(i1lrt;Ê-is of the r protectionist r ninistr.y B - opponents of tari-ff ,neâ.s*rês, shovuing opposition core. xLV.

Pa¡,;e

122 1 ComparÍson of' structure, House crf Assembly and Legislative Council, 1ùBL_l_901 . 575 1222 Patterns of voting l¡ehaviour, Le¿isra-tive oouncíIr1BB/-190t . 577 12:J Changes i-n group menbership, IIouse of AssanT¡Iy, IBiJ_I901 . 5BB 12:4 Scores of members, Ilouse of Âsse¡nbly, 190O. 606 12:5 Scot'cs of member-s, House of Assern'bly, f9O1 , 607 List 221 tslectoral districts t hyb'icì.r " c'unciI, rg51 -rgil/6.r'oì.lcrnring 35 \.:1 Electoral" divÌsions, Legislative Council, 1gg2_1901 . 137 l+:2 Electoral dist¡'icts, House of Assembly, IglJ/6_I861 . 157 l+:1 lll-ectoral clistricts, House of Assembl-y, IB61_187t. 154 l+z 4 El-ectoral clistricts, House of AssembAy, LBTZ_.I8BZ. 159 )+:5 Illectoral districts, IIouse of AssemÌ¡ly, 18ti2_190t . 160 Introduc'bi-on the Stuày of Colorrial- PoLitics

Political Soientists in sea¡ch of the Âtl¿¡rtis of thei-r drea¡ns have written of, the Àustral-asiar¡ Colorrles as rrurseries of, a practical anil fea¡Iess politica-l id.eaï-sn. To some exbent the description i-s funre of South Âustralia, which fraJfra¿ a Ìristory of its owrr o ¿. but it is not tn¡e of Austral-ia as a whole.

Ti-mes, 189h. ' xlrr Until quite recently, the po].itical history of -&ustr¡lia has been d-ominated. ar¡d. ci:a¡lnel1eo by what Dorgl-as Pike referred. to as ari eastern

1 nSropia.' Most conternporar¡r stud.ies of politics in nlneteenth-centr.rrXr

Austral-ia ernphasised. the parent colonies of New South lYales and. Victoria and. relegated. Sorth Australia to a collective arrd. generalised. tother 2 coloniesr on t*o broad. gror,rd.s; either on the basis of a general similarity, or because of a lacl< of interest, or both. r01d- Colonistl epitoraised. the fo:rrer in 1871 when, j-n a ôiscussion of, tAustralia¡r lend.enciesr he dwelt on Queensland, Victoria a¡rd. Tasmanía as the tmost typicalr, for

New South Wal-es and South .A.ustra-lia are politicalþ most like Victoria, a¡J. where they do not resernble ít ,.. they ura¡r be said to resemble either Queenslald. on Tasna:ria. )

The latter attitud.e v,¡as evid.ent in the corrnent that in South Australia

in the last trrent¡r-five year" [to fW3] ... there has been 1ittle thet is striking or picturesque. For the most part it is but the record of an industria-l development, which has been narked. by none of those extra-ordi::ar¡r ciretrmsta¡rces which çharacterize the progress cf the Easterrr Colorries. +

Such themes a:re a.lso evid.ent in more recent stuùies. In tri-s h-istorXr of colonial tariffs Pai;terson ùiscusses New Sou.th T,Iales and- Victoria a¡rd- the t small er colonies' ,5 a theme justified. to some extent by the policy confrontations between the first two, but r:nd-er-rating differences betweer¡ these a¡rd. the other colonies. And. there has been arr emphasis on the east in recent general historical stuclies.

It is to be expected. that there worrld. be a corrsid.erabl-e d-egree of similarity among the political historíes of the colonies which were gra¡ted. )cvi. rfifties, self-govenment in the for their popuJ.ations w€re overwheJmirrgþ

British, a¡ll their leaders cor¡ï. boast of simiJ.ar social and. politícal bac¡- ground.s and. ideals. But thj-s sìmilar*ity ca¡r be stressed to the detriment of d'istinguishing, and. perhaps r:nique characteristics in the ir¡lividual

colonies. Thus, just as Fitchett in 1915 criticized. the rfashion to say that Austra'tìa has as yet no iristoryr or, at least, none worth writÍ:rgr, tthe for story of .å.ustra]jâ ... is c'riously interestingr16 the contemporarf,r

a:rd' moderrr tend.ency to see ¡nrch of the political histor¡r of colorrial South Australia as a ¡ni-lror of develop:nents in New Sctlth Ïfales a¡rcl Victoria tend.s

to r:¡rderrate the na¡Jr d.ifferences in the I central color¡yr .

In constitutior¡a-I torns Sor¡th S.ustratia Ied. the other colmies in the

introcLuction of the secret r ballot with na¡ùrood. suffrage and. orre rnErn - orj.e votet for the lcnver house; it was the first of the colorrles to introduce fuII ad'ult suffbage for the lower house a¡rd. to erbend. the night to vote to propertJ¡-qualifieil'women for the Legislative Ccn¡nsil.7 In tqms of governments, South Australia Ìrad. the d.ubious distinction, by IB90r of havi:rg und.ergone more cha¡ges in mi¡nistries and. pontfolios tÌ¡an argr other co]-orgr. She Ied' ,frustralia in the passage of such rprogressiver legislation as the sofcalled Torrer¡s property rfifties real Act in the a-nd. the conciJiaüion a¡rd. rnineties. arbitration Acts i¡r the She was the first colorgr to elect pledged. Labor Party cand.id.ates to a parli.anrent and, more nctably, she

elected' then first, d-espite a restrictive fra¡rchise, to what was regard.ed by the United- Labor Farty as the bastion of consen¡atis¡n and. propert¡r, the Legislative Counci]-. South Austral_ia ï¡as a color5r without convicts, without a gold nrsh, without a Elreka, yet the 1855 Constitution was the rd.mocraticr most in the ÐrpÍre. Thus, íf it was x\f,LL.

not the q'idd}e-cl¿.sses, but gold a¡d_ the gold- ùiggers [who] brorght poJ-itiãal d.onoeacy-to East Australia in lhe 185,6t s and to Tfest llustralia in the 18pot s, Õ what brought political d.ernocracy to South Australia, a¡d. what rnaintained. it througþout the colonia-l periodt

Or:e pr:rpose of this study is to overccme the relative d.earth of material about the political Ìristor¡r of Sctrth Australia, to identifþ d-ifferences between Soirth Australia a¡.d. her sister colonies and. to attenpt to establish the social and. political reasons for these òifferences,. The period. ud.er

stt¡dy, the forty five years betr¡reen 1857 an¿ rgo1, is bor¡¡rd.ed by Inatr:ralr points, by the iraugr.ration of bicameral responsible gover:rment on the one ha:rd. a¡rd- by the close of the colonial era with Fed.eration on the other.

But there were features about the d.ecade of the r¡rineties which shcrwed. evidence cf a change flom one þ of politics to another, featpres whlctr were ir¡dicated- by chalging patterras of the theoqr ald. practices of pclitical representaticrr. the overall ai:n of thi,s study is not that of a chronological outli¡re of events, nor that of a general Ïristory of the colon1a-l period., but a¡l analysis of a d.evelopins political systen.

Sotrth Australiar s cclorrial history has been variously touched. on, a¡d. to th-is extent this sù-r{y overlaps cthers, þ both conternporar¡r ar¡d. mo¿e¡tt stud.ents. In the contøporal$r scene, B. î. Finniss, i-n his C onstitutíor¡a.1_ Histor:v of South Australi-aI provided. a fi-rst-Ìra-nd. account of the politi-cal life of the color5r in t;he two d.ecad.es before the inaugurati.cn of respons5-b1e govarment in 1857. Historia¡rs such as Forster, Harcus and Hod.clerlo 1xo:r1d.e a chronological outline of the colonial period through corrternForarJr eyes.

î. A. CogþJanl s economic tristcr¡r in four lro1,-""11 has not been showrr to be xviii. scrlously ïvrong. .[,1c¡clerir h_i¡ Lor.ilrlrs lrnve ¿lc]tLc

of i-nðivid.ua1s, groups, in'r;erests arrd classes facing each other antagorristically on the hustings, in the legislatures arrd in society at large. A pictrre energes of conflLicts over lald., tariffs, the valid.ity

of colorria1 laws and. the polrers of colorrial- parliaraents, the constitutior¡aI pcrners ar¡d. the legislative roles of the two houses, the rigþts of propert¡r a¡rcl the pourers of the r:rban worklng classes. In the first fw months of responsib1e goverrrment most of these issues were raised as part of a d.ebate between the House of Asse¡nb1y and. the Legislative Cor.rrcil, a debate whÍch

concerned. an apparently imeconcileable corrflict, the resofution of which was fu¡rd.a.mentaI to the new polity. Tfhich house was to have the fj-rìa-l- pclitical- pcwer? Corollaries of the natr:re of elections a¡rd. electoral systems, the rtmer f\rnctions cf representatíon, the questict':. of politicaJ. parties, the instability of ministerial- office arrd the rights of propert¡r were alJ- raised. and. debated. before the basic issue was resolved. by an rrnsteady ccrnpromise. the cor':-stitution of 1855, hail-ed. by contemporaries as the I final word.r i-n d.emocracy, was soon showrr to be not the end. of, pol5-tica-l d.evelopment in the colcrgr, but the catalyst for f\.rrther ctwrgen

The a.nalysis of, rather tha¡r the d.esøipti-on of a political systm of a centur1¡ ago is fraugþt with problerts, a.nd. to scme present-d.q¡r obsenrers, colonial politics and especially pre-Iabor politics appears so rnrch of a¡r t obscure messr that it rmust remain to perplex arrd worrJr South ¡tustralian historia¡st r15 and. one can sJ¡mpathise with this tc some d.egree. ÀnJr researcher is faced. with a bew1ld.ering coJlectj-on of newspalers, jor-rrnals arrd pamphlets, a fenr private collections, d.iaries a^nd general histories, few of which provid.e much evid.ence of order in 'uhe info:mation they prov:id.e. tÞci. As weI1, the d.estruction by fire of rnany of the offi cial record.s in-1902, includ.ing the only ft-lI record. of election d.ata proved. a serious short- cøning. There is little ev:ld.ence in dc¡cr:mentary sources of attitud.es of canctid.ates a:rd mernbers to pclitical. questions of the da¡r, Iittl-e eviclence of the behaviour of groups in the electorates arrd of factions and parties in the legislatures. But there is a theme runrring througþout the period. - the theme of politica-l representation. Ttris studtr then, sets out to analyse politica.l representation in South AustraLia, in both theory and. practíce, a¡td in electoral and. legislative terms. The chapters belcm wj-LL úeek to establj-sh answers to a n¡nber of questions about potitical representation in the colorgr, such questior¡s as to what extent r¡ere there id.eological, social a¡r,L econornic divisions j:r South Australia, and. to what extent were these in confLict? To what extent d.id. the vari-ous electoral systems, proposed. or in force, reflect these d.ivisions, a::d. to what extent did. one id.eolory or interest obtain a d.oninant ir:fluenoe?

To what extent were there electoral- interest a¡d. pressure groups? Hor influential were thef 1o what extent had. political parties developed. by the end. of the centr:r¡r, what was thei-r thecretical arrd actual- rol-e? l[hen d.id. they fo:rt, and. to vrh¿.t extent d.id. their formation break d.c¡wrr the d.crninant theories arrd. practices of representation? What qualities of the population were cortsid-ered. to be most worthy of representatiorr? To what extent d.id. the representatives consid.er thei-r role was to act ird.epend.ently, arrd. to what extent did. thet' To what extent was the systern of representation in South Australia d,epend.ent on. some theoretical basis, to what extent d.id. it tnirrort that of its antecedents in Englald., and. to vrhat ertent was there a d.isti¡rctively South Australia¡r theory of po1itléa.l- representati on? locii. The analysj-s of these questions is d.j.vid.ed- into three parts, a fo:mat

which, to scrne d.egree, is artificial, for the processes of change withiJr

a system of representation, whether i-n the fie1d. of elections a¡rd. electicn

systens, of legislatj-ve behaviour on the roles of the ',/arious interest groÌlps in society, a.!e closely related.. But the r:ature of the questiorr

lencls itself to such a ðLivision, and. tbe relationship of the three areas of stud.y wil1 be ørphasised. in the conclusiørs.

The first part of the alalysis provid.es a¡r ovetsriew of the main trerrd.s

and. d.evelopments j-n the theories and. practices of political, representation

in the five years drrring wh-ich the Constitution of 1855 was painstakingly

a¡rd. often painf\r1ly drafted., redrafted. and. fir:aIly accepted, ancl a stuqr

of the first session of the first parlíament when this Constitutícn was put

into practice, a¡rd fotxid. warrti-ng. The conflicts about theories axd.

practices of politica-l representation, especially in Er:gland. a¡rd .A¡rerÍca

are outli¡ed, in Chapter I, and. Chapter II sr:rrrarises the wa¡r there were again raised- in Sot¡th Austra-lia. Chapter III inaicates the areas of

cor:flict in the fi-rst session over issues of representation which were thought to be settIed., but wtrich were to ctonrir:ate the political history of the succeeding half-centur¡r.

the second part of the study is ccncernecL primarily with issues of electoral representation, e¡d. with the political structures wtrich d.eveloped. from the original mod.el. Chapters fV and. V d.eal with the theories a¡rd. practices cf electoral systems, w-ith the elections, and. w:lth the Inatr¡ret of the legislatures these elections prod.uced. Chapter VI is concqrrred. with the constitutiorul arrd. poAitical relationships of the two houses of parlianerrt, a¡d ir¡d.i-cates the extent to which the conflicts that ar:ose ro.iä.,. between the¡n were clue io the theories a¡rd practices of thei-r eJ.ectoral bases. The fina-l chapter of this part examines one of the d.omin¿¡rt aspects of colonial políticaL history, the instability of goverrnments. Rapid. ministerial chalges r¡ere evidence of political- conflicts in the legisJ-a- tures, but these were not based on d.eep a:ld. d.ivisive ideological d.ifferences, as shcm¡r by the read.y acceptance by margr msnbers of roini-steriaL office with colleagues wì:o, on-ly d.ays before, had been political opponerrts. This chapter j-s a lbrid.get between the ala-lyses of electoral- and. legislative representation, for, despj.te the variety of reasc,ns for i¡rnediate d.efeats of governments, the uld.erl¡rrng cause of the instability of much of the period. was the absence of poJ-iticaJ. parti-es, the existence of a faction systan of government, arrd of a mode of legislative behaviour which was essentially Burkearr.

Part III of the study is concerneci rrith an alalysis of legislative aspects of political representation in coloni-al. South Australia. The mod.ern representative ca¡r be characterised. as essentially a member of a cohesive and d.isci-p1ined. polj.tical púWr ancl tris role as a representati-ve d.epend.s to a great degree <;n h-Ls status, ir¡fluence and behavior:r within his party. The colonial- situation was rna.rked.ly d.ifferent. In theory at least the ind.ependeneæ of the representative was the d.ominating aspect, and his role was rnrch fess constricted.. In legisletive terms, the colonia-l period. in South .A.ustralia has been generall-y a¡rd often vagrely characterised. in terrns of a loose faction system, d.o¡ninated. by pressure groups in the society and fluid aligrTnents of mernbers in the parlianents. The accepted. thesis has been that this system did not begin to change until the advent of the United. Labon Party in the early tnineties, and. that even then the ]OCLVo

legislative behaviour of most members was essentia-lly individ-ual-istic. Th-is third. section of the stu{¡r seeks to establish the nature of legislative

representation in more precise terms, a¡ld. to estabU-sh when and. wl6r poJStical

parties ernerged- in South Âustralia.

One of the n'rajor tasks of the a:ralysis of legislative beharrior¡r was

to establish the meuibership and. role of the various factions and. groups i:r

the parlianents, and. Chapter VIII erçlains the teclmique whictr was devised. for ttris stu{¡r, and. ccrnpares it to existinlg techniques. Chapters D( ard

X arulyse the ertent to which the Burkea¡r tenet of legislative behavior¡r was

accepted. in South Australia, the extent tc which this tenet was ca:ried. i-rrto practice, tl¡e r:ature and. workings of the faction systan of politics in the

color¡y and. the emergence of politica'l parties. In the folloring two

chapters, the stud¡r concentrates on the d.ecad.e of the rrrlneties, the rKingston EraÌ , on the ciranges wrought by the srergence of the Labon Party, both electora-lly arid. in te¡ms of legisla.tive behavio.¡r. As a conclusion to the study, Chrapter XLII seeks to relate the two basic aspects of politica1 representation, emphasises the theory and. practice of the concept as the - dqui¡ant theme of the political history of colonial. Sor.rth Australia a¡ld. re- a.flfi-rms thre plrrralist approach to coloaial- polítics.

Conflicts over theories a¡rd. practices of political representation i¡r colonial So¡th Australia'were rea]. a¡d. marked. The extent of such conflict is ind.icateil by the d.escription of the inauguration of responsible goverzrnent by Samuel Davenport, a seJf-proclaimed. consern¡ative. loc\r.

Ord.er a¡ld. intelligence collapsed-, unler corÀitions which threw sud.d.enly cpe[r without preparation otr tri-al, to all grad.es a¡rd- d.escríptions of persons a¡d. character, the nost important charges connected. with public affaj-rs - whether generaf or local. Powers of legislation, appointrnents to office, the uragisteríal fi:nction, the general controL, took the bias of politica-l exped.iency, self-interested or factious mor¡em.e¡rt - (efflonteqy in seekirig position beir¡g the main ca.use of success) and. the present confused., d.ispirited. a¡rd. prostrate condition of the country ma¡r be traced. to those inconsid.erate and d.emoralizing irurovations ... Places of influence anð emo}¡merrt are sqralnbled. for as a busj-ness, and. the least worthy u¡rd.er such circr.¡¡ostances are those who prevail ¡r¡ hoperty is taxed., by those who possess none, its rights olltvoted a-rrd. the exercise of its dutíes excIud.ed., with no ind.epend-ent authority to interpose or to appeal to ... .As the la:w requires no qua-lification for office, beyord electlon, it is a¡r accid.ent if office hol-d.ers have a -character of argr fitness, or are not even far wcrse. 16

It is to the a¡rteced.ents of such a view, arÌd ctr those wlúch opposeC. it, that the study turns first. xx1ÍL.

FOOTIOTES: Introducti94 1. D. Pike, Paradise of Dissent , (Melbor.rne University kess, 196/), p.vr 2. s general trend is T. l'. Coghlan, Lrabott¡ - (õxf ord University Press, iotdotr-1fÍ6), recent adclition to the meagre list of stuclies of the political history of South Australia is J. B. Hirst, Adelaid,e and the Country. 1870-1917, (Melbourne University Press, L973).

3. rOlci Colonistt, rAustralian Teruìenciesr, Frazer's Maeazinc , (vol. 5, No. 1/, May 18/1), p. 599. the 4.7 .À Cogh-lan, 1. A. É\nlng, The Progress of Australasia in Nineteenth Centur¡r , (Linscott-ÞffiIlsFag; Co., Toronto, 19OJ)' P. 206. 5. G. D. Patterson, the Tariff in ustralian Col , (Cheshire, Melbourne,

6. w. H. Fitchett, the Nev¡ orl-d. of the South: l_n (Crrarles Scribner s Sons, Nc+r or t I PP. Vl-r' l-x. 7. Onnod.ifioations to the original electoral systems, see below, Chs. IV, V. 8. A. Barcan,-(no. tThe Develotrment of the Australian ùfiddle classr, Egg!-gl4 EIgggI!, 8, Noverrber r)JJ), p. 69. 9, B. T. Finnisst Ihe Constitutional Hi of South Australia one Years orn T on eG , t

10. .â.. Fonstert South Australia'. lls 3@, (SamPson, Irø, Son and MarstonFoãclon, 1-,8('6) ; 'lT. Harcus, : Its Hist Re a¡d Prod.uctions , (samlrson, arLe and. Ri oÐr oDr , Hi of Sou fron its tion to the Year l_ È u o[¡ t on ald Co., o[r 11. Review, Hi-storical Stuòies aA, pp. ro3-5. 12. F. K. Crowley, t Q|DtÐ r

13. G. D. Cønbe, Re Govornment in South .A.u , (Govr:rnment Printer, Ade e, ronril. 14. Such unpublished. research in the fo¡m of B*A. Theses at the Universit¡r---- of Ad.eraid.e includes stuèies of leadirrg poüiiãJ rie,*."]. w. H. Bq¡rnes, Hart The ]S , (t96t). C. l'. t a Pen¡r caL Life , N. Ganzis Tr¡n Þice: First Lab (tgsg). or he¡rier. Â Poli , C. C. Ma¡ùtoocl E" J. IÍad.ham, 966). ,(t9i3). Stud.ies of d.iscrete periods: or¡th Aus Poli the lB&Jr s , (1960) t of a S Hi ofS th (t963). A. M. , , , a t of the t , a and str¡dj-es of genera-l bibli ogaphy of theses a'd r:npublished1"":_.:.. _See for a cøq;Iete list n nü"cripts referñi to ro" tnis itu¿y, 15. Ð' R. Beer, -g.'ji!. t þ. 6\. 16. Davenpcr:rt t. on Government Adelaiite , (D, eall, t rP. a PART 1

THE ÍYIAKING OF REPRISINTATIVE GOVTRNIVITNT Ohapter f.

PoLiticaL Representatiæ

rÎhe rrtrole bases of representatiø - a:re altered, in o¡¡r systemr. Îl¡¡rsd¿¡r Reuiew. Sept. ?ß, L€ßO.

rSouth Aust¡a1ia ,., is rather given to nakíng exc'r¡rsigrs into the re¡l'ns orf what na¡r be callecl aca¿ùenícal politicer.

Renienr of September, L895. i

P o1 i t i gg]_&ple g_ç_g9stig+

The term I representationl encdnpasses a wid.e area, a¡rd i-s I a fa¡rilia.r

concept of everyd.ay life vzhich is used not only in both pol.iticaì. a:rd. non- poJ-itical. situations, but also in a variety of waysr.l One purpose of thj-s introd.uctory chapter, then, is to establish in what senses the anaþsis of political representatior:. in colonial South Australia will be carried. out. As wel-I, tLr-is chapter i¡rclucles a brief sunma:¡r of the major theories of political representation contemporz-neous w'ith the irrtroduction of represent- ative goverrment and with the d.evelopnent of this system in South Australia to Fed.eration i¡l 1901, conclud.i4g with a preliminar¡r arralysis of 'ühe extent to rrlrich contenpora:¡r theories vr¡ere transferred. to the color¡y.

Ar¡y theory of representatj-on has tv¡o foci, the first being the person or group of persons who are seeking to be, or who are being representecl, arrd the second being the person or group of persons who are seeking to act as, or who are acting as the representatives, but the riature or style of the representation varies, d.ependant on the relationslr-ip cf these two foci. For example, A. H. Birch id.entijies three colnrûon usages of the te:mr which ca¡r be applied. in either political or oorr- pol-itical- sj-tuations :

to d.enote an agent or spokesnoan who acts on behalf of Ìris principal,

to ind'icate that a person shares some of the characteristics of a class of persolis, to i¡td.icate that a persqn sSznbolizes the id.entity or qualities of a class of persoi". 2 rn the secord and. third. of ì;hese broad. usages, the f\rnction of the representative is less 'inrportant than h-is relationship to the bo{¡r or class frcrn which he is d.erived.. In the second case it is the likeness oú: 2. the representative to the characteristics of the bo$r as a whole whiclr

id.entifies ldm as representative or not of that body, arrd. irr the thizrl

usager the f\rnction of the representative has J-ittle bearing at a-L1 on the question of whether or not he is, in fact, representative. rn the first usager the function of the representative is a¡r importarrt factor in determinilg whether or not he is a representative in i;hat sense. Ilis purpose is essentially d.eIegatory, and his role (as in the case of a åiplonatic representative on the international scene) is to oarr¡r o.ut the wishes of the sor¡p (or govar:nent) wh-ich he represents. rf he acts on his instructions, he is acting as a representative; if he acts contrarSr to his instn:ctiørs he is not acting as a representatíve, in this a

rt is in a fourth usage of the term trepresentationr, a usage in te¡ms of political representation, where the selection, function a¡rd. role of the representative are pri:ae factors. rPolitical- representationr is d.ifficult to define, as it involves a clarification of the mean-ing of, tpoliticalr. As pennock points outrJ political representafion in i'i;s wíd.est sense is concerzred. with al-l- fo:cas gorrernment, of with and. without elected. representatives, a¡rd. r¡rith a1i shades of dernocratic a¡ld. non-d.emocratic fo¡ms of government. 1¡¡ T¡ipsetr s terrns, a system of representative government is a

system of actions which have to 'facilÍtate interchar¡ge between authority and. the spontaneous groupÍngs of societ¡y'f , a systan which incr-ud.es rmõst attempts to influence authoritative d.ecisionsñ. fu¡ã"4 " -

In a non-poIitical, and' especially in a scientific sense, it is possible to talk of a¡r object being representative of a class of objects, with no necessity for that object to have ar5r fi¡¡rction apart from its 5. representativeness.5 But potj.tj.ca-l representatiqr is essentiaer a process. It tdoes not exist in vacuo, but is ¡nrt of the politùca]. process at a given time ald pl"cei ¡6 a¡d thus while it is possible to ilescribe a political representative as such on the basis of his being a Ini-rrorr

of the bod.y of persons which elected æ selected hj-m, this is brr¡t one

usage of the tem, a::d. a far from imporüarrt one. I¡i*e the wiclest sense of the concept of representation, politica1 representatíon inoorpeates

the fuvo foci noted above, the represented, ard. those who are acti:¡g as the representatives, but it stresses the links between the tro. rt stresses the process and. fr¡rctions as well as the relationship.

Although in terms of Lipsetts definition, politioal representatlon is soncerne¿L with other aspects of a political system tt¡a¡l eleote¿ legislatr:res, the analysis in-bhe fo1Iow.i:1g chapters is çssentiarty concerrrecl rnith a¡r elective representational_ systør, rAutho:eit¡r' in the colorgr of Scuth Australia was essentially legislative authority, at7ð, follcrir:g the inaugr:ration of the constitr¡ùion ín L857, a fulþ electir¡e authority. Th-is is not to say that there were no other areas of authorit¡r. The Governor retaíned. søe influe¡rce, as later chapters will shw, a]3d Exgla¡d retained. some constitutior:aI pcrwersi. The bpreaucracy was little degeloped., especially j¡r cornparison to the wid.e ra¡ge of d.elegated td.eparfunentalt legislation a¡d activity in the moclern state, a¡d. trepresentative thus arrd. responsible governnentt was carrÍecl ort mai¡1y i:r the elecúed legislatures, arrd their relatior¡s rith the cor:stituencies which fo:r¡ed' thø. This stu{ir j-s concerr:ed., 'thenn rrith the na¡ner i¡¡ which the representative assenblies were chosen, with the characteristios ard functions of, the representatives a¡rd. those they olai-med. to represert, 4.

ì;ÌuLi is, r''iith ¡he ù'vrn foci cf ihe i'cpresented ancl i,he rcl:r'esentatives,

¡-,rc1 '¡s-i-th 'ühe p{ggg$ of representation'r"¡hich vras the link betr¡een the tü'o. It is concerned,, to scrne e:rteirt, uri-th an exaJnination of the first trepresentat:l-onf tlree usaÍjes of outlined above. '/r¡e nil1 examine the activi-ti es of pressure groups ¿:fli i;heir spokesmen in the colorri.al situa- tion. and therefore lvil1 be concet'ned. ivith the t1e1.egz:-tory ro.l-e of sucl: ls;,oi'.estlen. Later clnpte:r's w:lll- c..,-ralirine ;he extent to v¡,rúch tìre rrenbr:r- slr-l-r::, cf i,?re colon-ial legislaiu:.es inirrorerf ihe coloriial_ ':c'iluLl_atlon, or 1,Ì'e votlr:u |o¡ru1':.t-i-on, to es';ablisii -Lhe ¿eneral pattcrns of represcrita-ti-on

-i.i't tìl-j s sen,se. The anal;¿sis r'¿i11 ';heref c¡e involve sLrch questions as l;. le ch¿il-ict.:r'istics of the societ¡/ as a r'¡hole and of -i;he narrorrer e,nfra-nchiserl" society froin 'wÌúth the representatives 'i/"ere drawn. It will a-.]-so j-rrvt¡lve a¡t exantination of .i;.i le extent to i'vhich rep.r'eseatation a¡rf rct,-l'er,crttative ¡¡overnnent v;ere s,.'rnbolic, the extent to which representative

ìovlirlJilcltt rv::s iiie ai¡n a¡rcl tire rai.sott detre for the fo.nnati cln of areti. mor:i-fica tiolls to -ci.re m¿,.cÌúnery and. strr-rct'-¡:'e of ¡olitical Iife, i.l-le extent to wnich rl-eäloc,r'aticr gov.jrnmcnt 'i'¡as tl.e j-cleal ioi.¡ards l¡hici¡ 1_he process .i¡ïas desi'_gnecì tr) rlov€. Br-¿t the rnain tii¡'rrst of i e stucì.u is on the najor asi;ects of ocl-i i;ica-l r'cTllesentatr'-on. The r:rea::rs by llhich the l,eJ:r.escrriatives þ'er.e s.:lecieo :.itrl elected, tìre i'e-l-ati.oi-rshi¡ls bet-w:en tire representa,tives arrd tj:e t".::trt'esenterJ, tlre roles anrl f'rrnctir¡::s of both representativ,,:s and re¡r::esentccl , in e¡rch ca_se in Ì-¡otll pcrceived and actual- tcrrris, are the cri.tcial í'ac'uors irr the preserrt stu"C,'¡ c¡f colonial political r.erresent¡:-tion in So'¡th Australia.

'ïh¿rt r.ir.¡cs such a s'uucy invol-ve? A. H. Birch, ir, his i.niu;,:u¡.al leciui'e to E;,,eter i.lniversityT outlinecì eigirt functions of ;rolitical tr J. represenbation, grcuped. uld.er three general heaèiags. These can be sr:mprized. as follows:

I The fi:nctj-on of popular control (") electoral choice, anl competition for pcmef, (¡) responsiveness, ( accor.¡ntabjlity; ") IT (") lead.ersliip and fecruifunent, (¡) responsibility;

Ila The function of maintena¡rce of the regirne (") legitimation (U) nobilization of cor:sent (.) relief of poli-tical pressure. j-s this study concerned. orr-ly marginal-Iy with the f\:nctions r:r¡der the head.irrg of maintenance of the regirne. ColoníaJ- South ^[u5f,3a]i¿ ç¿g politicalJ-y stable. .A.lthough it showed evid.ence of oor¡sid.erable mínisteriaj- irrstability, the politica].

system was accepted., and. accepted. as legitimate. South Australia hait no Eureka. It was patently obvious that this con^sent rras ac¡ieved-, anl political pressure both erpressed. a¡rd. nod.ífied., within the systern of political representation which was set up in rgss¿. As a later chapten will shcn¡, t}.e emergence of i;he rrad.icaJ.r United. Irabor party in the fina-l col-onia1 decad-e had. no revolutionary overtones anil, in fact, this party hail no monopoþ of radical ideas a¡rd. id.eals.

This stud.y, therefore, is primarity concerned. with the f\.mctions of political representati-on within a poÌitical system wh,ich was stable, relativeJ¡r quiescentr and' faced. few problems in toc¡ns of its naintena¡rce. As such, it is primarily concerrred. with the fi-rst five of Bi.rcht s f\.mctions, r:¡d.er three inter-related. head.ings: elections, accou'tability ard. 6,,. responstibilityr arr3 legislative behavior:r. Und.er the first heading, the study is concerned. with va.nlous irrstitutior¡al d.e'r¡:ices, such as those

which con^stituted. the electoral- syõte¡ns of, the colorgr, with the ways

these vrere applJed. and. with their results. IJr¡ler the secord. heacling, ïYe are concerned. with both electoral and legislative resrrlts of this

elective representation, with such aspects as the perceived. and, actual

relations of representative and. oor:stitrrents, representative ar¡d. representativerand. representative and government. As such, the stu{¡r

includ.es both electoral respor:sibiJ.ity (representatives and. elect,:ns) ana

ministerial responsibility (government a¡d. parliament), both raised. "na Ímportatt questior,s in colonia-l South Austra-1ia. Ur¡cler the th-ird. heacling, the study is concerned. with the wa¡rs in whictr the elected. representatives

perceived. thei-r roIe, a¡rd the ways they carried. out their role, a neoessarãr

distinction, as Part TII of this str:dy u-j_11 shcm.

It should. be stressed. -bhat the subjects r¡¡der these three heaðings

a¡e not ùiscrete, but are closely ínter-rerated. As an example, one purpose of this stuQr is to establish when politícal- parties eu.rerged. in colonial South Australia. Both the evid-ence for the advent of parti-es ard of a party systo-rn, a¡d. the er4rla¡ation of such a d.evelotrment and. of its effects, will be concerrred. rnr:ith each of the three major areas o¿t1ined.. Poritical parti-es wj-ll be affected. by, a¡d wirl themselves affect, elections a¡rd election systerns, the concepts a:rd. practices of accou¡rtability a:d. responsibility and perceived. anrl actual legislative behar¡:lor¡r. In this rna¡rrer, then, the ernphasis in a stud.y of poJ-iticaJ. representatj-on is on such representation as a process. 7. In sunrnar¡r, then, the preceding paragraphs outli¡ae n'ÌEf wiLL be

exa¡ained. in the present stud.y of political representation j-n South .Australia. But the question remains of hm th-is process of poIítical- representation is to be stud.ieËl. 'W. K. Fra¡l

South Australians consid.ered. to be the night or the good. or the best. It is concertred- with the usage ard. application rather tha! with the essential meaning of tpolitical representationt. The main approach to the question is based on what Fra¡lcena calIs the rtwo d.escriptive sens esl of representation. In Ïris tems, the first sense

would. cor:sist of a surnnarly analysis of the releva¡t provisions of our fed.eral, state and, loca1 constitu- tions a¡rd. 1aws. fn the second., it would be mad.e up of a more rrreal-isticrt study of what happens in practice, for example, of the releva¡lt cou:* clecisigns, the behavior¡r of potitical parties a¡rd the like. 11

In the context of colonial South Australia, these two deseíptive senses includ.e, firstly, an analysis of the constitutional aspects, of the nature of, the eLectoral contests, includirig the means of nornir:ation and. e1ecbio4, 8- the nather¡atics of the various eleotiorr systeurs prcrgosed and irr force,

and. the reasons for their proposed. introd.uction, the effeats these had. on

the social and. political rcontentr of the legl-slatures, campaignmethod.s, constituenc5¡ pressì-¡res, interest group activities, aïrd the general- politica-l rel-ationships within the constituencies a¡rd the nation as a whole. fn the secor¡l¡ ilegislativer sense, the stud-y incÌudes such aspects as the

ways the representatives descrj-bed. theirfrnctions a¡rd. the wa¡rs they ca.Hied.

them out, the relatior¡s between inòivid.uaI legislators, between groups

of legislatonsr ard between these representatives and. thei-r constituerrciesr These two senses, the legislative - election a¡rd. the legislative - behaviour senses wiIL be termed. the rprocedural! and. the 'functionall senses of political representation. To use Sa¡torir s terrninolog¡rr12 rproced.r.rralr the sense is concerned. with the twhot ard. the rwhatr of political representatj-on in colonia.l South Australia, rith the extent to v¡trich irrd-ividuals a¡rd. groups could. arrd did. play a role in the process in

the election of representatives, includ-ing the alalysis of such issues as

fra:rchise reform, apportionment, and. the extent to whj-ch the systemr errphasised., and. gave special porvers to certain strb-groups of the society. lfr:¡lctionall rhovrrt The sense, the of politíoaI representation, is more concerned. with the way in which the process of representation operated, with such topics as the roles of individual members, of factions a¡¿ political parties, the relations of the menTbers and. of the two houses i-n the bicameral systern. But it shoufd. be emphasised that this division is not intend'ed. to imply that the two senses are separate, or separable. lhey are, in theory and. in faú, i¡rextricably linked.. As noted. abo\re, political representation is essentially a process, a¡d. while, for the purposes of this stud.y, lproceduralr ar:d rfunctional-r representation in 9. South Australia are anal¡rsed separateþ to sorne d.egree, such a separatiæ' is artificial. For exarnple, the actions of indívid.uals ard, groups in the legislatr¡res on aspects of la¡lcL sales, Ia¡d. utilization a¡¡it ¡r-rral tarcation in the 186Ots, whør -bhese were key issues, cannot be d.ivorçed. f,ron the aspects of the contempora-:¡r electonal system, such as the restrictive, pro¡rerty-based. fra¡rchÍse for the upper house, ard. the system of apportioru:oent for the lower house, a system heavj-J-y weigþted in favcn¡r of the ¡r¡ral a¡eas. The conclusion of this stud¡r, then, will attempt to d'raw these two aspects together and. æphasise the process of, the iLevelo¡:- ment and. the practice of, potitical representation as a whole.

The theories and practices of political- representation in mod.e¡rr systems of representative gcnrerrment have absorbed. specific a¡rd. recent factons. lhoceclrrralt representation today bas, in the nain, incorporated. ad.ult suffrage, based. on cor:s-bituencies drawn up in terms of terrltory and. rn:mbers of ind.ividuals rather than in te:nns of corporate iaterests, arrl there has been a¡r íncreasir¡g emphasis on the principJ-es of t one mâ¡r - one ¡one voter aïra vote - one u"aoar.13 rn the rfr:nctior¡a-lr sense, mod.ern systens of representative goveznment have beccme increasingly d.o¡nÍnated. by d.iscÍ-plined. political parties, and. many of the aspects of po1Ítical representation, especially the basíc questÍons of the role of the i.nd.ividuå-I representative - d.elegate or tnrstee, and. his relationship with his constituenø¡1, have become sltperimposed., ard. superced.ecl. to a J-arge d.egree, by the structr:res ard. roles of -i;he politiea-l parties, by party identification in the electorate and. party dísøipline in the legislat1:res. But the debates about the theories a¡d. practices of politioa-L representa- tion at the time of the settle¡nent of the colorgr of South Australj-a, ard. of the planrring of the consti-tr¡tion we::e þy no means so constricted., 10. No cor:stitution is bo¡rr in a wacur:m, anð, no s¡rsteur of pol:Lticgl represen-cation develops separate from factors ard. influences outsid.e that system. The s¡rstern of representatíve governnent in ar¡y nation, but especially in a yorng a¡rd developing r:ation is influenced. by both inteznal a¡¡l exterr¡al characteristicsr by the social- structure and. social d.ivisions

Trithi-n the nation, and. by the d.ornir:ant attitt¡des a:ld ideas. In the case

of South .Àustralia these inflLuences had. thei-r roots in England. a¡d. in other systems ar¡I theories of goverrm,ent. The Sotrth Australi-a¡r constitr¡- tion was dralcn up in the early 1859t s at a ti-me when trad-itior:aI d-octri¡res

of political representatj-on were being questiorred, and. trad.itj-or¡aI practices were being ctra¡ged.. In the half-centur¡r fo11oøing the inaugurati-on of responsible goverrmer¡t in the co1or6r, f\rther ideas were developed., ald. thus to r.¡nd.ersta¡rd. ihe process whictr Ieil to the fomation

of the constitution, a:rd. to 'uhe oirariging theoríes arrcl practices in South Australia until fed.eration, it is necessary to outline the main streans of conterparary' theory and practice elsew'here.

The ContemporarTr Cli¡nate of Opi-rrion

As Birch points *tr14 it is a rgross over-simpllficationt to d.escribe English politi-cs in the eighteenth centr.u¡r as a two-party strrggle. rt is equa.lIy an over-simplification to interpret the debates on political representation in the eigþteenth ard. nineteenth centuries in toms of d.istinct arrd. clearþ clelineated theories. But there were three broacl strea¡ns of theor:ies d.iscerrrible at the time when South Australi.at s constitution was fo:med. wlr:ich may have had. a bearirig on the theor¡r and. practi-ce of political representatj-on in the colorgr. As the analysis will shw, of the Tory, wtrJ-g and liberal strea¡ns, it was the whig approach which was d-oninant in South Australia, and not rrntil the last d.ecad.e of 11. the colonial period. was there ar¡r successful atte.rrpt to guestion the

applj-cation of a neans¡ of potitica1 representatíon wh:ich had. begun to fad.e fYcro the Snglish scene in the early nineteenth centr:r¡r. This is not to imply that all of South Australiaf s constitution-na.kers were lftrigs, nor to imply that all legislative members hail a Whig outlook for, as later chapters will shc¡w, there were lJ-eacling colonistst who consistentþ proclai-roed. Tory or }Lberal theo:rles. But there was an evid.ent and. a consistent majority bod.y of opinion in favour of the Tthig o¡tlook.

These three strea¡ns of theory have been aralysect in aepthl5 a¡d. for

this reason there is no necessity here to èiscuss eactr 5-n ful[. As welI,

the cLonrina¡rt Whig theory, arll the conoepts of its most artiqrlate spolcesrna-n, Ednn:¡d Br:rke, wiIL be more fr;J-þ analysecl j-n later chapters, a¡lit theÍr releva¡rce to the South Australian situation emphasi-sed. Ilorever, it is vah¡able at this stage to outline briefly the mlin areas of agreemeÍt arrl

&isagreement between the Tory, frhig ar:à Ïriberal concepts before exa¡túJring the extent to which they were absorbed. in South Austral_ia.

In the rfìrnctiona-lr sense, pol.itical representatj-on in &rgIard. underwent a slow change in the J-ate eighteenth centurSr away frc.m the r01d. Toryf 16 to a l[hig theory.

The essence of the lory attitucle'was the belief that the fi¡nction of parliaroentarlr representatives was not to take part in the formulation of polic5rr but to ... express the grievances axô represent the interests of their constittrer¡ts.... The essence of the Tûr:ig attitud.e was the belief that Pe¡rlianents shol¡J-d have a 1arge share in the responsibiliff of governi_ng the cor:ntr¡r ar¡l that menbers of Parria¡nent shor¡ld. be as r¡uctr concemed. with d.ebating the natj-or¡ar interests as n:ith representi^ng the varicus sectional interests. 17 12. The Whig theory found. its cJ-earest exponent i¡r Br¡rke, but such a.:e attituôe had. been eviclent at least centr,:r¡r a ".ru"rrl8 *a by the mid. eighteeæ fifties, when leaðing colonlsts ín South Australia were pla:nrring repre-

sentative goverrrnent, there'vÍas a general acceptance in England. of a concept whose

essence ¡¡o .vfâs that, if parlia¡nent were to be the centre of political- porer ¡¿¿ the merrber of parliarnent would. have to be fbee to d.o what he thought best in the national interest rather than act merely as an agent for his constit¡.rents. 19 llhile the Tory view sought to emphasise limitations on the powers of parliaments and. the fu¡rctions of members, the Whigs stressed the opposite. The latter riew was to have a marked. effect on the period. of constitutiorp plaruringr as welJ- as in the tenets of legislative behavior:r for most of the pre-Federation period. in South Australia. lprocedr.rrall rn terms, there vras not so much a reversal of the

grounds of the electorar bases of parliarnents between Tory and whig

attitucles, as a ctrange in emphasís. The more fur:d¿nental change was ín tfunction¿-lr the sense, in the role of the legislatr:re ar¡i. the legislator,

Representation of interests, the electoral core of the trÍ?r-ig theo:g was not new. Rather it twas as legiti-rnate as it had. ever been in Tcr¡r or meèieval times, arrd. indeed., r.r [*"] even more necessar.yr.20 I{hig Pressure leading to the 18J2 Reform Act was in te¡¡as of tasking the Tories not to su¡render the powers of .Aristocracy but to preselî\¡e these poryers by opening their ranks a¡¡d en-largirg thefu basisr.21 We will return to this cirange in emphasis belor, an1 retr:rn to the Burkea¡r id.ea of repre- sentation of interests in a later chapter. 13. At the sane time that this Wdg attitud-e was being expreesed. anð accepteð i,n Eng1arrd., Maòison in Americal¡ras al.so putting a case that society was naturally cmposed. of interests, vrhich d.erive from tthe d.iversity in the faculties of murrt .22 But wìiere Br¡rke built }::is structure of electoral representation òirectly on interests a¡rd. gave them the central role, Maclison e:çIicit1y rejected. them as a part of a systern of d.enocratic representation. Rather than bì¿íId. on interests, Maùison warned. of the d.arrgers of the conflLict of such interests, d.angers of the formation of faotions, which were trr¡rited. a¡.d. aotuatecL by some cosrlon impulse or passion, or of i.:eterest, ad.verse to the rights of other citizens, or to the pama.n,ent or aggregate j-nterests of the c,:runurrity,.2J Such d.angers had to be lÍmited. a¡d. controlled. and., while Burke erço.rnd.ed. a theory of, representation of interests, Mad.ison d.enied. that ever¡ r enlightenecl statesrnen will be able to ad.just these clashing interests arrd. rer¡ler ther¡¡ aLl subsenrient to the public good.l .4 Like Br:rke, Mad.ison rejeoted. pleclged. representatives, and. sougþt a d.eliberate legislatr:re of ta chosen bcd.y of cltizens, whose wisd.om n,ay best d.iscern the tnre interests of the co:rrtzy ... the proper gua.rdians of the public *.uJ, .25 But thei-r id.eas rprocedr:ralr on aspects of representation were in d.j-rect opposition. The

IgèqfgJist vi-em was Liberal, essentialþ individr:alist, based. on a distrust of ongarrised or corporate fixed. interests for tind.ividuals, not interests or classes are the basic r,:¡¡its of the polityr.26

Liberalisn had its clearest English exponents in the Utilitaria¡¡s. Essentially indj-v:iduaU-stic in both econouric ald. social theoqr, the

Utìlitar"ia¡¡ view recogrrised. a lgeneral interestt, what Benthan cal'red. f a r¡niversa-l- interest ...'which is simply therraggregaterf or trthe sr:m of the interests of the various members rrho ccrnpose, the socíetyr .27 Frcm 14. this t general interestl was derived. the need. f or a v'rii[e, even urtiversal suffrage, arrd. the need for frequent electÍons to ensure that the repre- sentatives wqre in oor¡sta¡rt touch vrith the wills arrd. id.eas of the indj-vid.uats whictr mad.e up the societ¡r. This was one t¡¡pe of rmicrosoopic representationr, whereby a rperson shares sorne of the charactenistics of a class of personsr;28 in tiris theory, the characteristics bei-ng the icleas a¡rd. wil1s of the members of sosiety as a whole. As the aggregate of these i¡'¡¿iyiflrral wil1s and. interests worrld. constitute I the natior¡¿-l interestr, then it follcnn¡ed. that al.l indiviciuals should. have representation directly, that is, not indirectly through Burkea¡r rvirtu"ll representation, as a microcosn of society wotrld., by seeklng its ocrn interests, seek those of the society as a who1e.

These ideas were d.eveJ-oped. by John Stuart IÍilI whose Consid.erations 29 on Representative Gove:=¡rnent was published ín 1861, after the inauguration of responsible gove:rønent j¡l South Australia. I\,Li1l accepted the criticis¡s of conternporarTr Tory and. TÍhig theo¡'ies mad.e by the early

Utilitarians, but rejected. the prescription they prcposed. He rejeoted. a urriversal suffrage in favorr of a franohise limited. to those of suffj.cient capacity to make tgoodt choices, who woul-d. produce a lgoodl legÍs1-atr.:re.

Like Maclison, Mi1l feared. the power of interests, and. war:cecl of

the evils arisirrg from the prevalence of mod.es of action in the representative bod¡ dictated. by sinister interests, .r. that is, interests cor:flict- ing more or less w'ith the general good. of the corrn:rrity. N

Lj-ke Maùison, Mil1 ï¡as concerned. to mod.erate these interests for the good of the whoIe. 15. One of the greatest dangerS År. Lies ín the si¡rister interest of the holders of power: it is the dalger of c]ass legislati-on; of goverr:ment intend.ed. for ... the i¡med.iate benefit of the d.onrinant c.lass, to the lasting d.etri¡rent of the who1e.... The representative system ought to be so constituted. â.s ¡ o, rrot to a1lcns argr of the various interests to be so powerful as to be capable of prevailing against tnith and justíce, a¡d. the other seotional interests cqnbi¡ed.. )1

rhence arrd-, it behooves the voters to bc¡w to the superior wj-sd.on of their representativest , a conclusion about t fr:¡rctj-onalt representation which ís tremarkably like Br:rker 1¡s ìmFortant change "'.32 from both rory ar:d.

whig attitud.es, with an impor'üa¡rt bearing on both tproced.uralt a.nd. rfi.rnctionalt aspects, was that

as the certai;ety ctr laro¡rIed.ge possessed. by legisJ-atons beccnes more d.oubtful on the one hand., the opinions of the people (tfror¿gtr often rnistalcen) beaone moie valuable, on the other. t)

The Refo:m Act of 1832 was a turrri_ng point in English theory of tprocedr:ralt representationr The old.est form of el-ectoral representa-

tion in Er:gla¡d was tirrough a systesr of Estates, t¡r¡d.er which sosial

groups or classes or hered.ita4y interests which sh¿red. a cormron status were granted. representatives. Medieva1 parlia.ments twere representative in two distinct ways, by interest a¡d. by terit oryt ,3L by interest in the r,ords and by territory i¡r the conrnor:s, but increasirrgly by the latter,

seen in te¡mts of corporate arrd. fixed. enti-ties. The Refo¡m /rct changed.

political representation fbø I a Ïristorio to a rational basis, fbør a cozporate to an inclividualìst basist, arrd rall flsmânfls for further refo¡m ... were for greater concessions in the direction of ind.ividualisnl.S5

The !fgg!!!! of eleotoral representation however shored little change, for the i-unecliate elestorate increased frcnr only five percent to seven percent 16.

of the nal e pop¿lati on.56 But a¡r essentia,l change i.n theor¡r ha.cl, ocq¡.¡reôr

a¡¡d. this was to be reflesbed in practice by a contirura-l, if s1cm,

widening of the fra¡ohise. Most i-nportarrtly¡ althougþ this was by ¡ro neans recognised, ín 1;832, the passage of the Act nea¡¡t that

Br:rket s powerdul argr:ments in favour of the eíghteenth- cenürry syslem could. no longer be successf,ìrlly invokerl la¡rcl soJ the nw emphasis of the Víctorian period. was'.. that after the l8Ðr s lríberals cane to éliscuss politics J-ess and. less in ter:ns of a confliot of interçsüs a¡rd. næe and. more in terzns of a conflíct of opínions. J7

TÏìr¡s, while as D. C. trûoore points out,

the first Reforrn Act did not nark a alear break in English politica-l life. I¡east of all ¿lid it ¡¡a¡k the a:riy41 of the r.l¡ban midc[Le c]¿ss to polÍtica-l power, 38

the Act did ¡nark a t clea¡ brea.kr in the English theory of poritica-l representation.

In her study of representation, Ha¡r¡ra Pitkin noted. that i¡¡ F.rìg1axd,

as late as 1857 George llarris fougþt a J.ast ditch d.efensive action against the rising d.emocracy ilthe tiile of by arguing that interest of rt¡nbersrr rras on\r orre of the several interests ccurposing a state, that orght to be represented.. 59

Even if the tlast cli.tch defensivet d.esøiption of Ha¡rist plea is \ralid.råO the contempCIrarf,r majority opínion ín South Australìa was that eleotore-l

systems a:d. rprocedr-¡ralr political representation shorrlcl be erected. on a so1id. basis of representatíon of, i¡¡terests. Irater chapters wiIL shø

the extent to utrich tproceôr:rall representation ín South Australia was, in theory, clear\y attributable to the irrfluence of Br:rlce.

Each of these three broad. streans of theor¡rr Tory, thig and liberaI, had. their e:çonents in Scnrth Australia. Benthanite uti1itarianiso was 17, a¡r evid-ent inflLuence on the original- prøposals of the Sor¡th AustraJian

Lancl CørparJ¡r submitted. to the Colonia]- Office before the settlement oÉ.

)+1 the color5r, ar¡cl Ja¡nes .L11en, editor of the .ê.delaid.e Ti¡nes in 1850 proposed. mearls¡ to ens.lre goverrment in the hand.s of a]-l to provicle the

greatest happiness for aL!,Q As the follcrw.ing chapter will shw, men

such as R- R- Torrens, John Baker a¡d. Francis Dutton espoused. lory, Whig

ard. libera-l- views respectively at the time of, constitution-making. But tpositions takent on specÍ-fic electoral a-nd legisla.tive issues were one

thing, putting such attitud.es into practice was a different thirig, as chapter rv rri1l shcm, a¡d aclsrwled.gement of a partictrlar theory e theorist as a basis for the tposi.tions takent was yet another matter.

The of Opinion in South .&ustraLia

To what extent was the d.ernocracy of the 18!! constitution the product rphilosophical of a rad.icail i¡fluence on leaèing colonists in South Austra-lia? To what extent were the rprogrgssive develotrmentsr in the colonial period¡ - the early íntrod.uction of fulI adr¡lt sufflage, the passage of conciliation ar:d. arbitration acts, the d.evelognent of ccr¡rnr-rr¡al- Inineties, istíc village settlements in the and. the electoral and. legisJ-a.- tive successes of the Labon Parþ¡rattributable to a philosophical- base?

Follcming chapters wil-l seek to answer these, a¡rd. other questions a.botrt the pecrrliar political and constitutior:¿l d.evelopnent of South Australia, but it is worthwhile at this point to exami¡¡e some of the generalisations made abot¡t colonial politica.J- development.

To narSr historia¡s there was little in the way of political philosopþ at the base of -ê,ustralia¡r oolonial- d.emocracy. To ?almer, rno trace corrld' be fourrl of that love for general ideas which had., very early, taken.Anerica awqlr from England.rr+J *hi1", to Jupp, rcolonial rad.icalisn 18. had[ no intelleotr¡al basis such as MiLl or Green gave to Ttng] ish LiberaLis, or lfarx to Soci.a]imt, arrd thus, tif political phIlosop]gr is 'Ufest, cteacl in the it was still-bo¡:r in Australi"r ,4 Mary colonía-l obse¡t¡ers agreed., a¡rd. in the I sixties Dilke wrote

d.emocracy in the colonies is... a¡t accid.ent, a-nl nottring no_rei it rests upon no basis of reasoreing ... there is 4o concepti n of the nature of clerrocracy, t45

a viem echoed. pal-urer! rd.emocraw a centr,ry later by in -austral_ia was more or less a¡r acci.d.entt.6

To what extent was this generalisation t¡rre of Scuth Australia? As later chapters rd.emocracyr w:i1l sho¡r, the of the 1g55 constitution was planned', d'esigned' and d-ebated. in mi¡ute d.etail, althctrgh its fr¡tr¡re i'r'¡'lications were not ful1y r:nd.erstood..47 Most of the constitr¡tion- malcers were quite clear as to what they mea¡rt by td.enocracxrr and eqr:all¡r clear where ttrey stoocl in relation to it. But, on the other ha¡d., there was little expllcit eviilence of a d.istinctive theoretioal basis for the debates or for the oonstitutior¡. The most crearþ discernible theme nas a¡' apparent relia¡rce on English preced.ent a¡rcl practice arr1, as will be shcmn, a strongly pragrnatic approaoh to political representation.

E" Tf . Beckett, writing in l8g!, for.¡¡d it

conceive of a courrtr¡r more favourabþ oJ-itical- experJrnents. She presentá wh¡geon those who cane might write as

certaj-nly, t once the troubrescme natives, had. been dealt rith, sotrth tcl-ea¡r Australia was, in one sense, â slater, but the nem settlers, whether pastoralists, the nidùLe classes or worklng peopre, cor¡lä not 19' twrite as they pleased.r. On the one ha¡d., each was a product of Ïris pastr of the English political cuLture or, forlouri¡¡g 1Bl+8, of Genu¡

political crùturtr49 inta wbich he had been borrr, in vrirích he hacl been

educated' a¡rcl socializeô a¡rd. each câxried to this I clean sl-ater of South

Australia attitud.es and values related. to his p1ace, role ard. backgrounil -that in cu-l-tt¡re. It is not sr:rprising, then, to find. English ir:fluences arrd precedents loonring large in the political d.ebates of rg51 tc, rg55.

on the other h¿-nd, these i-mnigrants cor¡.Ld. not exactry reprod.uce the political society and. crrltr:re they had. left, even assuning they wished. to clo so, for the new economic, social ard. clinatic conditions irrpose¿ lclea¡r h¡nitations on the slatet. The realization of the secor¡l

point, or a laok of realizatj-on, provid.ed. early d.ifferences. scne plarrners, like R, R. Tomens, rvished. to transplant English society a-nd the English constitution, a¡rd. I

had put forth his whole strength to establish in the ColorSr a form of government assim.ilated. to the British Constitution ... which had stood. the test of ages. rnever Engrand. had been a dernocracyr nor had. it rtended to d.emocracyr, nor corrld it d.o tits so, principles being that of a rnixed monarclgrt , atd. sor¡,th Australia should. be so patterned..5O rn rgJ2, c. H. Eagot

should. be sorry for this to be the fi¡st British d.epend.enry that,shor:ld ciepart from the o1d. lngJ.ish system .., Lforj Govs=¡nent by the three estafes was the best of all systems. 51 others, J;ike his nephem J. T. Bagot, who agree¿t that while rthere were mar¡¡r institutions and. laws of fregland exter¡d.ed. to the colorgrr e they rell had' to be mod.ifi were, to the trad.itionalists, "d' ,52 advocating nothing n. less th¿¡r tthe coJ-lapse cf i-ntel]igence and o.¿o,.55 Even the more rad.ical members of the colorgr r,¡ere urs¿-iIling to d.ecr¡r I the glorious

nature of the British Consti-ürtiont, but they based. their case for char¡ge

on the fact that I it was not so welJ. ad-apted- to the sitr¡atíon a¡¡l prospects of thi-s coJ-orgrr .5J+ Thus,

... to the early Isperialists ... some fozm of political- hegernorSr was then assumed. as Englald.t s natural- right ... to ilrclud.e the acceptance of that hegenor{y by the ciòlo:ries,

and. to includ.e a hegenorgr of Inglish cuLtr-lral and societal patter::s.

 fund¿¡nenta-l disagreement took root at once fbom that id.ea. It ccnflicted. with one of the strongest instincts governj-ng the yowq coruurrrities; an ingrained jealousy of argr_possible exterr¡al influence upon their own affairs. ,5

The f ormer wiew, 'while it existed. in South jrustra.li a, rras relatively

shortlj-ved.. While there were narÐr among the rleaèing colonistst who

wished. for a replica of English sooiety, English sulture and. the Engì-ish

constítution, the buak of these explicitly rejeoted. a political hegeanorSr,

Even the most orthc¡d.ox lories, who wa¡ted. a nem Tory society, demand.ed.

colonial autonony, sought to abolish the l¡Berial- veto, to control the civil list a¡rd- the ownership arrl rights of d.isposal of the tcronrnr lands.

English society and constitution r¡ras one thir¡g, English hegemorgr another

entirely. But agreement on autonougr ciid not a:xsìlyetr the questions a'bc,ut the natr:re of representative self-government.

At fi-rst glance, the d.ebates on the constitution Bil1s of the early

I fj-fties supported. the conclusions that Âr¡stralia was not buiJ.t on arÐr theoretioa-l fowrd¿"tion. In fact, meny constitutiorrpla¡mers in South

-ê.ustralia explicitly rejected. argr such phiJ-oscphical basis. R. R, Toryens 21 . rras sl¡re I no-one wished. South .ê,ustral-iaf to be hlce Fratce where I they

had. poets instead. of statesrnen; poetic nonsiense v¿as talkecl instead of

sound. senset 156 and. he warned. against the tend.ency for people to be t frequently Ied- astray by the claptrap of unsertrpulous agi-tatoo"t .57 He I feared. an oligarchy of d.erragoguesr a¡rd t opposed. the ad.option of ar¡r

nerv principle for which no substantial a¡¡d. well-forrneil reasons coutd. be lHe adva¡t'ced''.58 never changed. ... uJrl,less it was olearly d.ernonstrated to

hrim from hj-stor¡r and. experience that he wouJ-d. gaín by changing. He would. not ad-cpt r¡rrtried. experirnent"r.59 lorrens beca¡ne the spokesr¡an for a gouP of self-named. conservatives who d.escribed. the production of the I 18ll Constitution as a recl

collected laro;lege ar¡1 information fronr arl sources ard. parts, arrd c-o1tai1ed. so many great and.,wise men, to be echoed within these hxnbl¿ õ".lt"r . 65 22. On the other hand, Tùi1liam Gi-les twent to fj-rst princj-ptes .. - f oll.crw the laws of God. and. the Gold-en Rrlut.66 John Baker, a consarrati-ve colleague

of Torrens, took the more li-beral Francis Dutton to task for he

hacl quoted. the cpinion of the r¡mortal Burke in favour of a rni.xttre; he had. not, honever, taJcen the entire mixtr:re reconrnend.ed. by that great states¡na¡r, but only_ one of its ccrnponent parts - the popular porüion. 6 (

But even with the clear d.ifferences cf opinion arrl approach, it is a

simtrùification to see the conflicts over the nens constitution on the basis of rory against lThig, or whig against r¿iberar or, in fact, to transpose

ar5r English terms to South Austral-j-a. Tory, Ilhig and. Liberal attítudes to political representation were evid.ent, but there was no consistent

body of attitud.e w}rich cor¡.]-d. be so categorisecl as to includ.e aIl the basic

thread.s of these theories. Torrens held. Tory views on some aspects of representation, but he and. tris more conservative colleagues equally

accepted. the ÏÍhig attitud.e to the roJ.e of Parliaments, predominantly as a guararrtee for the essentiaL colonial autonony. If arry 1abe1 frour the contemporary English environrnent is to be appliecl to South Ar:straLia¡r leg:islators, then ïrhig is the most fitting. Rather tha¡r ind.icating

conflicts between Tory, Wlrig a¡rd. liberal theories of political representa-

tion, the d.ebates on the Scuth Australj-an constitr¡tion were played. out by

d.iffering shad.es of 'ntr-i-gs. In fact, a r,rrique 1abel had. beccrne

acceptable. By 1857 the term tconserr¡ative-d.eurocratl was j-n common usage,

d.esæibing those, or as a self-d.escription of those, who rvere of the

Tonrer¡s viewpoínt. As the cor¡serwative thr¡rsita¡r Review put it in 1860,

we d.o not like the Iabe1 nconse::\¡ativer, but with the addition no',r so often mad.e tg^it of rliberal il, we ûq)¡ feel very much in cortrnon. 6ö 2J.

The years of colonial- representative goverrrment, and. especi¡lly of ttre

perid. of constitutj-on-makir¡g for-rnd- r conservative-d-emocratsr on one sid.e

arid. I progressive-d.ernocratsl on i;he other whenever the basic issues of

I procedt:ral-r representation were d.ebated-, arrd. these d.ebates were generally

resolved. withi-n a \[irig .- theory, mod.ified., as wi]J. be shown in later

chapters, to fit the nery social arrd. po1ítica1 envirorment. lhe rconser¡r'a-

tive-democratsl placed. their emphasis on a 'necessar¡r bala¡rcel for rttris new dernocracyr which, tshould. it who1Iy gain the ascendarcy ...'w'i11

reverse al-l the old. principles a.r¡ô lead us on to The .., "t"rcIry,'.69 rprogressive-democratsr, who saw the principle of the 1:832 Acþ as the

begiffring rather tha¡r the end. of a move¡ent torarcLs d.enocratisation of

rprocedurall representation, who more often than not took a Siberal

approach to such issues as the franchise a:rd. atrrportior:ment and., on this

basis alone, were d.istinguS.shed. frcm their opponerrts, were by no mearisi

Chartists, and. ca¡r be oa11ed. rprogressiver mainly in a compa¡ative sense.

The extent to which the two rpoJ-esr overlapped. is shown by a rare

exposition of a personal politicaL philosophy by .Antlror¡y Forster who, it should be noted, m.s viU-fied. by the Thl¡rsclay Reviem for his rultra- de.mocratic ¡. r a¡arclristt vierws. A sense of right j-rr the ¡nind.s of men ,.. which 1ed. them to concert mêasures for the coÍtrrton good.. rt was that reverence for superior interrigence and superior worth whích ind.uced. persons of hrmbre attair¡nent to place themselves under the d.írection and. guid.ance of those in whose wisclcro arrd. goodness they hacl confid.encê¡... La¡¡s r,'¡ere the result of conservatieo, and. were the mere externa-l and. cornrenient d.efinition of principles which found. a sanction a¡d. corrnterpar-t in the public mind.... People rrere physically anct morally free ... property is nct endar¡gered. by the exercise of political_ rights ... Bring hi-m ïrithin the poJ.e of the Gonstitution, a¡rd. cor¡fer upon him the rights of citizenship, and- you identjflr hjrn with the interests of all, and. put him on the road. to consen¡atisr. 70 ¿+

Conclusion 7t In his study of the church of EngJ-and. in south Australia, N. K.

IIea-ney wrote

the introductory cLrapters of ntost there is much d.isoussion in rfPrinsiples south Austraf-ian history books of wì'rat is called the ortn"Colonyll.Regar.d.ingtheseselfsa;ite¡.rirrciples,Icarrrrot hclp agreeing vrith the 18JB eclitor of the s.A. Gazette arrl corãniãr Regi-ster when he said.rra good d-eaI of _stuf'f has been spoieen and ñot a little-rysiifrcation atternpted.'¡ith referelLce to what are cafled the rPíinciples of the Cãlon¡t''t 72 rf,n the other hand, as Pike pointecl out in Ìr:is study of the religi-ous 1Z / r brrclrg;nound to South Australia,

even a.s any cuttrrre like religion is caught rather than it is taught, so the sentiment of l-iberty 'was, transmitted in a for¡-n aã intangible as it r"'a; forceable' l+

Botì. vieÏrs are equally valid. in terms of the political culiure antl politica- instj_tutions of the colony. It is impossible to establ-ish a direct tra1sf'erence of English principles ancl practices of political representatio: - 1r:r;¡, T/lrig or Liberal - to South Àustralia in the l-B5Or s as the basic pì-vot of the development cf the Constitution" But there -\¡ras a political

seirt-'-¡nent in the colony, a rnajoriiy víew, on ntúch lestr:d'che original rprocedr'lralr Cc¡nr:tj-tut-Lon, 1.;þe mocli-fications to ii. anrl the i:atterns of

a_nd- I funcrtiorvllr represeirtation over the pre-Federatiotr tJ.ecades.

If ,,;he key to the reiigious baclcground of south Austrafia was t the sentiment of l-ibertyt , then lhe f orce behind political repîese.-r*'ation in'ui,e colony, in both theor¡r anct practice, lvas of /fhig origin. ÀJ-tÌiough ôt:

d:rect acirircruvledgeruents vie::e fe'lv, Ehe political principles of Eðmr¡red. Burke

,,.;e;1e ïir€ genesis of the Constj-tution ¿-rrcl i;he stand.arCs for political change.

B.:,2'l;er s avoidance of abstract speculation, his d-enunciation of metaph¡r5iç¿f treatn:ent of political mattersr'Ì::is appeals to h;istory a-rrd experience as plri,:,es ¿ind hj-s enphasis on expeciiency in pk-,ce of arguments b"-sed on abstrac 7\ ri-¡htsr/f '¡¡ere appealing to most leecling colortists irl Sou'uh Äus'c¡'alja. I,ol inost of tÌre colonial period. there lre-s a clear acceptance of lÏhig t¡eo¡j-es of t1;rocerlu:'a1r a,ncl lf'unciionalt rep:.esentat.ion, âr:i accei)tance whicìr, in';heory, v'Ias vir-'ua'r-1¡,t r.Lnc;uestioned until the I¡.st rlecade of the nj-.reieenth centr:ry.

Befcl'e turnin¡g to the analysis of a funct-ionin.q politic:rl s;rstern over t¡e col-ln-iaI period as a vrhole, the foJ-Io'uing trvo cl:apters indicate the e>:teirt to v¿hich Thig principles v¡ere at the base of the Constitution of

1855 an¿ anal.¡se tlre extent to v-hich these r;rirrciples y'¡ere modifieii to fit

â itc-,ï ¡l,rci-al-, l:o1itical a:rd institutionaf e::ivironrnent. Al-tìrough J3urke renai ned. the lie¡; to tlie acce¡,rt ed theories c,f polituical repre::ler:itr ti. on, the iral.is li l:ision of a theorj¡ to a nell colrfÌJiiTjr on tlre other sicÌe of the worfrj in a;r unchJuteC forin was sc-:<¡n for-:-nd io be inpossible j.n r_ce. LJ¡ Footnotes to Chaptgq ï

1 Â. H. BÍrch, Repre sentation. (Porr Ua-l] hess, Lond.on, 1971) t p, 13. 2. IÞifu, P. 15. See also, -A'. H. tsirc @í"ãt"t@, ( rnaugr:ráI r,ecture, 3.J R. Pennock, J. W. Chaprnan, Ncmos 1O , ( .A,therton hess, Nerr Tonk, 1 ¡ PP. a l+. the Representation of Social Groupsr, (tlo. 1, 1960) t p. 51; cited j-rl M. entatives: a Contribution to the Theory of Representationt, in J. R. Pemook, J. Ir' Chapman, -Q:--eùt.r p. 106, 5. Such usage is also possible in the political sense, such as in ccmparisons of cbaracteristics of menbers of a party or a representa- tive body with the society at l.a.rge. Tl.is stud'y is only littLe concerrred. with ttris use of the te:m.

6. TÍ. N. Hogan sentative Government and tion, (ùJ;;"ï{t' ¡P. a 7. A. H. Bj-rch, The Natr:re arrd Fr:¡rctions of Representation-. op. cit. I, W. K. FrarrJcerra, lTbo Notes on Representationt, in J. R. Perurock, Chaprran, lprdt.r pp. J. lT. 49-51. - 9. H. F. Pitkin, The Concept of Representation , (University of Oa.l-ifonria Press, 1967) . 10- .4., H. tsircþ r lp:,li!.r p. 13. 11. Tl. K. Frarkena, jp:_cit., p. 49. 12. C. Sartoni, rRepresentaliog Systerusr, EncJ¡clopedia of the Sociú sciences, w. tß5-474. (1968). 13. Interestingly enor.gh, South irustraLia is the one .ê,ustralia¡r state whiclt has notabþ lagged. behirrl ín the implenentation of, these tpririciplesr, d.espÍte its early implementation of the progressive aspects of I procedr:rall representation j-n the ¡uid.-nineteenth centrr¡r. See D. H. Jaensch, , (M..4. Thesis, Adelaide, L968), C ard tUnd.er-Representation and the rrGerrXnnarderrr in the P1a¡rford. hat, The Australia¡r. Journal of Politics and Histoq¡, (Vot. 1/, ltro. 1, 1971) r PP. 82'95. 1l+. A. H. Birch, , (George .å,11en and. Unwj-n, 27. 15. See, for example, A' H. Bircht sentati cit. ,A H. Bi:.ch, ve and t Pitkin, , t in Bri : Ilistorical Baokgrour¡d.t Snerioan Politica-l , (vo].. þ1, No. 3, Septerrber 195it t P. A. Gibbons, of , (BlaclweJ-l, t a 16. S. H. Beer, .S:li!.r pp. 615-tr. 17, ¡1.. H. Birch, Repre sentative and Responsible Goverment tP.26 18. See A. H. 3irch, Representati-on¡ !!. 37-39. 19. fbid.. ' Þ. 37. 20. S. H. Beer, 9p_:. d!. , p. 616. 21: Cit ed.). Lib ? (ö: 1969), õîi*. 22. Ir 3'.¿"glipj*Ng.JO (fuem *merican Lribrar¡r, Neur Tork, 1961) 2 p. 78. 23. Ibid, U+. JÞ4', P' 8o' 25. TÞig. 26, S. H. Beer. op. cit., p. 631 . ft should úñõGfiúat seerl s interyretation ís not ur:arri-nousþ -,. accepted. Others have pointed. out that sel-f-interest ma¡r we1.1 have lai-n at the base. ¡ts. R. A. Da-hl states in hís Plurafist Democracy in the United. States. (nana MoNal1y, chicagor-ffi)l!. 12t ta caref,ul read.ing of the record. of d.ebates suggests the cJmicat answer that when the clelegates at the Constitt¡tional Convention spoke of the d.angers c¡f faction they were usualJ.y thinking of attacks on property - their ownt. See tris reference to [fad.Ísonrs pre--FqQglalis! statementr pp. 12-13. 27. CitecL in H. F. Pitkin¡ -&'gi!.¡ p. 1tl. 28. A. H. Birch, Represen-bationt P' 15. 29. J. S. MiL]- S. M. Dent, Lrorrl fu. æ., p. 2)t8. 31. IH'r PP' 25hÁ' 32. H. F. Pitkin, oF. ¡ PP. N)+-5. / lo 33. IÞi-d., p. 206.

3l+' P. G. iI. Þ:lzer , on iri (eeorge AILen t rP. a 35. Ibid... þ. 32. 36. A. H, Birch, r pp. 60-1. lrt the sa¡re a.]-so be noted. that the effects of the Refo:mr Bill ca¡r be expressed. in ùifferent tems. Il¡hi1e the enfþanctrised. population rose by only two percent of the total ma't e poptrlation, there was a net addition of 217 rw voters to tle oliL electorate of \JJrOOO, a¡ increase of slmost fifty percent. In these terus, the biLL brotrght a rnarked. change, a¡d- the statistical interpretatåon va.nies markedJ¡r d.eperrd.ing on what base of cøparison is used.. 37, 4.. H. Birch, , p. jZ. 38. fn G. ¿.. Cahi11, !ps_gå!.¡ p. 79. 39. H. Pítkinr _&.-gÅ!., p. 198. hgr itelics. ,+o. G. Iïa.rris, lhe of ation S mere , Green, t . The valiitíty of the æphasi-s on the I last ditcht star¡d rn¡¡st be questioned., as repre- sentation of, i¡rterests was evident ín both theories and. practices throughout the ni-neteenth centr,mSr, a¡d. it was not r-mtil- the refo:rns of 19À4 axd 19r{8 that clai¡rs fæ, ard. actual representation of special interests -. tcorporative representationt as pulzer puts it (opr_cit.r p. 35) - w&e abolishãd. tThe l+1. D. Pike, Utopj.a¡r Dreans of Adelaid.e I s Found.ersr , R S S th US , r P. a 2t2. passi.n- .,#a. especially Fe 1851 arrd. 855, arll F. M. Caint Sotrth Australian Elect oral S'¡sts¡, (M.4. s, , PP. 15¿P159. l+3- v. PaLner. (Mel-bourne university press, r95L), p.' ¡ l+)+. J.;Ï-}nPr (Melbourne Uni-versity Þess, rg66), p l+5. C. If . Dilke, er Bri A Record of sh- t LB69), p. a \6. V. Pal.nerr Æ:_cit.2 p.2J. +7. See especially þs. If , V. t.Àustra-lia¡r Jl8. E. w. Beckett, sidelights on English politicsr. The Ni¡reteenth Centgg, (No. 1t+3, JaÃ1a.ry 1g g), p. 126. ' - 49. see r. Hano"!"{_, ans in the south austral-ia¡l parlia¡rents, 19J7-19! , (8.Â. TÌre . rhansardr 50. Unlil 1857, the of the South Australia¡r legislatpres was not record.ed. officiallJr but selected. tra¡rscripts were published. in the RegÍsÏer. iYhere this sor¡rce is used., ttre referénce is showrr ""E"EffiEg (aeuates), Novenber 21, Lg5D. 51. Ibid. r. October l+, 1852. Ê,9 Ibid., November 22, 1855. R. Davenport 53. o11. , (D. Ga].I, Ad-e1aide, r P. a

5l+. A. Blyth, Register (aeUates), Novenber 28, LgD5. 55. $sgg, Jufy 18, 1894.

)O. Register (aefates), October I+, l-:BD2. 57. Iþid., Novernber 21, 1855. 58. JÞåL, Decqnber 8, 1855. 59. Ibjai., November 28, 1855.

6. , De was publishecl 1'*l !'nu..,If13"". which began publication in 1858 th vacillated. on issues ard attitudes. But the Tln¡rsday RevÍem stated. in its opening e,ìi tion¡ rÏhere shalI ue-ñ-ãffiffis to or:r i¡rtentions - no nistake as to the line of politfcs ir,-i"t we d.een safe and. sou¡rd. We a¡e not of the extinèt class of lories, nor a-re we more ambitiors of the modern te:rr consen¡ative ... [butl we a.re ar.:rious to prevent o¡r â further d.ownwarrl progress to pure d.errrocracyt. (,larruary 5, 1860). 61 . I!ig., Jarlra:qr 19, a8&. 62. Register (aetates), frugust 11, 1853. 63. Ibid . , Novernber 29, 1855.

Ghapter II

$gfttins fo"-

rA om¡nit¡r corrposecL of the niddJ-e a¡d. lcmer cl¡.sses attempted- praotic'.^Ily, for the first tíme, to work the cm¡rlicatedl nachi-nerJr of the Bnitish Constituion .'. to presenre cmp1eteþ i-otact ttre princlples and. the ¡naohinezy of resporsible govermentl . Introdustion 3t

In the d.ecad.e to 1851, poU-tÍcal d.ebate in the oolorSr was concer::ed.

only nargir:alty with the d.etails of po1j-tical representatj.on. Questions tprocedr¡ralr of representation - of elections, electoral systems, ba-l1ot a¡É. the fra¡rchise - and. of rfr:nctionalt re¡resentation - the role of the legislatons - were subord.i¡¡ated. to one over-ri&ing issue, self-government.

Popular pressure for self-gorernment follcmed. the tarèiness of the T.:nperial Government, ard the tactics of Governcn Grey i:r the earlJ fortíes when, as Pike poi^nts out, he rmanagecl to nisleacl the colonists on the

subject of self-¡uI"r1 in 1846, Adelaide citizens subscribect fr¡¡rcts "rú- for a part-interest i:r a lobb¡nist in London2. The passa.ge of the Austra-lia¡r Colonies Goverrment Act j-n 1850 an¿ the fo::mation of a I Ï¡ybridr legislat1ve corncil, part elective a¡¡d part nominee, clid not erd. ttr-is pubÌic agitation, but widened' it to inclucle the whole gamrt of political- represen-uation,

The arrival of the new constitution anl the nem Goverrror, Sír Henry Edwa¡cl Fox Torngr 'w'as welccmed. by those who expected. hi-m to bring with him Imperial proposals for a rapid. transition to self-gove¡nment. But

his opening speech to the first session of the new rl5rbrictr Cor:¡cil j¡ 1851 was the catalyst for the rapid implementati.on of the pred.iction of the I Register that the sou¡rd.s of discussion a¡rd controversy w:ill soon enough reach olrr uur"r.5

ï wo_ulil, suggest the wisclom ard. e:çediency of such a tda-l of the present eonstitutior¡r as nr4!r show, that argr modificati-ons drich you ¡naJr hereafter propóse, d.esígned. to remefrr prored i-r¡convenierrce. a:rd. ãot io"re comply with theonetical requireoents. 4' I Yorr¡gl s rejection of theoretical requirementsr for¡rd. a receptive aud.ie¡ce, but the thene of Ìris add¡ess 32.

fell- like a hailstorm in time of harwest. Expecta- tions were disappointed., and ihe settlers exprjrienced the tlhope deferredrf that rr¡rakes the heart siclCr .... Breathless ïuas the expeciation that awaited Sir Henryr s euphonious delivery, but as soon as it v,ias perceived. that the vrhol-e br¡rden of his message had reference to the augrnentatron of hÍs olvn salary Hon. members looked. aghast¡ ancl strangers in the gallery turned their faces to the waÌl in mute .".sfuiishment. 5 this chapter outlines how thi-s tmute astonislrnentr soon turned. to vocal argtrment on political representa.tionr a¡d the manner in which a crucíal period of tz'ansitj-on from virtual autocratic nornineeism to representative governnent lr.as ca.rried out. It is an ar:alysis of debates over five ye¿ìrs, of the Pa¡liament and. Constitution Acts which anerged. from thern, a.nd r,-hich set the stage for responsible government in tire colony for the sncceeding half -cent::ry.

Any student of pre-IBJJ South lLustralian history ¡nust aclsrorvled.ge vrith gatitud.e the work of Douglas Pike in his Paradise of Dissent , antl a rece¡tt study of tÌre emergerrt electoral systems of the colony by Cai-n has prorrided- fr:rther valuabl-e material about this period. of co¡rstitution- ma-icing."^ lit the same tilre, both str¿clj-es have shortcc¡mings in the terms of thj.s thesis. Pikers summat¡r of rÎhe l'[aking of a Constitutiont pro'rides a cietailed. and. meticulous accollllt of tiie political stances, or lack of therl, of tì-ie leading col-onists rvho pla"ired. a ceutral role in the d.ebates, and a cLeiailecl account of the general history of ttris crucial perio,J. of five yeârs

IIis cÌronological approach cì.oe:s, ho¡ever, understate the impor.ta-nce of -Þasic so¡:re themeS of politíca-l representation which dorninated the debates i-r: and out of the legislature. Ls weJ-l, Ìris emphasis on what the leading 33. colonists said, they weïe, end r",'hat they would. do, requires rnatching with r'rhat they actually did'' thus, r,vhile the material in Paradise of Dissent general encompasses the history of tÌris short periocl, its very broadness as a hi-stor;¡ needs refining r"¡hen the concept of political representation is the fosus. cainrs analysis, on t-re other hand, requires broadening. His exa,;Ènatiorr of the electoral s;rs'f,ems, and of the d'ebates v¡hich preced'ed them in the pre-1857 years is equally detailed.. But these systems a-nd debates l¿ere but one strealn of the larger issue of political representation as a v¡hole, zind they can be better u¡lderstood in terms of this vrider debate' thybrid.r The pivot of constitutional refonn v¡as the Legislative j-t Council, and this wàs recodrúsed by the Register when r¡elconied the inaugurati-on of the 1850 constitution.

This d.qy the colony c¡f South Australia terrninates her state oi pupilage" Tiris cì-4¡r she may be saicÌ to attain her majority ... She has succeed.ed to the natural inher:itance of Britons - tire right to legislate for themselves, and to tax thgrnselves; and she this day elrters into possession. I

It proceet1e,f to editoriafize the public mirxl to accept the widest possible denooratic base for the elective mentbers of the thybrid.t council. But not all of the leadin¡q colon-ists agreed v,.i-th this rnew democl'acСr, and the f'o¡rration cf the Legistative Cou¡rcil lt¿rs evidence of the differences.

The ltratu'e of the rl{Ybridl Courncil

Two-thir¿s of the meml¡ers of 1;he rhybrid.r council were elective, and their at'.;itudes rvould deterrnine the rate ard natu¡'e of constitutior¡al 3ç

refom. It was not r:n-natr.lra"1, then, that the el-ectoral systevn which rrqrld. produce them was considered. an imponta¡rt issue.S

trnranchise requirements had. alread.y been set by the 185O Inperiaf Act, and. it was clea¡ that only men of substance were to have a say in the constitutior:aL futr¡re of the colorgr. To vote, a -ale adult in the

colorSr had. to prove two qualifications; that he was a natural bor:r on

natr.¡ra1ized. subject of the Crown, ancl that he was in possession of propert¡r

qualificatior¡s in his electoral distríct, that for two years he had helcl either a €1OO freeholct estate or a €1O ann¡aI rental value on a house of €10 anrrual renta-l oG a lease with at least two years to n¡.n. Candiclates for the neu¡ Coturcil wctùd be from a tnore restricted grqrp, fron those with

S10O freehold. estate or €2r00O cash. But if 1itt1e corrld. be d.one about these restrictions, and. 'rhe P.g€lstçr propagandized. for the "lrrrrg"sg, electoral d.istrictirrg tvas atr open issue.

Despite pcprrlar appeals -bhat the elections shorrld be based. on a

silgle constituencxr, Gover::or Torrngt s plan for sixteen single-member d-istricts was the basis for the general electior:s of ]851 a¡rd 1855 and. the by-electior¡s of 1853 aÐd I85l+, and. the electoral ge.cmetry of this system reinforced. the emFhasis on property by a strong weighting in favor¡r of ¡r:¡al- areas. Despi.te strongþ-word.ecl eclitoria-ls in the Reeister th¿-t the erectora-l systeur should. be on ta numericar basis, prre arrl unnixed.trlo.rd the Gq¡ernorrs insístence that ral-l d.istrícts shor¡Id. be d-efined. on the basis of populationr ,11 tln" fi-rst schedule of ùistricts used. a d-ifferent interpretation. OnJ'y five of the sixteen d.istri-cts were provicled. for Ad.elaide a¡d its surou¡¡ling suburba¡r settlernents; atl equi-popr:lation scheme wor¡ld. have provided. eleven for this turba¡rt aree,.1z 3s The compro'ni se which resolved- the conflict set the pattern for aJ-l er:suing red.istributior¡s. C. H. Bagoi utillzed. the census results of 1851 and presentecl a scherne of eight districts for the embryonic metropolitan area anrl eight for the sparsely settleil rural areas, a.rrå definecl hr.is districts fírrnly on the basis of representation of interests.

Frcrn this original sche¡re caJne the ernbod.jment in f\rtr.¡re plans of a nrral over-representation a¡d' an emphasis on a t comm¡::ri-ty of interestr withÍn each district. The 1851 comprornise electoral scheme satisfied. most to søre degree, but it tlispleasecl the pastoral interests who had sought gleater influence, ard the working ments Political Association was bitter, but both aspects were retai¡:.ecl a¡d. stiI1 exist.

The inequalities were ma.rked. in the 1851 scheme. The largest

ðistrict, Port f*d.e1aide, in terrns both of populati-on and enrolments, was aLrnost tw-ice the mea¡r of the sixteen dj-striots and. contained. olnæst ten ti-roes the populatj-on of Flind.ers, which enccmpassed. over ha1:f the area of the colorgr for a total of sixty five qualified. a¡rd enrolled. eleators.

Clear1y, the color¡y which had. been settled by, anri. for farmers, intend.ed. to ensure that the agrictrltr:raI population woultl have a strong political as weLL as econo¡ric voice. Ilap 2-1

E ILECTOLRAI. EilSÏRilETS [85il-il856

ts

l6 l+ lî

t3 t3

tz

.)- - q 7 e a4u /0 Hmdrua"s¿u 12 // ßa'" o.Esa /2 l/tcforìa' lo 0 /4 /l c*tu /6 F/inaþus

I .j 37

lab1e 2:1 tion a¡d Enrolments 13

District 1B5r 1855 Population* Enrolment EnroLment Port Ad.elaid.e 6778 893 1166 Tfest.ûdelaide 61i1 BB1 2613 East ¿d.eIaid.e 5833 841 1J00 Noarlur¡ga 5æ5 564 984 Yatal-a t+791 663 1569 Burra w3 t¿1 522 East lorre,ns I+192 449 1t+19 llount Barker 391+3 416 745 Hindnarsh 5851 330 N.A. Mea¡¡: ** t85o 454 1062 'iÏest lorrens 3758 t6e 1Ø7 Barossa 3U1ß 52t+ 873 Liebt 2775 9t+ ù83 Norfh Adelaide 2613 ù69 1o5t Stanley 2291+ 333 N.A. Victoria 1072 68 322 FE¡rd-ers 729 65 185 * Cerrsus 1851, Eg¡¡!þ_Ägstralian Gor¡ernnent @Zg!ts, March Zo, !851. #* 0f the for¡rteen lcrcmn in 1855.

It is not possible to establish the proportion of the 19r5jj ad.rrlt males in the color¡y at the 1851 census who were eligible to reglster, Ihe Lr-igh Ieve1 of public interest, the fact that this was the colorgrrs first election, and. the v,rid.e1y-repor.bed public d.ebates on the religiousl[ ur¿ constitutional- issues can be assu¡ned. to have brought a high degree of involvement. 7 1279 m¡1es¡ thirty seven percent of the total, actualþ established. their electoral bona fides ,15 *a of these, over eight¡r percent voted' on polling d.ay, a tr:rnourt figure whj-ch was rm¡natched. r¡¡rtil- conpulsory votir¡g was introduced. almost a centru¡r later.

Four of the sixteen districts were uncontested but in the remai.nirrg twelve the more radical- mernbers, well aware of the r:Iti¡:ate function of 36 the t hfbdd.l Council I strained everT¡ rret¡re to obta;i-rr as large an ir¡fbsion as possible ... of the ele.ment they considered. most esseatj-ol

their own welfar .16 An Electoral Franchise association, centred to ", on Ja¡nes À11en, the rad.ical editon of the Adelaide Tjsss, arrd. with a large ard. vocal- membershlp, pressed. ca¡rôid.ates to ad.opt a¡r l outstanding platformr ,17 incl-uùing f\rlI male suffrage, the secret ba1Iot, a¡¡::n:a1 elections, the abolition of properby qualifications and. al abolition of nqrinee members. This tchartisnt galvalized. tlne mcre conse:n¡ative menrbers, a¡¡d. election meetings r¡ere far from quiet, with canòid.ates forced to state their posj.tion with l-ess equívocation than some wou1d. have Iiked.. But these hustingst opirÉons'were one thing and legislative action quite another, as w-i11 be shorn be1ow.

The election brought a high tu¡nout and. produced some close resÌ¿tst none mor€ so tha¡r in ''ifest Torrens where the fo:rrer norninee ald strongly conse:¡¡ative C. S. Hare won by only triro votes. Few could claim Ia:rd.slíd.e victories. 31

Table 2t2 Surro¿¡w of Results. l.851 - Uncontested. Districts , enrolments shown ( ).

Barossa (lz+) G. F. .AlG/i,s Light (gÐ c. H, BåcoT Victoria (68) J. ITARI West Âdelaide (881) A. L. EtDffi,

Percent of, Contested. Districts Errrolment who voted. Cand.icl¿,tes * Percent Votes of votes Burra (tZt¡ 79.3 E. S. IçINqSION 190 56.9 H. Mild.red. 144 )+t.1 g"s¡ gfls.l gL1) si ¿e ( 85.0 F.S. DIIIION t+12 57.6 J.H. Fisher loo )¿.o **J.8. Montefiore 3 0.4 East To¡rrens (J+L9) 81.7 g.M. tr*1,lmHousE 203 55.3 N. CampbeJ-l 164 l+417 Flinders (6l) 69.2 J. T',T'T f,s 27 60.0 M. Snith 18 lP.o Ilindma¡sh (ln) 91.2 R.D,IIÆNPORî 136 l+5.2 J. Hagen 13t +3.5 T.B.Strangvrays 3l+ 11.3 (+te¡ Mt. Barker 89.9 J. B¿I(M 222 59.1+ J. Slatter 152 /.4O.6 Noar}:nga $ea\ 85.5 Ï[. PEACOCK 262 ,+.1+ l.S.0rHallora¡r 220 l+5.6 North .û.delaid.e (tßg) 8l.J+ J.B. NEAIJES 208 5l+.5 P. Cumroings 174 1+5.5 Port Adelaiae ( 895) 88.5 G. TTALL W 55.9 W. Gi-Ies 1ß 44.1 Stanley (lll) 80.5 W. TOUNGTTUSAIÌD 162 60J+ C. Hawker 106 39.6 trl¡est (468) Ionrerìs 8l+.2 C.S. HARE EE 50.3 .tt. H. Davis 196 l+9.7 Yatal¡. (6Ø) 70.3 R.Ð. IIAI\TSON 255 54.7 G.A. Anstey 211 Ð.3 * rn this a¡d. succeecling tables of erecti-on results, includ.ing Appenðices r - rü, successfur candidates are shqrn in blocÈcapitals, unsuccessfr:l oand.id.ates in lower case. *¡t lfithdrew early on polling day.

Governor Ïorrng chose his noninee mernbers carefully. The official no¡ni-nees were Charles Sturt arrd Boyle Travers Finrriss, both for¡ldation colonists, 4o R" R. To:ren"s, whose views on constitutiona.ì- refonn t¡.awe eJread¡r been outli-neil, a.rrd. R. D. Harrson, the el-ected. member for Tatala.

To these official norninees, he added. for:r notable conserwatives:

Campbe11, d.efeateci in East Torrens, J. Grainger and. E. C. ftvJmne, ard. J.

Morphett who had. al-so served. in the nonri¡¡ee corrnqil . Harisonr s norninatj-on gave.û,nstey a secord cha¡rce in Tatala, ht he wasagain d.efeated., arrd. more r:arrowþ, by the d.efeated. ca¡ròid¿.te in Port åd.eIaid.e, Z6l to 258.

Prior to the opening of the forrrth session ínLBJJ, E1der, Ifall, Hart arrl Bagot had. resigned., ard. the by-elections to fill the vaca¡rsies ind.icatecl that interest had. wanecl. 0n1y six males bothered. to register in the d.istrict of Victoria, ald. none turned. r:p on pollirig d.ay. The election v¡as abandonecl a¡d. the seat rernained. vacant throughout the session until Hart retr:rned. and. won it again in 1851+. This secorrd. series of by-elections, caused. by the resignati-ons of Robert Davenport, Hare ar¡d lTaterhouse, saw a contir:uing fa1-l in the Ieve1s of constituency interest a¡d involvement. rabre 2:j 18 r853 185¡+ District Carrd.idate Votes District Candidate Votes Ì,ü. Port Adelaid.e scoTr 2n East Tcnrens c. xEi{N 378 1ï. Pa:cton 1Ð+ D. Wark 360 Lieht J.T. B¡,GOT* 37 ïfest Tc¡rens T. RSTNOIÐS 351 J. B. Hughes 3l+ ï[. Bartley '!Yest 312 Adelaide J.H.FTSTER 203 Hinclma¡sh J.R.â}TKTNE 220 E. Stepherrs 141+ S.Davenportt 1¿É Victonia J. äiRT 116 R. Leake 41 ,ll

CharlgeÉ rere also fonceël in the nomi¡ee menberstrip. Caæ1ÈeLL.rs resigna- tion in Decenber 1851 provided /instey with the seat he had. twice sougþt at elections, but he was replaced. irL 1852 by Freoerick Dutton, brother of

Francis, but by no means of the same political tfanilyt, as will be shounr belon¡. Fred.erick becane more concerned. with pastoral tha¡:. w'ith po15-tica]. pursuits and he was replaoeè by Stephens in L853. Earlier, Charles

Sturt, iIL al¿l nearly bIind., had. resigned. j-n favour of G. F. Dashwood..

The second. series of general elections in ß55 were fcrr.rght almost exclusively around. the issue of constitutional refffir. Most ca¡rd.id.ates had. sensecl the general mood of the color5r, or had. had. it r:nequivocaJly pointed. out to them, and most sittÍ¡g menbers ü¡ere, by then, rgradual refo:mist=t.19 As the lìegister put it, rthe contests are between men hold.irtg id.entical or similar positions ... the voice of the people ... is so nearly unanimous as it is possible to conceiver.Ð There wcre contests between cardid.ates of opposi4g attitudes, epitimised. by Tùest

Ad.elaide where Forster, the ed:itor of the liberal. ReÆister opposed. Fisher, a firrn conservative a¡d- a suppor.ber of nornineeisrn t azú- at these, public interest reached hi-gh 1eve1".21 Perhaps as a resurt of the general agreeurent, turnout was at a 1c¡wer 1evel than in 1851, ard of the ttrirteen sittirrg elective meutbers who stood. for re-election only Fisher was d.efeated, ro

Table 2:4 Surmoarv of Re_luf!år*lÞ

Uncontested. Distriots, enrolments showrr ()

East Adelai-cle (1ioo) F. s. DUTToN'I Lishr (la3) ¡. r. BAGOT* Mourrt Barker ( 7 Port Adelai-de ( Victoria (N,.4. ) Percent of Enrolment Percerrt Contested. Districts who voted- Candiclates* Votes of votes Barossa (875) 6l+'z e.F..alGÀs'¡ llo9 73.o R. Rodda 151 27.o Burra (Szz¡ 31.6 G.S.KII\ËSTOIil* 101 61.2 H.lfiItued 6\ ,8.8 East Îo:rens ( 1l+19) 53.8 J.B. HUGIIES l+5o 59.3 E.C" ftqrrue 309 LtO.7 FJ-ind.ers ( 185) 52.5 A. ÏYATTS 53 54.6 M. Srith \4 ¿+5.1+ Hir¡lna¡sh (n.1.) J. RAIüKINE# 389 55.1+ E,C. Stirling 313 Uh6 gg+) Noarl:r¡ga ( 56.4 W. PEACOCK,I. 5ü6 62.1 M. McÐomott 209 37.7 North Adelaide (tO¡t) 57.7 J.B, NE.ALES* 331+ 55.3 A. Hay 270 ¿l+.7 Stanley (ttr.A.) W.TOUI{GTIITSåND,} 215 5l+.6 P. Cr,umri4gs 179 1+5.4 ÌTest (26ß) Adelaide 51.7 A. trORSTR 7t+5 55.3 J.H. Fisher'r 6o3 114.7 West 1o¡r"ro (lØ7) 57.1 T. REEIOI;DS* )+W 52.5 T"S.Orl{a]-lora¡r l+U+ ti7.5 Iatal¡. (1569) 52.1 A. BT,YTH )+92 60.1 Yt¡. Druffielci 326 39.9 * Sitti¡e mæber

Fisher was, hcRrever, granted. a nomj¡ree seat w1th two other d.efeated. cand-idates, MÐemott a¡rd. Stirling. the tportfoJ-iol of Collector of

Customs beca.me that of the Colorrial. Treasr¡rer and. Registrar-General- Tomens took ttris post, w'ith A. H. Freeli-ng appointecl as sr::nreyor-Gerreral.

Table 2:5 sr:¡rrnarizes the membership of the rhybï-id.t Council during these or"uciaL years of constitrrtiorrmaking,

+3- int.-:rests, an occìrpational stratt--,m -,'¿hich t¿as usually accepted as coÌ'iserva- tive, tlre ¡roduction of a doc'.mrent iircorporating marùrood suffrage for the lor¿er house, trienn-iaI parliaments ¿:nc1 the ball-ot is, at fj-rst, s'-i-rprising.

Part oí' the arisr'¿er, a poj-rrt to lvhich lre'wif1 return, r'¡as that the rrLemocracyr in ihe lc¡l'¡er }:ouse vras balat:ced.; the constitution was not a victory fi:r either the conservative or the radical groups, but a cqnpromise bet¡¿een them.

In 188!, A. P. Iviartin r','rote that it was

inevitable that the Australiarrs, as soon as the matter was placed in their cr';-v'rt ha.nd.s, v;ould fra¡ne thej-r poliiical institutions on a democratic pattern. 2L

To i'¡Ìr.-¡t extent was it t inevitablet in South Australia, and why was South Australia in the vanguard of ';he Airstz'alia¡r colonies? To Greersrood

the compound of philosophical radicalisrn, evangelical religion and. self-reliant ability typical of her founders and pioneers had given an equalitarian flevour to South /¡.ustl alian thinkiñg fz'om thel beginning . ?-5

But to 'c;ì-l¿.t extent was there an I ecr,ualitarian flavourr iie the Constitution

Bill-s anC, the fina.l- d.ocr¡nent, arrd in he debates v¡hich preceded tl:em? It is to si^ch o¡estions that we noî¡ turn. In the d.onrinant themes of the deÌ¡ates in ihese years of constitution-making there was a flavour of politicr ecl..ralitaliarúsn, but there vlas also a stï'ong ¡nood. in favour of uneclual pov¡ers end unequal poli'cica-l ollportu¡ities. lù"toa.at- Dissention frcrn the cou::se of action outlined. by^Governor loung in lús opening acldress to the first rh¡rbrid.l council began on tlre seconcl day of sittíng v!'en t?re elected member for Port Adelaicle, Cairtain George

F;all-, moved- to aclcl to the colonvts first formal Address in Reply that )t4. mernbers I diff er most materiall;¡ frorii Tou:' nxcellency in marry matters

alludcd to in your acì<1r"sir.26 Tire najority of members cc¡uId. not accept

such a- dir-eci cc,nf¡'ontation at such arr early sta¡;e, ancl the notion lapsed. tsut tÌ-ie plediction of ihe P.gg,iqter i;lu.t I it can scarcely be erçected ...

tnat the liberal members will su'uuit quietly'27 *^u correct: and !'¡alcis

Dutton voiced. the opinions of many mexnbers v¡iien he stated. that

he clid. not agree with ilis Excellency in tiie lrisd.on of Iiis advice that a trial shoul-d be made.... lie cr¡uld. not recognise the rtwise l-i'beralityrr vrhich the Address attributes to the ilone Gc¡vernment...o He rrould, àt a subsecluent periocL of the Session move for l-eave to introduce a Bill alterírrg ihe Constitution to the fuJ-lest extent to which the presãrrt 1;o'rers r¡ent. 28

Ðespi-te 'uhe evid.ent impatience for refonn, little u¡e.s resolved. in the

firrt session of f851 be¡rond. a clarification arrd. ha¡clening of opinions of

rirernbers on tile issue of' constitutiona-l- change. This first session ïras

esseiitially r:ne of skirmishing. În October G. Ì{. lÏaterhouse gave

notice that the liberal-s r'/ere beccrni-ng more impatient rvhell ire moved. for a

Se1ect Commiitee to revise t.: re Co:'r.:tituiion to incorpor:-rte male adult

suffrä¡;e a..r:d the secret ballot ,29 brrt both the norcinees in the council arrd, tLe nore conser-¿ative elective ¡nenrbers rejected. tiris on tiie ground.s tl:a-t it

.,..;ls'i;oo soon, and. tliere Nas toc much else to do. Cc;:.servative spokesrnan

C. S. Ìia:'e set out to tlefeat the notiorl ârs it lrás f inex¡edient bec¿iuse it ZÔ l'/c-s j-lrcljeiurer ,'" bnt rritli a-stute rcccgnition of tt-e fact ';rhat this Ì-ouId

-l eirve ¡-11 future initiative oir reforil in tlie h:nds of t'Ìre t;;overt-unent'r31

D'.i'i;toli ccnvinceC.'rïate:'hou-s;e .-hat lie should. v¡tthilraw his motion. J2

The folfouiing sessions of tl-le rhybrid.r courrcil nacie up for'che epparell

::-'tic¿nce aiicl cautio:r of ti;e nore r¡-clical rnerrlcers in 1851 . Parliaurent;ji1] I+5.

nere in'crøJuced' 3JïÌ constitutione.l Bills' reso-rLr-t-ions and t'etitions council- considered by the c¡na::-àed, cìefeated' Froposals T-rassed- by the "'"ere the cou¡l'cil passed rmi;ei:ial_ Gcvernnent a¡rd. returned. Final-]¡., in 1855-6, ir: Errgland' ancl in cc:rstitution a¡rd crvil- List Acts vhich'fÏeI'e acceptable i857t,hefirstful1y-electivebica;noraiFarlianerrtn¡esfoÏTíled. a-;lecd f,y l-il5o, the crre cuestion c:'1. rl1ich afI leadiirg colorilsts-rvere denan'JeC' by all' u".s l,Int of cslonia1 autonorny. self'-¿or,'ernment was ålthougirtiletfuningofsucirprosress',.¡asn<¡tagreed.on,r'¡åicalsanr] the cìetails r:f const:rvi¡tives alike'.,,,ere rleter:rined to ai¡l towalfs it. But three l:asiC thji-s cclcnial sel-f-govcItrjloentT¿r¡'e not ¡s easily resclveà, and in the self- sfe¿s of rjisagr.eement i¡Iere socjl eviie:tt - tlLe role of nc¡trinees

¿:.nd. ljo,.-iers of the iristitutj.ons of the 3cv.:rrúng colony, tk'e siruc.bt.:.¡:e proCuce legi.sla.tru'es anrl the nature of 'uhe electoral s¡Istetr v¡llich r¡as to solutions to 'oire ti'et;i. 1Te vill 1c¡oÌ: briefl;" a't t!'e va;'s in lvhich thc final- cis:,-greenrents on ti:.ese issues l"¡e:e aitenrpted before ai::':-1ysi1g pro'luct of '¡Ì:at lïasr essentialli', a cottçrcr'rise' ltie Iss',le of }loniileeist4

In]]gJ|, C. H. Bagot was cc.¡r.tnissic,necl by the elected' members of the Cc'¿:ici- l'¡hich l'''oulci guararrtce self-goverÎIûel to ¡r-e,o:rre resolutions for the session rri gctobor L852, he proposed to t¡e Courrcil- tha-t in tìri for tr:e "uro's¡.13 new Ccnstitution ... fu1l and unrestricted po;,rers of legislatir¡n should. bc exercisecl, by the Legislat'-lr-er subject on-1; to tire veto of tÌre Governor; alr,l- tÌ;at nc bills shoul-d be reserved. for the açi:roval of the Crolvn, except such as vrould in any manner interfere urith . .. the Irnperial 4), Prerogative or the interests of the British lùlpire ' J= lt6. tthe Ät the sarne tjIe, he vra.s empha-tic that government by three estatesl rvas essentia-l ; rthey had beer'. born und.er that system ..o it had been carried. by the saxon race into all parts of the vforld, and they co'rld do noilring successfully without iï .t5 Here, tlien, was ti:r'e conservative position on corrstitution reforn, rmperial controls were to be all but severed, and Imperial autocrac¡i d.isposed of. But within the self-governmenl dernanded that the libera' of south ^hustralia, the conservative ivhig position r.efonns offered needed a ibale-ncer tt:rough a nuninee influence in tLre 1e6fsJ-atr:re. on this point, iire apìrarent unity of the elected' menrbers eva¡orated.

At tbe operiing of the 1B5J session, Governor Young propcsed a bica:nt:ra s¡rsten for the future vvith a wiroJ-l¡' elective 1ov¡er house' based' on adul-t

m¡+le suffra-ge, trienrrial elections and a simple method of voter registratio This grl.s one half of ihe tbalaricer, and- tlre lit'erals such as Dution and

í'in!;stc¡n had ¿:-sked for little more. But their cielight wa¡reô wl'en they

r hear-cl the Gcvernorr S proposals f or the necessarlr cr"rrbr in the f crm of a¡r upler lrouse designed

to combine the advantages of a popular goverl[neIrt r¡¿ith those which result frcrn the existence of arl incìependent bocly, j-dentified with ùhe pe::rrranent interest of the color¡Yr and fo¡:nirrg a security against hasty or partial legislaticn./""^

Lïenbers of thjs upper house t';ei-'r: to be nominated- for life. Reaction

foll-cn¿ed irrmedie-tely. Francis Dutton moved in favour of a fully elective

u''.-,er house, for rhe,v.¡as quite satisfied a.s to the fitness of the people ar

-[-.r'epa.red 1,¡a.D to Lll.ac€ the trust in their handsr ,37 u*J he was not to be

tal-kcd. out of lhis proposal as Ìre l:ad been in l-851. He woul-d. ad-ndt the

necessity for some conserve.tive r,rinciple, but nomineeism rvas totally unecceJ;tab1e. l+7.

Tlre Cebate on Dutt<;nr s ¿,ilìeiLcìlr.ç':rt took ur: three si i,til:g rlays, a-nrl in<:l-rrdcrL sl>eeches, often more than one, fron tv'-enty of'the brent¡' four rrenbc and, despite tÌre pauci-t¡r of the t l-:arrs¡.r'dr ,JB u"*= clear'l;z an opportr-rrity for -be all aspects c.f pcliticai repre:-,e.,itatron to raised. I(obert Davenport c1-.,i'ciriúze.f tt:e conservative sic'l e of 'clre clebate. Scu.th A'.rstralia needed its

rll,-,Lr;:e of Nomineesl ilr tkLe sjsrrle -\r¿aj¡ ìIng]anrl neeclecl its iiouse cf Lor'ls, f'or

tì::e äouse of Lorcls Ìi:id ùisplir-yed more talent, tact arid I'nor,';J-ed¡.-;e in er-,,;.ounC:-l:g the l-a'r¡ ancj vâs rlor(:r adapteci tcl irrterpro-'u righil-¡r, ';i.e -.';-;il¿s of i;lie people_... ',¡hJÉ' occause tirey ï/cre afl af isìtoer'ë,-c¡ of ¡ninc1 " 39

E. C. Cvry:.rn a1-so souglrt to f es'u€,-blisji tile tcrre of lrlur.t, in due ti-l:ie vc-ru-l-

'¿oIci tire Ccrincil: ile irho d.esired to s¿e clcliocz'ac¡' establishecl i.n tl:e col-ci-r¡,-, rÌ-;d its col:necti.ori ;;ith the rnother ccul'itr.),' ,:1estloyerL, i;c,rrld vcte fcr a:: r:le¡ctj-ve lJppcr llt¡use. .tjc 'i-¡hc, clesired, to live ur:d;r ti-le fo:rn cf col,-siitu- t'i cnal- nonarch¡r rroul-,1. vo1;e f or an Upper liouee ncxÉnr.ted f ot' fífe. Q

L:::clcr Ìro cilcuñ.s,terìces vcu.-l-d Llc votc for a system irr rpubli.c opirúorr "uiúch LZ sul-lstitu'¿cd for larvt âifd- rtiie ri:;hts of p::opeTty r,,ere itlvacÌeC.t.+J TÏ-e t ,'cvi".r:r,tiri-:ntt, or-i tliis occe-sicil , stoocÌ firti. Tor¡'elrs c¿irrticnecl ii-e Council tirl'u r.'¡hile the Bill r';lrs opeil for a.¡-,1<,'irclnent, any moticrr c:,rried in favour ).t, cf ari e-lective uirper l¡ouse ',',¡as sj-n:i,,l y not accept¿rble.* T|-e ncr:rinees, sr;.iC ¡'ii-r¡-i.:s, r',.,oul-cl be ri,relr rnost C.-;etir4;uislied. for talent, for irf'orr¡¡¿t- ll'lc-tuld. ti c:i-r, fcr '¡¡ealthr , ancì tlleir Ììc,liir.E-rúion rathi:r tl:ari efectiorr ¡1lce t. f- 'cl ei r ¿ri:c-,ve tì',e im|utation oí ac'ci.::i; fr

It was no an¡rwer that its menbers night be men of ird.eperd.ence, for i.t would, zrot be srçposecl that the head. of the Gsverment wo¡lcl be so foolish as to appoint a uajority of persons opposecl-to his polic¡r, or that men wotrld. act in. opposition to the t¡ard that ¡aisetl then to pcrrer. 4l

Where C. H. Bagot accepted, even clena¡xled, the ímFor"t of the I three estatesr a¡¿t the English social arlð politioal systern, to Waterhorse,

there was no real .anaIory between the House of l¡orr:ls ard the proposed r.u; rinated Upper House, nor could nalce a comparison bct¡reen the oolorSr and Englqr',ì.. ftev

I¡j.ke Dutton, TVaterhouse rr i5 ro Gl¡a¡tist. He agreecl with ftrynn that the develolment of a f republior was to be fearecl, a¡rd. he arguetl that rhe su¡rported. a.e elective House for the sane reason that l[r. Gw¡mn opposed it - nernely, its acco¡d.a¡¡ce rrith the British Oor¡stitution, .49

Governor fcnrr¡g movecl to enil this threat to I establ¿shed orôert by a message to the €cr¡ncil wbích threatened. the conrplete rithdraual of the

BiLL' rt was clear that Yorng sar the cot¡noil less in te¡ms of a d.eliberative bod¡r than a ratifying one, for rtheywere to d.eciile whether these conoessiø¡s shaLl be availed- of on the terns on whiah they are offeredr r5O "tn nothing ¡¡rore. Grãrnn emphasisetl that he a¡rd. tris nmi¡ee colleagues had. nad.e cor¡cessions to fít ririth the libenalsi reguests, so rfew they shcnrltl. to hÍm, fo¡ great things haËL been d.one that were not the tthe result of cm¡rrmiset. As ploddir¡g shopkeeper ... the honest a¡¡t 4¿l ir¡ðustrtor¿s labcr¡rer ... were not ablo to solve tåe difìeiorlt questíons of poI.itical- ssiencel it was r absoluteþ necessal¡rr to compronlse hr:'areell t aristocracy and dernocracyr .51 Conserwatives in the elective grorrl> agreed. and, leit by Harer5z tnuy agreed. with Advocate4'eneral llanson that i-t ¡ras necessa.r¡r to keep in reign this td.emocrasy lwiricfr] exhÍbits slaverXr, intj¡niilatiog. J.awless tr¡¡bulence, wea.lsress in the exeøtrtive a¡rd. selflish exclusiverrr""' .52 Sorne of the more liberal mernbers acceptecl the cøpromi se t private òiscussions they rwo:Jil rather accept whish e,roerged frorn ' ,5L ^, the Goverr¡nent schene ... ttüìn have no alteration at a]-]-r r55 bot tht proposal re'nained anatherna -Lo the Dutton-Kingston grüp. They corld. not accept the nqninee uppèr h<;l.:e as I e:çedient at presentt, nor couId. they accept the qualification that the noninee chambe¡r could. be ¡nacle elective after nine years if two-thi¡d.s of ihe lower house agreed. They atteurpted. to d.eIe,y the 8i11, to reconurit it, anå they dena¡ld.ed. a¡r election on the i-ssue, but ûhe majority eit,er supported. the nominee principle or saw the comprcmi se es grornd ga5led., a¡¡d. the BiIL passed. by fifteen votes to seven. The lines oÇ support ilesen¡e emphasis, as they were later to be vasr',þ åfferent.

Iat.]..e 226 f onl

Supporbeô- , , Opposecl Norní¡ree Elective Elective Menbers Members Menbers Daslwood. Ba,ker Angas Firuriss tr'islier Bagot, J. 1. Ha¡rson Hare ù¡ttcrr Torrens Neales Giles CJrlmn Davenpor-t K5-r¡gston Stephens Ellis Peacock Grainger Waterhouse Scott ïoungþusbar:d., Morphett (Speatcer) dict not vote. .fo Before the Bi]-l was consid.er.ed. in F.ngland, tb opposltion strengthened. ín the colorgr. Petitions flcn¡ed. in, critica]. of the ccmpronise, i.-J

scne elective memlcers, notably Balcer a¡rd. lflaterhouse, were having seco¡¡i thcughts. At the o¡rer:-ing of the l85h sessíon, Baker voiced. this uncertainty when he asked. for clarification of the position of those

elective menbers who had. supported. the 8i11, The tgoverrrnenttst answei v:irtr:a-Lly released. thqn from any obligatiorrs:

... the entering i:rto the conprcnni se clid. not impþ . r. årr¡r app.oval- by the rnajority of the electi¡¡e menbers of the nøJ¡ative pri_nciple by itself, but onJ-y that they cons:idered. it e4peèi"nl ,rrr¿", ih. then circumstarrces, 57

but the Colonial Secretary ¡as careful to ad.d the rid.er that the vote was

co¡lsid.erecl birrting until the viev¡s of the I¡¡perial- Govern¡nent were lctgEn. Dutton anc- Kingston i¡mediateþ swj-tched. the fostrs of their pressu¡e,

secured. the tabl-i-ng of Youngt s despatches a¡rd. seized. on one d.escribing the crucial sceond- reaèing vote as a victory tby a n,ajority of eight elective il *utbtttt .i Ki-ngston argued. that this was r not in accorda¡rce with the record'st .*t"u.cted ,'j an ad¡nission from Yo:r¡g of a rd.efect in precision, ,fu propos":d 'ud a nm ParU-a¡tent BiIL on the gror:nds that the cornpronise was n'-'ø I repugr:antt to a mqiority of members and. of the population. .A,lthorrgh this move was defeated, he did. obtain sufficient support for a proposar to have releva¡t all rnateria-l sent to Englâ-nd.r61 rnittr the result that the Bill was returned- and. the first constitution rapsed.

Follonriag the 1855 erection the mood. of the f mod.eratesr ha¿ cha'ged.. Despite increased effor*s by the more conse:n¡ative members to stress that t the abolition of the .on-inee ereu¡ent was too sud.den changer ,62 the final attempt to retain nornineeisn was sound.ly defeated. Orr1y four other mernbers îl joinect the for¡r official noûIÍ¡ees i-:e support of a propoeal to a'llow a Governor to appoi:ct tbree official mirristers for the tenure of ar¡r eíngIe responsible govenurerrü. But, i-f the consenrative menbers had. been r:nab1e to limit and. contain the rnew democracyl througþ a noÍlinee secorrd. cLrambert there were other meaJrs.

Bicarreralisn anrl the N ture of the H

One of the æricrrs of nú¿I-n:lneteenth centr.ry constitutional theor¡r was the necessity for bicameral parliarnents, and this was generally accepted in South Australia, The tLieme of the debates over bicameralis¡n in the early I fifties was rather -û;,e natr,¡re arll powers of the secorrd cha¡iber. But the arrival of a new Governcr, MacDorueelJ-, on Jr:ne 8, 1855 brought this arci-cn into question. Although criticized by the Lor¡lon limes for LÉs lack of ability anâ experíunur63 MacDoru:e11 ha¿L strong viws on constitutional reform, arrd a cletern¡:ination that these would. be ca¡ried. througþ. He dissolved :;he first I L¡rbrid.' council j:med.iate1y, ard nad.e su.re that the new group ¿uld. be in no d.oubts about tris vieïys. Despite his advíce to the Tmpe::i;J Govern¡nent that he favoured. the passage of the 1855 Bil-t with ,r,nendments to incorporate a f\il1y elective upper house, his attitud.e to r(.,-;:'jrt harl:rcpar.ently hard.ened. on the journey out. tho dqlrs after the

ùissolution of the o1d. cor:nqil MacÐonnell announced. his pl-an for I a single charnber ... of forty members, ví2. - thirty six elective merrbers a¡rd. for.¡¡

[noninee] Head.s of the Princípal Departnrent"'.6& This td.emocratj.c chamberl coul-d. be I safely tried.t as aJr ru¡usual r¡:mber have a fixed. interest in the sojl- ... iD landecl propertyt¡ a socia'l strtrcture which prorid-eil the opportu:eity for MacDonnellts "r.trreriments.65 d.espatch, ca]Jing for haste on the natter, left fery doubts about his attitud.e to ref,om. Eactr d.e1ay 5> had. but created. a more democratic spirit, likeIy to bear its fruits in a consütution to which, noürithstand.Í-ug the intelllgence a¡d. orderly character of the South AustralÌ¿¡s as a people, marSr worrld. consi-d.er it perilors to entrust the f\.rtr:re d.esti¡ries of this Þovince. ob

There were I insuperable d.ifTicrrltiest in the color¡y, ard the I d.emocratic

elernentt shoulcl be balanced. by the for:r nominee mørbers a¡rd.

a highly qualified constituency of one third of the thirty six elective members, thus ensr:ri-ng in a single chamber the representation of a class whict¡ night be excJ-t¡ded. frorn both ctrambers if the atteurpt suggeecl to aarry a very democratj-c franchise for both. ol

But his proposals were dooneC. to defeat. îhe nominee proposal a-lienated.

most members, the single c¡.anber was far fron popular, arrcl he had. dealt with his ocuncil in a¡r arrogant fasluion. As Bagot put it in 1812, rthey wanted. a G-''.ernor who worrld. be as free to act within the colorgr as the

Queerx of l::giand., ald. who ... should. be responsible orrì-y to the p"op1"rr68

but Mac¡Dor-.-=lL- had arrived., d.etermined. to ca:lry or¡t his cnnr id.eas, w.ith

or withort 'l;he corlcur:rence of the Gor¡¡rcil or the p"op1u.69 He was soon told by his Exesutive Coørsj-L7O uø by J-eading colonists that bicarnera]is on a fully elective basis was the orrly acceptable forr,

But iL:,: details of th-is electi-ve basis were still to be resolved.

Contentious questions remained.. IÍho shoulcL the new bicaÐeral- parliament

represent? On what basj-s shor.¡J-d. the e]-ectoral r geometryr be drar¡¡? The R¿gj-sterr s dema¡¡d in 1851 for ad.ult male suffrage and equi-population d-istricts I rejected. a¡gr weigþti-r¡g in favour of one class interestt , a¡d.

sorght to give all electors equal voting p*r""-71 But thís was then, a.nd. stilI is, rejec'üed. At no time was there a majority in the ,Wbrid, Cbuncil, on in argr of the succeed,jr¡g parliaments to 1901, in favo:r of a¡¡

equi-population apportiorment, and. at no time to the present day has such 53

a system been i-rnpler¡ented.. Once ncmineeis was rejeøted., then the more

conse:s¡ative nerabers fell back on a hea'l6r electoral- weighting agai:.-.¡'': the

urba¡l areas as a means to gurb the t nem¡ d.emocta;yt. They accepted. the

ilhig ideal of electoral pcrwer to the | la¡rd-ed. alistocracyr .

The first d'etailed. attempt to set the futr¡re electoral systan was

¿çqnmplished. in L852, but in this, as in marry- other aspects of constitr¡tional planrring, the consonrative a¡rd liberal me¡nbers ïrere in d.irect confrontation. 0n1y fo:r of the proposals of the Select Cormaittee vrere unanimous; there

was to be a second chamber, rnembers of which wor¡td. require €2OOO property qualiflication, the lower ho'i;e was to be f\-llJ-y elective, a:rd if the upper hotrse was t .' be elective theLr. it i,vas to contain not ].ess than half the -;:re nr¡nber i-n l-ower. All- other proposals were majorit¡r opinions only,

ard. nsniner,,s Ðashwoo¿t ard G.¡rynn adcled. a strong d.issent to the report. The majority pi.;rposals incl-ud.ed. a:r elective upper house with a property qualificat:.':: for voters of €100 fbeehold. or €15 a¡rnrat leasehold. or a¡rn¡a1 rental of S2Jr and. a Ior"¡er house basecl on ad.ul-t ¡nale suffrage, the balIot, trienrrial parlialrents and. the abolition of properby qualificatio¡rs for mernbers. tLealced.l to the fuII cor.¡ncil, these proposals brorglrt strong reactions frqn the conserwatíve members. Àdult male srrffrage rwas ca^IzT¡ing d-ernocracy I to its utmost limitst and., sooner tha¡r consentt , f Baker wct¡l-d hug the chalns of Donr¡ing street (otrt) , George IIa11 ,72 "rrd castigated. one mæ.ber who had. ihe tsnerity to support the proposals as cne

rho had. arrogated to hi¡nself the position of the peoplel s representative; but Ïre thorght he rni-ght have ternecl h-i¡nself more tnrl.y the representatiie of the great ur¡washed. 73 t+

The secret ballot faced. similar-Ly strong opposition, There had. been Ino ,i public d-esire for charrge, no petitions at aiIr, said êw¡mne, ;1:*

ba1lot r¡. rrâs not required here, the electors being in a position beyorrl the reach of cor:nrpti4g influencesr.71+

the DasÌ¡¡roo¿4w¡mne d.issent followed. these lines. They calted for nomínation for lífe in the upper house as a I co:lterpoise to the popular elenentr, protested. against male suffrage wrless property was given

ad-d.iti-ona1 rights, opposed. trienrriat parlia:nents, deroand.ed. that property should. be the rnajor consid.eration in argr scheme of electora1 clistricting, and. criticized. the whole t-,nor of the majorít5r proposals as they left Ibut shadcrw a of powert ir- bhe ha¡rds of the rFj-rst Estate of Crorn a¡r1

Exeq.rtivet r . Such proposals worrlcl mean that a pure democracy [woúA]

be brought about u¡rder the disguise of constitutiona-L govurnm"nt, .75

Both reports lapsed. when the cou¡¡cil was prorogue,l, but the d.ebates were revived' again in 1853. Â new Select Co¡nrittee containing on-1¡r one

avc¡n¡ed. cor¡se¡wative, lorrens, arnong the refo:mers Kilgston ar¡d. l7aterhouse a¡d' the more moderate Hanson arrd. Hare, set out to plan an electoral systen. ::hese But even reformers coulcL not accept an eqrri-populati-on apportior:nent. rgovellnmentrsr The Parlia¡aent BiIL proposed. twent¡r nine districts to

elect the thirty six mernbers for the f.ower house, and. while the Select Ccn'mrittee retained. the me¡nberslrip it varied. the electoral r g"o y, "t .76 Forced- to rely on or-rtd.ated. census retu¡zrs of 1g51, the cor¡unittee

made ¡eference,to the actual a.mor¡¡¡t of r-and. sold_ in each [aistrict] as affårding somet]rir.g firc approxirnate guuide to ihe pr rable u^olrrt of popu1atj,on.77"rl' tsut, d-espite the concern for the grc,wth and. d.ensity of pop¿Iation, the proposals vrere more concerned. with j_nterests, and the Comrittee grouped S5 d.istricts I so as to give a fair share of representation to the gpeat agricultural, pastoral and. mtning interests of the color¡¡rr.78 Bot:: pIa.ns favor:red. the use of nul-ti-member d.istricts, a pattern retained unti-l I936t ar¡d both narkeùLy over-represented the rural- areas.

Tabl,e 2:7 Electoral Proposals . 185379 A B Parliament Selesb Bí11 Cqmnittee

Nurrber of Districts: 29 22 Meuobers: 36 36 rurba.rrr No. Sing1e-member distriots: I+ 1 t countryt d.istricts: 18 7 No. Double-n@ber, rurbarir d.istricts: 5 6 I countryt d.istricts: 2 I Mean population per mernber in Si-ng1e-member di-stricts : 15% 1¿Ð6 D ouble-member d.istricts : 2109 1895 rurbarir d.istrícts: 1878 2102 I countr¡rr distri-cts: 1569 1623

2O51 2093 1æ3 2116 2tþ1 2215 1t$7 14n 10.7 10.5

Ttris scheme 'was retr:rned. with the 1851 8i11, but the basis of representaticcr of interests and. n¡ral over-representation ïvere to remain in future proposals. l.855 - A Ba-lanced Corstitution

Folloiríng the I error of jud.gementf on tri-s arrival , Goverrror MacDon¡ellr s opening speech to the nerlv thfbniat council on Novernber 1, J,SjJ apparently aclcro¡r1ed.ged. public a¡rd. legislative opinion. A neïr Constitution Bill lvot-t-l-d. be introduced., based. on a¡ elective bica¡neral parliarnent. But when SL the 1]il-1 was introduced rfr. [f,r¿] strangeþ nisj-nterpreted the wishes of the Sqrth Australia¡r constituenoies, íf indeeil he ever serious\r 4esired. to consÍtler thern'.& Both houses were to be elective, but with cønpIex a¡rd restri-ctive property qualifications for both. The consen¡ative mernbers vrere pleased. to hear of a¡:. electorate limited. to men of stanùing arrd. propertyrSl brrt this was a¡athema to the li-beral.s. Kingston J.ed the attack and d.erna¡rcted. manhood. suffrage for both houses, trienrrial parliaments, the bal-Iot, the abolition of all property qualifications a¡rd. the sole rigþt of initiation of money bill-s in the harld.s of lc¡wer house r*nbo".82 At first, the tgovernmentt refused. even to aIlocv such proposals to be debatedlJ but hurried. consultations and a recognition of the t charigecl state of the parti-esl 1ed to the acceptance that t it worrld. be vain for the Government to attenpt to pass the BiIL it as "tood.'.84 Col-onial. Secretar¡r Fj-nniss adrrised. that all clauses ïrere open to a¡nendnent arrd. Kingston withdrew his proposals.

The way ïras open for the liberal menrbers, but ít was soon evident that they would. have to fight h¿rd- to win concessíons. There was no cohesion anong the refo:mers. Individ.ua-1s had. d.iffering id.eas, and. the d.ivision lists showed consid.erable fluctuation arou¡rd the two cores of the officia.l norainees who were co¡¡aitted. to the 8i11, arid the tradical refo:mersf 1ed. by Kingston. Kingston catried lr-1s motion for initiation of money bills by only one vote, n'ith Dutton in opposition, but Dutton supported. trierurlal parÌíaments with Kingston, d.espite opposition to the t d.a:rgers of r:¡rtried. experiment", "85

the debate had. its pecrrliar aspects. Concerned. that the proposed eighteen-nember upPer house would. td.oslir¡ater the thir-by in the lower Kingston 51 rDsv6d. fo¡r a¡¡ qryer house of six t¡gobers. This brqebt Jaugþter flcn the rgovenuerrtr ary| he raisecl it to twelve but was defeated..86 Still concerzred about the rpossible d.orrination of numbersr he attemptecl to increase the Assenbly to fifty fo¡r mernbers, but hacl to be satisfiecl with Bal

Kingstonts proposal for rnarùrood suffrage for the loner house, and. for voting rightsfbr the upper house to revery freehold.er of whatever anount, and everXr househo.Ìcter of å10 per yearrS9 r"" r:nacceptable, ard. a cleac[Lock was again near. But, as the press report noted., there was la pause, 'between dur:ing which scme coûnurication seemed. to pass the hon. menberst ræ a¡cl Baker moved. a cmprcmise proposa-l: ma¡hood. suffrage for the J.ou¡er hotrse and propenty quallfications fon the Legislative Co¡¡rqil- of sr¡fficient extent to ensure that it twot¡J.cl be the guarclia-n of, the productive interests, a¡rd. wouLd. see that property rvas ncrü rashly clealt witht.fl this corrprsrise between the exbernities of the conso¡¡ative and raclical proposals set the pattern for the entire períod of colonial self govermrent.

0n1y one probleur renained., the foru of the electora1 d.ist¡ricts. The I gorrerrcmentr BilL nodifiecl the l85f sched,ule only slightJ'y. It analgarnatect scrne of the snaller d.j-stricts, but retaineil the enphasis on the ¡r:ra-l otrell-r epre sentati on.

I 58

Table 2:8 Electoral Schedrrle. 92 2l Ðistricts 12 s5ngIe-mewrber; J urban, ! corrntry ! d.ouble-merrber; 4 urban, ! couatry J0 Mqnbers 11 r.rrban, 19 ôountry Mea¡r population per maber: r¡rba¡r - 3008, cor.mtr5r 2005 Representation of j¡rterests mea:: poprJ-ation Dístricts Merrbers per member Aclelaide I+ 7 tl+l+1 Other r::San 3 4 2wo Mi:rírrg 2 5 5055 Pastonal,,/fa¡tring 12 16 2339 Ratio largest: s'allest (ruortrr adelaide: Tfellington), 17.gzl

The Se1ect Committee, rgrrid.ed. by the principle ... that the divÍsion of the aolorly into Electoral Districts should. as far as practicable, be based. on populationf foüd. too margr impracticalities a¡d, as rit would. be ì"ìFossible to ast on [tni" prlnciple] ... liberallyr the reporb was ar¡ f approxi-mation ... Inost feasible u¡d.er the existing circumsta¡¡cesr .93 t¡ft., ¡natr¡re cor¡sid.erationt, the Ccrornittee granted. Ad.elaide six rather than the origir:al seven members as I the irùabita¡lts of the City - being the seat of the Legislatr¡re, as well as the residence of a great urajonity of the representatives - woulcl always have a faír proportiona-l weígþt ... though not possessing the precise n¡¡nber of members to which its poprilation theoretically entitles itt. .ffrd. the members were pleased. to note tha_t the scherne t case in no valries frorn the theoretica-l nu¡iber by more tyt¿¡n 55 -bhe p"r centt .94 Thus, wl::ile corunittee chairnan, Kingston, agreed. j-n prinøip1e rrepresentation that should. be given... to populationa:rd. not ùo OR aeresr t/) there ïrere special círcr:¡nstances in south.australla.

Even this weighted. apportion4ent was not sufficient for some. Hugtres rthe felt nassirrg of the city ,.. tend.ed. to strengthen the cma¡d. of the fr metropol-is o\¡er the whole ko¡¡:incef arrct sought sj ng.le+ernber d.istricts to ove'rcome thi".96 Dut the Select Ccmittee had. alread.y consid.ered. this,

a:rd. conclud.ecl that at least two merrbers i¡ each dístrÍct wotrLd.

do away with much of that personal antagonisn ard. bitterness which ari-ses when cand.id.ates are individrrarþ opposed. to eactr other ,.. also afford.s a better chance of ad.verse opinions being fairly represented; or, as it is general-ly te:med, g{ ga\,:ing the rrinoriiy a chance of beir:g represented.. ,l

In accepting a basis of uultiple representation, the thybrid.t cor:¡roil

rejecteil both English a¡¡1 .A¡rerican precedent, arll that on wh,ic]r they were thæselves elected. the twin reasons for joint representation, the weakening of persor:al arrtagorrisns and inoreased. oppor-burrities for minorities were to be echoed. throughort the colonial period., as w.iLL be shc¡lrn in Cltapter tV belcm.

The final electoral scheclule retained. the hear6r weightirig to the ruæ-1 areas Teldch had. been evid.ent in the preceding plans, a¡rd. in thís marner secr-¡red. the pastoral ald fa.:ming j:rterests a stror¡g voice in the el-ections of futr.¡re members. Table 2;9 Electoral &istricts. t855 Population per menber District Mæbers total adult ¡oa1es Adelai-d.e 6 n)+3 776 0nkaparinga 2 2899 688 Noarlunga 2 2717 661 ïataIa 2 25% 615 Port Ad,elaide 2 25'lI+ 715 Barossa 2 2506 6zr+ Mt. Barker 2 2457 6zT Pest Torrens 2 z+37 5Ào Lieht 2 2283 6oo East Tonrens 2 2277 526 Sturt 2 2262 512 Grmeracha 2 2199 t 558 Theoreticalr 2186 585 Burra a¡rd. Clare 3 r976 563 Sncor:ater Bay 2 1686 ¿ß2 Victoria I 1676 6o9 Mu:rra¡r 1 1179 Flind.ers 4oo 1 892 tià 5ú.

ijir¿'.bie to a¡aend t?ús schedule tc increase the rura-1 over-r.'ejrreserrtaticn arrd c'..:rb ihis tdarrgerc.rus..lc¡rÉne-tionr b;r the city, R. R. Torrerrs t',rrrled to ttte elecic,ral plan fcr the Legislative Council. lIe rejected the proposaJ- l;hs-t all eight¡;e¡r members shoulcl i:e elected froir the sin¿le ccnstituency uf t:,e -çrLole colony as this -¡¡ou1d. aiìc1 tc the porver of the city. äis

sche;ne inclicated tiie c:itert to the extrerre cons¡erv.ttive a-1'u.-ï'lìe.te "Yl:ich

1.-iq.L.,r rfeareCr tl'-e city ancl a;l:e u-rbari voter f'or ¡tnorf Lrclj' of the pcpülaiicn c'f l;i.e colcrr;t 'woulci returrr i:ut t?:rce lirernbers. lab-l-e 2:10 lorrensr ?ro¡'osaa, 18 5 j'iu¡nl¡ez' of lhmber of Fopulation Area di stricts riterrl¡ers Population per ruernDer ,iùelaicle 1 3 J8,744 121915 Ce:.rtr¿¡,I 5 9 37,995 I+1222 Ðouih East, Ìlorth 6 6 8 1r\25 '55o Largest : Sma.llest (ÀOetaiae :i.li-nders) = 30.9¿1

o8, But Toi'reì1s secu.red iro sui,port. Iri fact, once tLre Select Con¡nittee

Ïi¡-cl rcsolved the scirenies, t]'.e Courtc'i1 accepted theln virtrrall¡r ivithout ciuesticn. îÌ:e re¡,ort rias Ceb¡"ted., ì-nö.ividual dist¡'icts e>:a-nrined arid the secclrc.l rearìin¡1 carried. in tile br--ief j-.erlcd- of one .ft*".roorr.99 later el-ec-i;cral i:roposals raised iriucTi inore controversj¡, ¿r s'u1l-1 be sholvn in later c.:o-pters.

Îj-re j:':rtte.rris of Legi s'l etive Eehaviour

îhe ccntenpcrerJ¡ press reíei'recl often to the rconservative partyr a-¡yi. the I l ef ormin¿; ;¡a:'tyr , bu'ú there ',rie¡e r-l.o or¿;a.nisa.tions j.ri the nrid.-r fifiies .¿iii.ch nrcrite,l t:he label r¡:o1itica1 l.,sr'tyr folra-s P¿r.rt III of this stuûy vril1 shcw, it r,¡as not untjl- the la.st ilceeCe of the ninetee::'th centr:ry that 61. parties cr¡rstallized. there iicre electoral asscciations and pressure ¡.pou.psint}reconstituenciesanc.relativel;lcohesiveblocsofrepresenta- tives in the Council in the period cf Constitution-na}Sng arrcl, as shovrn rliberalr aborre, the former could well be tabelled. rconservativer and- in re¿ard to their attitudes to politícaI representation. Hcn¿ever', over the col-cnial period. as a'1.¡Ï'o1e, political attitudes were one thing, ânf1 leg1slative behaviour often quil;e arrother, anrl tlús was especi-al1y evlclent irt 'che five years of cc,nstitution-r¿aking.

tsike sruma¡ized the clectoral star-rces of the candid.ates at the 1811 and- 1-8!f elections, and iclentified. these men as li-berals, noderate reformers, conservatives a-nc1 rinilno'*¡rr ctruarrtities in terms of what they said. rradicafsr on 'ùhe hrru¿irtg=.100 Otr thi-s basis, there were three electeC- to the 1B!1 Council, six tca-utious refornersr, three f conservativesf end- fonr v¡hose opinions on constitution¿I reform v¡ere not cla¡ified. Of the

ei¡rhi ncxninees, onJ-y Hanson ¿:nö. Gra.inger could be consiclered to have ma

sessi.on proceed,eC it becaine ìrnpossiì:Ie to prerlict t¡re resuft of any vote;

even 1;ire rrominees joined in the drsple.r of ind-eper,.d"rr..'.101 By tire 18f! session, the rlinesr of lc2;i,slative belnviour had a¡,parer-rtIy becorne

no¡e cf ea.rl¡r drawn, although thcre i-¡as stil-l some measur.e of I d.isplay of

inCeperrd.errce | .

Ti-le voting on the six Council cìi-visions at the corirnittee stage of ihe

1c185 Bill indicates the exterrt to',vhich tlie elective me.ribers irere divided. 62. on tlre necessity for refolrns. Tab1e 2211 summarises thj-s voting on the follgt.¡ing divisions: A: I(ingston - motion to .grant IIouse of Assembly sole right of initiation of rnoney bi11s; B: Kingston - motion to d.ecrease nr:mbers of Legislative Council; C: Kingston - motion to increase nr¡nbers of House of Assenbly to !l¡; D: Ba.lier - motion to increase nurnbers of House of AssemTly to J6; E: Klngston - ¡notion to abolish property tlualifications for the House of Assembly and d.ecrease those f'or the Council; F: Vote to exclude ncminee members.

Table 2:11 l,/oting on Constituiior:al Arnend.ments. 1855 (") Overall Result Division:ABCDEI' For (./) 11 7 7 16 i)+ 10 Against (x) 10 14 13 )+ 6 I (t ) Ncminee mernbers (c) lfective members Division A B C D E F Division ÂBCDEF l'i::niss x x x x x x Angas ,/xxr/Jx tr'reeli-ng x x x x x x Bagot J J./J J,/ Hanson x x x x x x Baker xxxt./x Torrens x x x X x x Bl¡rth JJ./J./J Dutton x/.f,/./¿ Davenpc;rt xxx,/xx tr'orster I'ishcr FIart xx"/x I[eÐernrott Hu¿Jres '/xxJ,/,/ Sti.rl ing xxx X I(ingston ,,/r/./,/¿/ lieales ./xx,/'/ Peacock VJJ./,/\/ Ranl.ine ,/xx,/ Re¡noIds ./J/./J/ Scott {J,/,/,/,/ iliatts ,/xx./¿,/ Youaghusband x x x¿ ./ J

Frr¡m theo.e datao four main I linesr of a14:roach to the specific ref orns can be identified,. On one extrerne, ín ccmplete opposition, v¡ere the offjcial notni-nees. Ât the other extrenie were six elective members, Bagot, BlJrth, 63.

Kingston, Peacock, Re¡rnolds and Scott who supported. each amendment, and on the 'trasis of patterns of su[rport ar:d optosiiion a very simplistic continuum can be established.

t ca¡¡seI¡¿atiJ¿gt I 1i bera-11 Fi¡m-iss Davenport Angas Hughes Dutton Bagot Freelíng Stir1ing Ba}çer ldeales Blyth ilarison Ha¡t Ra¡icine Kingstor: Torrens Ðatts Peaccck Youlghusba;nd Reynolds Scott tsut such a pattern is simplistic. It is, firstly, based on voting on six specific'measures, .:nd attitud.es of r conservatismr aJid t liberalismr cannot be extrapolated apart from l,hese" Secondly, the patterns of voting of 'cÌre norninee mernbers were, to some extent, pre-deternrined.. the official nqninees 1yere, in ef'fect, Imperial officers, representatives of tlie Gc¡verrrc in tl-:e Council, and their legislative activity was affected. both by this constitutional position ¿rirl by iíacÐonnellr s insistence that they v¡ere his instrr:nrcnts to c¿rr1T¡ out his i:oIicies. The unofficial nominees vrere not so political-Iy or moral-Iy bound, .-:lihough they shared. sorne cori'rn-itment to the Governor by virtue of their api:ointrnent. As Stephens put it in 1.853,

I the Governor had shov¡ed him 'cì:¡lt a-s an old colonist he had duties to perfornr in the coloryr.1O2 But this needs to be qualifiecl. Although th official no¡iinees did vote as one of these six clivisions, they were by no means a.q::eed on all c<¡rrstitutional ald. political c;uestions. lorreris had- m¿¡d.e tto cecret of h-is conservative, almcrst Îory views, and- Davenport vras no 6l+.

liberal in his attitude to political representation. On the other hard.

Ilanscn and. Firuriss $¡ere of a cljfferent political chara.cter, an

r ¡.;overrrrnentr team could not ho1d. together on the ciuestion of nornineeisrn in 1851. As we11, Pj-ke noted. that Grainger had arrnounced political views in

the 1851 îest lorrens election twhi-ch v.¡ere so extremely liberal as to approach italmost the verge of Ch¿rtismrr |, yet his le¡;islative behaviour

sìio,ved him to be finiy ín the conservative c¡mp. It is not adeo¡rate, therefore, to use electoral speeches to categorise the councillors in rel-ation to constiturti-onaf reforms, p6o¡>osed or cr.ìrried. Thus, to estaÌ¡l: v¡Ìrether there v{ere ideritifiable cohesive groups of members of the Cou¡ci1 in ihe sessions from 1Bf'î -185r-6, r'.'e turn tc.: the results of analyses of legislative !g&Ig. At this point tkre techrriques vrhich we¡'e utilized. of less importance than the results of the analyses, and Chapter VIII nrovides a detailed stucþ of ihe methodoloplr.

The data f or tile analysis of 1e¡iislative behaviour in the mid.-r fiftie

consi-sted of ihe votes of mernbers of the CouncilloJ irt five sessio*.1OL

Tabl'e 2212 Legisl-ative division d-ata, 1851.-56

Council J';o. 11 I 1 ¿ Session No. 1J l+ 5 1 Yea:'s r9rl 1852 r95,5 1854 Le55/6 I'ionbers, tctal ZLy 25 25 2+ 2l+ Iielibers arulysed+ ¿) ¿) 21 23 23 Divisions ?-B ÀO Ð+ 25 Ìlxcludecl on the ppound,s c¡f rare appearances on cìivision lists l-rere Spea lrlor¡.hett, 1851-1855, Speakcr Fisiier, l-:855-6, anJ Anstey, 1852.

Fron tl:ese d.ivi sional da,ta, the siatistical analyses established.

(") p,';tterr,s of si:nilarity, of support and op'osition enrong rne¡lbers and groups of menrbers, 6S

(U) the d.ivj-sions, a¡rd hence the issues which were at the base of the

most significant polarisation of mernbers and. groups of members, arË.

( an ind.ex of the polarity members ") extent of of atd. groups of m@bers on the set of ùivisions, the structure of the Cor.¡ncil. in eaclr s"""ion.1o5

The fi-rst session of 1851 produced little evj-dence of signifj.cant stn¡cture. The &ivisions and. the debates were conc€rned. mairrly with adninistrative rnatters, a¡l1 there was no significantly d-cmÍr:ant issue. In 1.852, horrever, the Dutton-Ki-ngston proposals, tb d.ebates wer ncrrrineeis a¡d. the r:ature of politioal- representation produced a significant polarity in the Council, a¡rd, a split within the r¡ominee goup. The extent of this polarity - the sbrtrctr:re - -rr'âs not exceed.ed. in argr session to Fed.eration, includ.ing those of the t ni¡reties when political parties had eurerg"d.rloå " fact which indicates the extent of the ùlfferences of opinion, especially those conoerning nonineeis. The d.ebates a¡rct divisior:.s on the constitutio¡ Bi11s of 1853 a¡rd 1855 produced significant structure and patterning in the voting data, but wlthout ar¡y split in the ncrninee membership. The aJ:alyses also established. li¡res of supp

tÉ3 t

Finniss ON g3¡rgnport Anges Bagot Haneon ON Ellis 0ubton Bake¡ Stu¡t ON Har-s GiLes E1 der TorrênÉ ON F€acock Hall Canpbeli Llaterhouse Hart Grainger N Kingston N NaaLes Younghusband

18 52

Finniss 0N Dutton Fran. EIde D Torrens 0N Angas Hanson 0N Giles Kinoston Dashuood 0N Bagot Grainger N HarB NeaLes Dutton F¡ed. N Baker Peacock Gurynne N 0avenport Uatsrhouse ElIis Ha.ll Hast Younghusband

't 653

Angos Davenport Finniss 0N Hanson 0N Bagot Duttcn Dashuood 0N Gùrynne N G iles UatÊrhousê TorDens 0N St€phBns N Kingeton Ycunghusband Grainger N Ha¡e Peacock Scott Eaker ElLis F ishe¡ ftleales

1853 - Vot,ing oil Beker compromj-se motion

Angas Finniss 0N Bake¡ Eagot Dashuood 0N Davenport Duttcn TorDens 0N Ellis Giles Hanson 0N Fisher Kingston Guynne t{ Ha¡e PEacock Grainger N Neales Scott Stephens N l¡Jaterhouse Younghusband

1 854

Angas Finniss 0N Grai.nger N ELIis Eagot Daehuood 0N Guynna N Fenn Eaker Hanson 0N Stephens N F ishar Outton Torrens 0N Neales Giles Younghusband Hart Kingston Peacock Rankine Heynolds Scott

1 855-6

Bagot Angas Finniss ON Elyth Eaker Hanson ON 0utton Hart Freeling ON Forstar HugnÊs To¡re¡s ON K inqston NeaLes Davenport N Peaccck Rankine llcDsrmott N Reynolds lJatts StirÌin9 N Scctt husband il.

As vrill- be shown in later chapters, tire inclusion of ¡nen such as

Fi¡niss a.¡id Ha¡rs,rn in the r conservativer group 1853-5 'lvas not so inuch clue to their attitudes to liberal reJ'orm but to their rnemh'ership of the tÉlovcrïìnerrtr a-.Ld their official rminisierial-r status a¡d role. In the sessions of i:852 and. 185J, arrd esp,ecj-ally on the nomineeism c¡restion, the more consiervative group could muster a narron¡¡ majority 'out, by I9JJ, the elective rnembers, on the pai;terns of voting over the sessio¡t as o ntiofer

'nere fa-r more cohesive. Although 'uhere rJt'¿ì.S Sqrle evirlence of dif'ferences betv¿eerr ihe liÌlera.I a¡rd couservative efecteC nenùlers, the overal.l pictr.re v,¡¡ls clearly one of t¿,;overirnrentr VerSuS eleCtive rcpre;entatives.

Conc1,-ision

The accep'tance of the 1855 Constitution b;' the lnperial lovc-irrrilent rbafanced.r ¡-,rcvl

¡r,cvÉl'ruiler-rt, a systeli witich, in com¡,trisc'n uith conterçoraries, T,'âs l.cre::.kabfy liberal . Itrcy¡:ineei:¡rn hacl been r'ejected, rlr,cì ;,ì're bicatrtere-1 s;rstei:i includerL a 1o.,',er hour.e clected trier¡r:-ial-l-y by tìre secret ballot a¡d nal-c suffràge, ¿:nrf ti'rere r{as nc.propert.,i qrialifica.tions for niercbers}ip of eitÌrer hou¡e. The voter ouali-'ici.,tions fcr 'che Le¡1isla-tive Corrrrcil lvere r:,ased. ot': prcrlìcìrty'.rxi provirJerì.;;ira:t tire cor:.serwati.ves co¡rsidered to be a.

.rrecessa-ï"y' ba--Lance 1or lhe clenocrac;t of the /rsser^.rb1y.107 The parl-iarnerrt rmoneyl h¡:-d'uhe J)o1¡rer to defilie Llie pcrr'iels:.,ryf ç.rivileges of eacir house, bil-ls -¡,ere to originate irr ;r:.e Assanbl¡r, arrd ccnsti.tutional r'cfortr: ccufd bt a-cconp1i,:'ìled by art al.sol-ute rüa jority in both houses. CL.,l-cnial autoncriry 6E

haC been secrred.

'Io most South Austrafia.n histori-ans, v;hat follolred vias a long pr:riod of l'elative cuiescence. As Fike puts it,

For its rnakers t're constituti.on was ihe enrl of tÌ:.e roaC. Tlie ¡rrievânces they had nursedl since 18J2 had been Thev h¡id. ,I:e p.1s¡ t?rey had redreised.. of the Ia;:d; 106 cheeç, clocile laborir; they had their own govûrrrnent.

Or', in R. L. Reidrs lvorrls, the col-oni-sts lvere satisfied with thcir

aclrievement:

CÌvi1 and re1 igior:s l-iberty, as tÌrey understoorl these tcms, had been wcn. Church and. State v¿ere seÞarated. tr:anlood suffrage a¡d secret Ì:ailot v/erê rlrerl oro fn Adelaj-rie there might be a few protests from dis.qruntled extrernists, but the rol-d colorústsr r-;ere satisfied. lheir ri,-hts viere irrLìtect cÌ agairust the exter¡:al des.¡:otisn of Ïtresù¡linster; ttreir property safe¡1r,arded fron interrål despotisrn bj' a constitution unalterable v¡it-nout the consent of a Legislative Council elected. b.y the rrh'ners of property themselves. 109 tsut Lhcee vielvs tend to over-enrphal¡ise the iegr,;e of' satisÍ'action, and

to see sucli satisfa-ction as a. more vi-de--.r:,read ernoti-on the.n i.t actual-Iy wa. Piirt: hirns;elf notes that

iri A

end -ül-ret'e liere ois,.t'unt1e<1 ccnr ervatives v,tho s¿rw 'cire tiberality clf the

coristi.tu,tíon as a oenial- cf all tìrin¡¡s valua,bl,e. Senur,-:l Ðaven¡rort, for one, Jater 69,

reca-lled tne feelings of mortification he experienced at that period, througþ observation of the irdifference anC ignoralce displayed, and had he not witnessed it, he could not have credited. that, constitutíoi:al advisers, under the Ïlnpire of Great tsritain, especially of the law department, accountable to the public, the world and to posterity; alr<1, natr:rally, ttre ex1:,onents arrd. upholders of Britistr Constitutior¡,al History, - cc¡uld. be culpable of silent acquiescence, weak c inter"ested complialce, 'when the Legislature, at the dictatcirship of ti-ie uninfonned and heedless, rÍâs carrying a neasu-re fraught with alJ- the defects the harrd of authority has to guard agailst. Numercus ... have been tire ind.ications that this fine province will share no better fate, than other corununitiest which have transfered the representative power, without an equipoise, into the ha¡rds of the moËt numerous a¡d least instructed. 111

Such men were far from satisfied., and it was nct 1or¡g before the working men of Adelaide were to shc¡v¡ that they bad. expected. more in terms of political rights and povuer="112 Tj'.e constitution of 1855 was far from thc rend. of the roadr. It had been passed but not tested. It had pleased. mâr{y, but not all, arrd the first months of representative a;nd resl,onsible gov,:rnment in the colony r¡ere to sÌ:ow cl-early thst, fur frorn being solved, many of the issues of political representation had merely been postponed. lo

Egotnotes. ChaPter II 1. D. Pike, lE*i!.' P',97' 2. $!},, P. 411' 3. ¡94g9g, August æ, L851' Council V Pro GsE) ¡+. Sou Àu ve ' rP' (Varaon ard Sons, tr J. Blackett t Adelaide, 1 r P' M. Cain 6. D. Pike, ,F colony to 1851 see especia$r: For the olitical hist cít. E. Hodder, the th D. Pike, ; oDr Mars O., on o Tea¡ of i ts , nr¡.1-ss, onstituti Ei of , Àdelaide ,

7. Register. Àugust 20, L851' pâssim' fol a detailed alalysis of these 8. See F. M. Cainr -gq:li!'¡ ã-lv-J""to"aÍ ffi-s and efectoral laws' o Asuccessionofeclitoria]einmid.l85Ocalledforr¡niversalsuffragc' fortherecognitionthat|thepeopleweretheorrlylegítimatesourocwctrltt be best pourer, and that the resour""" ãf the -country of wagã-earning classesr developecl ty rrpì."eniat:-ves cirosen by the ' D. Pi.ke, -W:-9i!., P. l+17' 10. ster. JanuarY 9, l-851 . 11. Ði9., Feb:rrar¡r 7, 1851' of South 12. See J. B. StePhensont E1 1 Districts 1882, (9.1. Thesis, Ade e r PP'

13. Duetoar¡.¡mberoffactors,thelimitectreportsofsonemateri¿linrecæd's by fLrc and to the pressr-; to lúe destruction ol official longer il;il;i;. (See note to Appendix I) in¡ll¡¡1, some daia is no Inot Ñ.4.'is used throughort to denote avai]-abler ' 14. See D, . Pike, 9P.é!. jorrrney the central electoral 15. Including a fee of one shilling and a to office of the distrisb. 16. E. Hodder, l!:-gi!., P. 2lß. 17. Adel-aide Times; see especi'alIy March 1J, May 1' 1851' 1t 18. The oa¡rdidates marked. 't were the first i-nstanoes of long fâEÉIy associations with politic-ailli:8e ín South iiustralia. J. T. Bagot ïras a nephew of fo¡mer member C. H. Bagoi, a¡rd. Samtrel Davenport was the brother of former mernber Robert. For a discussion of some of the fanrily connections¡ see ,¡Politi-cs at State Level - South Australiat, er I)6J), PP. 117-9- 19. F. S. Dutton, for example, was not fully conrinced of the necessit¡r for the ballot in 1851, but vras one of the strongest advocates in L955. 20. 3g!g!95, September 1, 1,855, 21. tA fight took place in the booth soon after it was openetl. Sirby police were requisitioned. to keep older. But even this thi¡t blue line vras threatened, and soldiers were thei'eupon ambushed. in the vicinity. /it the end of a perfect clay, frcur a hotel baÌcorgr, Forster was declared. to be elected. In what a modern psychologist wou]d. call an effort to sublj-nate thej-r chagrin, the supporters of Fisher rushetl the balcor¡y, pulIecl d.cmn the Forster flagS a¡rd rent them to shred.s. With chagrin stiJ-l r,msubU¡natetl, they descend.ed on the crøcl w'ith sticks, stones and. chain-Iegs. Down went the foot-potrice before this attack. But, at the criticql r:rcrnent, tb Ccrnnrissioner of Police ttrre{r in his mou¡rted nên ¡ ¡ ¡ [wfrichJ had. a very salutory effect on the G.V. Porbus in The Centena-:nr liistory of Geograptr-ical Society, *aefaicter fg¡el p. 278. 22. In the 1851 Cor¡¡rcil there rrere ten pastoralist - land orisners a¡d. seven mercha¡rts (D. Pike, -P,.- cit. , p. 435) r a¡rd. four years later little ctrange had. occr:.med with ei-ght of the menbers primåri1y engaged as pastoralists, etgþt as merchants, anil al-l with some clegree of a I stake in the co1o4þr . 23. The capitals are usually grantett by the South Australia¡r Fioneersl ils,scciation on.J-y to irurigrants of 184O a¡rd. earlier. Using this iirnitatiqr, there were fifteen O]-d. Colonists in the 1851 Cor¡nei]- an1 fifteen in 1855. The add.ition of G. F. Angas, yrho arr:ived. in 1851 but was a for¡ndation plarueer, ard. R, R. Torrens who atrivecl in 1841 but who was also part of the original Corrpa:¡r, provides seventeen O1d. Colonists in the Cour¡ci1 of twenty for:r. We will return to their d.o¡nination of the early poJ-itical life of the Colorgr beIcm. 24. .l\" P.. Marbin, , (Oavia Douglas, Edinbr:rgþ, 1889), p. 78.

25. G. Greerrwood (ed.), , (Ângas and. Robertso Q5. 26. EÆ, t851, p. 6. 72.

27. Register, Au¡gst 21 , 1,851 . 28. Register (aeUates), Aur,ust 22, ì.851. 29. Ibid., October 16, 1851.

Jo. ïbid.

3t. Thi-s tern is used. to cleno'be t'ne for:r of'ficiar nominees who, with the Gov,-=irrnor, forrned. the colorgrr s Executive Council. As will be shown belour, this rgovernment' ivas not always united, and membership of it dld not imply agreement on coristitutional reform.

32. Register (aeUates), october 16, i.851.

13. D. Pike, op. eú., p. {64.

3ì+. SAI , 1852, p. 39. 15. Register (aeUates), October 1f+, 1852.

tó. At first sigÌrt, Dutton was ilI-fitted. to this radical- stance. Secord. son of an English diplomat, he travelled viidely, ard. in 18J! joined h-is brother Frederick in Syclriey f'rom where they both moved to South Austra-Iia, Francis in 1841 . I¡rederick becarne a wealthy pnstoralist, Francis a wealtlly merchant-entreprener.:r with interests in 1and. Frederick strengthened. his political conservatism, Francis I identified. h-i-¡nself with the urban r¿idicals frorn the startr, (D. pike, , p. 149) althougþ Pike sug¡;ests tirat this was ilre result of 1 arurlysis of the political cÌimal,e, ratl'rcr tllan a com¡nitment in principre. As Pike notes ( olr-cit. r p. æB), rwhire Dutton was alone in l,he field. 1851 he of'fered himself as inrleperrlent lin i 'bocarle an ard. unpledged; opposerJ, irc a charnpion of freedcnr.

)1.7- Register (OeUates) September 25, l;852.

38. The lack of a verbatim I Ha¡rsard.t v!',ls a probleni at times. The reporter rlismissed solne members vl-ith a terse I he spoke at cori lengthr , 1Þ4., August I+, 1851, art ol,hcr times members I explained their positiont, and on occasions, a degree of bias was adãed to the summarTr: Dutton rùpelt effectively on the perrúcious influence exercj-sed by squatter norn-inees in the color5r of victoriar, ibid-., August 6, 1853. 39. Register (aeuates), August 6, L853. 40. Ibid., August 4, 1851. +1 . rbid.. u2. rbid. l+3. rbid. 73 44. Iþ3. )+5. _ntig., and. see belcrw, Chapters UIII,' Jf. l+6. F.egister (aeUates) August 5, 1853. )+7. &¡9. , August +, 1.853.

48. JÞ¿9. 49. JÞ4. 50, Es¿, 1853¡ No. .1. 51. Register (aeUates) ,tugust t+, 1853. 52. rbid.. 53. IÞad.

5l+. Reported inBgg+gtgr, August 6, 1853. 55. Register (aeuates), August 6, 1853. 56. ESE, 1853, p.39. The th-i-rd readi.::g was carried. on sirnil¿r lines but w:ith Grainger, Davenport, EILis arrd. Tounghu^sband. absent. 57. åff, I85l+, p. 37. 58. Egt-þ .4g"jr+iel E}iga-e,lggg =gs=s, GÆÐ , 1854, No. 26. 59. S4IE, t854, P'73, 60. See G, W. Rusclen, , (Uetvitte, MuILen ancl S1ade, Mel-borrrne, 1897) ,

61, !-..,-:€, 185r+r P. 81. 62. Samuel Davenport in H. S. Chapnan, P?rliamentry_Govgsmen!, (Pratt and Sõn, Tasnania, fS5[) , p.Æ:** 63. The Ti¡nes, August )+, L854 expressed. concern that his appoinfue¡rt wouÏL leact the colorgr rto naturally begin to consid.er wrrether [t¡.y] .. ' coüld. d.o for themselves as well as Ìre ca¡r d.o for theurt . 6l+. Sotrth Australi-a¡r t Gazette, Âugust 17, 1855. 65. Desnatch , August 19, L855, 66. C. M. H. Clark, (engas ar¡l Roú 7+ b/. &ig. 69. Register (aeUates), October 7, !852.

69. See B. T. Fir:nÍss¡ !p!._eit.r pp. 277 ff , 70. Ibid..r pp. 28yl+.

71. Register, Febnra:¡r 2, 1.85't. 72. Resister (aeUates), october 7, i:852. 73. ., October 4, L852. 7l+. IÞig. 75. E€, J-:852, (Uorernber 12, no ranber). 76. Parliament Bill propo!*, ibid., rBDl, No. 33t serect cm¡rittee proposa-l, ibid.., No. 58,

77. /1, summarSr of results of th:ls census W, 1851. ?hat it was orrly an recognísed.: rThe poprrlation has increased. si¡rce lB51 abo¡t 11 per cent; but is believed to be very d.ifferently located. This reù{rq, therefore, can on-ly be tai

80. B. 1. Finrriss, ip!_cít., p. 2Jf .

81 voters requi-reil two years residence, a freeholrl_ estate of €2o, or a leaseholcl of €1o *nrygl value, on a salar¡r of slco, or be a gúaduate of a British university, a practitio¡¡er of the supreure court-or a minister of religiol. 7r.

82. !$$, l:815-6' P' )Ð' 21 22-' l.B55' 81. Register (aetates), Novembcr^ ' L855' 84. pig., DecéxnbeT 7,

85. I þact. 6t-t+' 29' 1855' and jAE' t855-6r PP' 86. ;., Nove¡nber 7'-6' 87. E$8, 1855-6: PP' oo November 22' L8'5' OO¡ Register (aeuates), 1855' 89. Ibid., December 6,

90. Ibicl. 91. lbid 2:7' No' 121' See noLes to Tabfe g?-. !SE, 1855-6' c)5. Ibid

9J+' Ibid. (aelu"tes) February 15 11856' 95- Rerd,ster , ' g6. Ibid.., l[arch 7, 1816' I\o' 121 97- EÆE, t85r-6' ' No' 15' March 7r l:856' and'EE' 1855-6' 98. Resister (aeuates), 3.856' oo Register (ae'oates) l'ilarch 7' cit'r PP' \26-41\-, t+:17-t+78. 100. D. Pike, 'oP' 101. Ibid. , P. )ß3. )+, 1853' 102. Resi ster (aetates), August discussion of data selection' 103- See Ctrapter VIII for a 76.

104. The session of 18f6 was excl-uded, as the Constitutional issue had been resolved, and ttre session l,ii s col'l.cernecl onJ-y with adninistration. the second session in l-.852.!¡¡¿is a special session of only one dqy caÌled. by the Governor to ratify the Bullion Bill and to I solver the financial crisis in the colorgr. In fact, ¿rs J. p. Stm' states in South Austral-ia (Govcrnment Printer, ÂdeIaide, 1881) , p. 97, the Act was in opposition to British l-aw a¡rd to Imperial instructions held by Toung. But the extraor'dinar¡r circumstances were fo¡nd, Iater, to corrd.one the passage of i,he Birl. see chapter$f for an analysis of a later case concerning rrepugnancyr of south Austral_ia¡r l-egislation, a case which v¡as to have wide effects. 105. See Chapter VITI for a ùiscussion of methodologr and terrninolory in cLetail.

106. Sçe Chapter \IIII, especially d"iagram Bt1J.

107. The property qualifications consisted of either a freehold estate of €50, ctr a leasehold of €20 per arurum, or occupation of a house of "820 a¡rnual val-ue.

108. D. Pike, op. cit., p. 4gO.

109. L. Reid, in S. R. Davis, Goverr:ment l. îhe of States , (Longmans, London, 1960), p

110. D. Pike, op. cit., p. 4gO.

111. s. Davenport, Remarks on Government, (D. Ga11, Aderaide, rg62), p. 12. 112. See Chapters X, XI. PART 2

THT STRUCT RESENTATIVE GOUERNIVIENT Chapter III Íhe tr'irst Session: Otd a¡til New kobl€ms

Âs we are not aware of argr questions ttrat r¡eed. necessariþ divicle the efforts of the Pa¡.Lianent, we rlaJr j.rduJ.ge the hope that the session will be ... a pleasarrt ard prrcf,itable orlß. Egg! , April 22, 1857 77 ïntroduction

Fræ the other side of the world., _Tþq_lon¿qA_ll-mgq sar the grantj¡Jg of representative Ëelf-government to South Australia as both splendíd. arrl anusir¡g, It was an

odd. position for a new corunurrity of risi4g trailewren, farrrers, cattle-breeilers, builclers, mectia¡rics, with a sprirrJcling of cloctors ard attorneys, to firid that it is sud.d.enly callect upon to fird hi-me Ministers, Cabi-nets, a Ministeria]- side, an Opposition sid.e, a¡d. all the apparatus of a Parliamenta:¡r Government - to a¡iyake one fine morrring and discover that this is no longer a color5r, but a nation, saddled with all the n:Ies and. tra&itions of the politica-l life of tl:e mother country. 1

But two factors soon emerged. to marr the hopeful pred.icti-or:s of most cqmentators, both of which were reJ-ated. to principles ard. applications of political representation. It soon became apparent that South ¡lustralia had not absorbed. the rn¡Ies and traditiorisr of the political life of

England, nor was it able to, for the nø social arrd poJ.i-tical envirorment had. placed. new constrictions on politicaL activity. lhe last session of the I hybrid.r Col¡rlci-l had- closed. on a note d optimisn, of satisfaction that a system of representative governnent, acceptable as a ccmpronise, had. been producecl. The first session of frrll representatj-ve gotr*"rt2 was to shqr that the solutions of \SSS-6 were but temporarSr, anl the questions about political representation wtrich òivid.ed. members in the oJ-cl Cou¡rcils prod.uceil even moæ conflict in the nø Parliament.

This chapter, then, has two purposes. The first is to outline the ways in which the issues of polibical representation, thought to be solved., were rai sed. egain and. re-solved., a¡rd to ir:dicate the extent to which the nem enviro¡roent engendered. new approaches to both tprocedurall a¡'¡d_ rfl¡nctionalr representation. The secor¡l derives frcm the fact that this 1< first session was a nicrocosm of ttæ follcmir¡g lr:rlf-centrrry of co].onia.]- self-goverr¡ment. The 1857-8 session vrras but one of forby-ni-ne in the pre-Federation period., but the political lif'e of the colorgr in this brief periocl saw guestions of political representation raísed which were to recuir contirually. These includ-ed. such aspects as uhe apparent instabiJity of governurents, a dcui¡a¡t feature cf coloniat politice life ard especially so in South Australia, the bewild.ering assortment of apparently fluid, legj-slative groups ard alignnents, a pattern which changed. only sl-ightly until the decad.e of the rrrineties, the corrflicts betrreen the Houses, a:d. the arguments over elections and electoral systems. Each of these major themes of political representation ard. thei:r applicati-on i:n South Austra-lia are discussed in d.etail in the folJ-owing chapters, but the genesis of each was in the first session of representative goverruaent, a^rf, in the constj-tution whict¡ lay at the base of the system.

Each of, these themes was raised. in the first session. None of the questions was fina]-ly solved, Sqne were ignored. as far as possible, others were shelved after disqussion had. shc¡wri there was no ìnmeùiate solution and. some were ternporarily resolved. by a¡r r-rnsteady comprørise.

In e¡ich case, the activities of a nelv legislative bod¡r a¡rcl its members, often separate from the I nrJ-es a¡rd. traðitior¡sr of Englard, played. a major rolel the d.ebates over issues of political- representation rrere chan¡relled. to varying clegrees, by the strictures ì-mposed by'uhe qnique

Legislative Cor¡nqiJ-.

The follc¡wing analysis of this first session includ.es a d.iscussi-on of the elections which produced. the representatives, the ir,rmed.iate problerrs of legislative ÌiJe arrd especialJ¡r the instability of the goverrrnents, ard. the relationship of the two houses whlch lay at the base of most of 11 the proble¡ns faced. Ti,e chapters which foAlsw take these issues up ín more depth over the coJ-onial period. as a whole. the First (,eneral Elections

At the time of the first general electiorrs of 1857, South AustraLia 'was a sm¡ll a¡d. relatively undeveloped. colorgr.J A poprrlation of þ91917 had. available a meagre thi-rty-two ¡niIes of railways, rrinety-six niJ-es of main roads, 11O post offices, trrelve telegraph stations ser:rriced. by ninety-ùwo rri-les of wire, 291+ cirn:rlches a¡r¡1 16J pubaic schools for /rl8o scholars. In fina¡rcial tenns, the 181/ revenue 'was Êì+551211, with an e4perrditr:re of 85381213 arÈ a consolidatecl public debt of Ê597r7OO. hjnÞry ind.ustries d.o¡nir¡ated. There were 2JJr965 acres u¡der production of wh-ich nearly three-quarters grem wheatrancl just over two million sheep grøzeð. on the squattersr runs. TlooJ- and. minerals accounted for sixb¡r percent of the value of e4ports, although J-ess than one percerrt of the

1ar¡1 of the colorgr had. been sold. The population tvas a reflex of this pattern of developnent. More thårl haljf of the total- worldorce of the color5r was engaged. in agricul-tural pr.rrsuits, although the ernbryonic metropolitan area was developing rapid.4r.4

tr'rorn such a society stas drann the members of the first parlianent ald., what was of more concern to the conser¡¡ati-ves, the first electorate.

Adult maf-e suffrage for the House of Assembly had. been granted., but this was not to say that it was acceptecL by all. Hdd.er, for one, was convinced. that

the power of goverrring was placed., by rrrriversal suffrage, in the hanos of those who not only possessecl the snal]-eåt stake in the color5r, but were the leasù intelU-gent., to

But the electorz-1 systm had. been set, albeit temporarily, a:r"d. attention tr¡rned. to the natr:re of the aspiring representatives. For the first tÍme, the principles and practices of ffi¡nctionalr representation were fuJ-l¡r d.ebated., and. ü-ith foir prececlents to guid.e them, the ca¡rdidates, their supporters, the public and the press put forward. wiews which were to set a pattern for the debates of the future. Concern was expressed about the rfitrressr of those who sought a seat in parlianent, a-nd. while the solutions varied widely in nature and intensity, some corunon thernes can be id,entified..

lhe Legislative Cor:nci1, apparently had special ¡rer.equisites. As the ReEisten put j-t,

. .. because Ï[i]-l-iam lonkins or Sa¡nrel Jones are very good. village blacksniths, it d.oes not follcm that they are rrfit ard. proper persor:srf to represent the colorgr in Parlia¡nent. lTe say - to represent the q"lgj[i they might, thougþ in hr:mble life, be quite fit to represent thej:r cnrn nei-ghbor:rhood., . . r But hor car. au. obssi:re vilJ-age shopkeeper or outlying operative possess the confid.errce of the ColorgÊ ,.. as each canðidate for the Upper House has al-I the electons of the Colony for his co¡rsti- tuency he opght to be more or less lsrolvn to the colorSr generaÌly.'

And" the d.ebates over the tspecial naturet of members, flowirrg frcrn the single-province system, were to continue for the following twenty-five -7 years.' Tlihat, in fact, was a rfit anil properl person to sit i¡i the new parliainent? Sqne carrdid.ates who had. alread.y sers¡ed. the oolorgr j.n the t hyUria¡ co¡:ncil were conwinced. that they were of the mouJ-d., John Baker put his appeal in the correspond.ence colunns of the press: Ct Gentlernen, Havirg for margr years clevoted. a cor:sidereble proporÈion of nly time to the publíc, at mrch pecunia:ry sacz'ifice, I have la.tely looked. forward. to a seat in the ISæslatiVe Counci]-r âs J.ike1y to relieve me for a ti-ue frcur so active a political J-ife as heretofore, atd. to afforil that leisure for concentratir¡g nV aJfai¡rs which l fird' to be nsc€ssar¡r o.o If ..r ¡rolt consid.er that I ¡¡ay be^of ser¡¡ice .., I shal-J- be happy to receive your votes. ö

The ctrstcm of I callj,ngr pro'ainent men to canèidature by publio notices, usr:alIy w:ith a J-ong adderdum of those who offeretl support9 thtror little

Iíght on the eiteria of fitness, for they were usually couched. i¡r general and hi-ghly compli-menta:¡r terms. R. R. Torrens was caIled. by a rrumber of colorrists who,

... adffiri4g your honourable a.¡rd. irrdepend.ent cha¡acter and- spirit, holùi+g likewise ín high esti-mation your politioa-l integrity, judgernent and- ability, lceow:ing al.so that fem persons¡ i¡r South Australia possess more co]-onia]. or legislative e>çerience tha¡r yourself, feel d.esirous of secr¡ring your able a¡rd. well tried. selcr:-rces.r, 1O

One problem was that nar¡y canùLdates, ald especially those stard.ing for the Cor:ncil, d.isd.ained. use of the press and. T. S. OrHal1orarr, for one, clearly rejected the idea that arly publicj.ty is good plbJ-icity. Follovning a¡: advertisement in the 4glgtrl calling for support for OtHalloran, gsf,|r::" l-¿r:rd. a¡rd. Evera:¡cl as I the only three fa¡merst , he countered- with the adver'üisenent that rwith the foregoir:g... I have nottring to ilo, it harring been INSERIÐ WITHOUT MT KI\Ð-ïrIiÐcE OR .APFROVAII,I1

Ca¡rùiciates fon the Asse¡bly were equally reticer¡t, a trerd. epítomizect by the published. appeals of lVilliam Pearce; t cj-tj-zen electors, r have offered. nyself frm prrre and. patriotic motives, r a:n irid.epend.ent of patror:age arrd. placer , a-ni[ of W. Parkin; î¿

Elect me or reject me, I shal-J- be satisfied., having conscientiousJ-y ðischarged. a public €luty bg^Sivir\B you arr opportunity of usi-ng yor:r votes- t¿

To lllilliam Bakerirell in Barossa, it rvas a matter of J-ogic.

If you wa¡rt shoes mad-e you go to a shoemake¡; If you want pilJ-s made you go to a ilootor; If you want lav¡s m-ad.e you go to a lawyer - 0f course. C1eerl¡r Fo. Vote for Bakevvell. 15

Fitness for office, to one corespondent, includ-ed

necessarïr qualiiies of tnrth... honoì:r .,. integrity ... Iiberal education ..r sourd practica-l jud.gernent ¡ ¡ r rn€ârrs suffi-cientþ anF1e ... wortÏgr of the highest trust, 1+

towh.ictrth"@ad.d.ed'thecorrrnentthatfitnessl1ikebeaut¡rorvirtue, is rather to be instinctively jud.ged- of rather th¿¡r litera11y d-efined.'.15 The resuft was a vagueness arrd generality of the campaign r¡rLri:h brought the Register to the point of despairing

that a consj-derable rn:mber flof opiniots] couched in terms so vague and general as to rend.er"r. it Ímpossible to say what line of policy wil-J- be adopted. by the new Parlia.rrent. Scme honourable me¡nbers are pled.ged to pronote the best j-nterests of the Colorgr; others are co¡rm-itted. to a carefr:l and. d.ispassionate examination of all questior:s brought before then; whiJ.st a few more a-re prepared. to d.o, in politica-l mattersr as they woul-d. be done tnto. From such corrfessions of faith, r¡e ti]ay have much to hope, but we fi-nd Iittle to learn. 1b

In the fir¡al arulysis, however, tfitnessr was d.ecid.ed by the electors

rather tha¡r the press, ar¡l the pol1s favoured. the cand.id.ates who had. been me¡nbers of the ttìybridl council. All twelve of the forrner Cor:neillors

who stood for the Assembly v¡ere elected. arrd. orr-1y Peacock of the ten who stood. for the new lregislative Cor:noil was defeated. g3

Tab1e.. J¡1 sumnarizes the results of this fi-rst election, and. the read.er is referrecL to Appendioes I-.V, and. to the Introductory Note to these for the fuII detail-s of results of colonial elections. 6+

TaþIe 321; ¡-. Sr,:mer¡r of resrrlts of f,egislati-ue ccu¡stl E1ec-bions t 1857 .

Succe s sf ul candlivåtg;s Def eat ed Ca¡¡Ëtid.ate s ft Votes t6 T.S.0rIfAli[0R,AI\[ 31499 5.2 1. Iripson 2rO72 3.1 J. BAfiER 3rl+75 5.2 D. SutherLard, 2rO53 t.1 IY,TOIUWHIISAND 3 J4'6f: 5.2 IÍ. Peacook 2rO1+3 3,.1 J. MoRPHSHT 31339 5.0 P. Butler 1r9æ 2.8 E.C. mrNNg 3r27t+ 4.9 A. IÍar{.y 11876 2.8 A. FOR.SIER 3rN9 ,{..8 H, À Wig1ey 11545 2ô A. SCOTT 21897 I+.3 E. Solcmon 11393 2.'l E. SgLRr;[Ne 21855 I+.3 S. Stocks 11361 2'O w. scoT:l 2r81rt l$, H.B,T.Stra¡rgways lr33Z 2.Q J. H. FISIER 21717 l+.1 e. IIAI¡I¡ 21676 I+.0 c. H. BAGOT 21757 3.9 Totals: 66 r8Ð+ tOO H. ¡ S 2rfr7 3.9 S. DAVENPORÎ 2t1488 3,7 A. H. FRmI¡INe 21473 3.? c. DA\':[ES 21363 3.5 e. F. aNGA,S 2rt16 315 c. e. EVERARD 21177 3.3 t5 e SE  on^s¡, a UncontesteËl districts East Torrens c" BoNNgg, G. M. 1¡fATERIIOUS F]-ind.ers M. McDffiMOTT G¡¡meracÏ¡a a" BLTTIi, A. IÍAY Lisht J. T. BÂGOT, C. SIÐLE:r Murray D. ïfÁRI( Victoria R. R. I,EAT{E Contested Distriots .ODEJAIDE Votes rÁ IVOARüUNGA Votes fi R. R. TORRENÍS 12o8 16,O r. TOUNE 232 )+1.7 R. D. ITAI\IE¡ON 1179 15.6 H. trITEDRÐ 181 32.6 F. J. DTJITON 11t+5 '15.2 A" Anderson 1¿+3 25.7 B. T. FINMSS 1103 1l+-6 MT. BÁRKM J. B. NEAIiES y59 12.7 1T. H. BURFORD 6n 8',2 F.E.H.W.ßRTOTîÅU¡E 552 54.1+ P. B. Coglín H3 5.5 J. DT]NN 332 32.1+ W, Parki¡r 325 4,3 R. B. .And¡er¡vs 183 17.9 I[, Pearce 31o 4.1 A. Irori¡ner 1r8 11.5 E.CJførershaní 272 3.6 Il. Pattersc¡n t9 j.8 PORT ¿DEI¿triDE

J. TIART 281 h4.5 3t3 36.1+ J. B. HTIEHBS æ3 t2.2 317 3l+.7 A. F:¡ance 1t+7 23.t 264 2g.g

TEST TORRETüS L. SCAI4MEËL 27+ 39.1 1æ 39.7 J. W. COLE 168 2l+.o 128 31.o M. Smith 139 19.9 7t 17.2 R" L. Mi-lne 6 9.6 5l+ 13.1 J. White 59 8.4 IÍ{TAI¡A J. HARJIÉY 213 2l+.9 \o6 36.3 c. s. IlåRs 2'|.1 22.5 337 n.1 J, Umpirerstone 181 ''19.5 220 19.7 W. H. Maturi.:r 180 19.2 155 13.9 J. Ragless 116 12.1+ P. Mc0a:ron 16 1.7 STURT G.S ,Ér 31.o M. I, 37t+ a+.1 272 37.o E.J 3t+3 22.1 168 22.9 G. Hawker 267 17.2 1n 16.3 IÍ. G¡¡bbins 88 517 89 12.1 86 11.7 s6 The Resister, for o:re , was appalJ.ecl by the ì-ocr levels sf ù.¡rnout -the at the elections, by the 55.* for the Assenbi-y' aú, J6,.&/o for CorncíI, These fÍ-gures could

be accor-mted. for onJ-y on the supposition of senti- ments u¡Éavc¡¡rable to the r:npropertied. classes. If the i:rtelligence of the cor.rrtry d.oes not lie with those who are in possession of a property qualificatior:., it woulð. seern that rnrch of its p"fiticaf at least inheres "rr"íry, in that cLu."".17 But, while the criticisn of the gene:ra11y 1or tr.¡rnout hacl sqne basis, the crÍticisn of the lunproper*ied. olassesr was less well-fot¡¡d.ed.. IÍhen the l-imitations of the electoral syston are taken into cons:-aerationl! then the turncut for the two Houses was on]-y s]-ightly ùiffe"rrrt.19 Tb€ Ìrigh level of irrformal votes a-1so brought crit5.sim, for 775, rrearlr¡ 14 of the 5t717 Guncil voting papers were rejeoteil by retur:eing officers. For the Asseurbly, the rnea¡r inforrnal vote in the distrj-cts whcre this inforznation ÌMas published. lcas J.fr. ,tt least part of the cause of thís high 1evel of inforrna-l voting was the method. of votir:g itself. rhe electors in ISJJ were required to cross out the riames of the ca¡rd.id¿,tes they did gg! wish to be elected. a¡d leave r:¡unarkecl the car¡lidates thq¡ supported.. In most Assembly contests this provided. littIe difficrilty, as .r;;r ílames were required to be crossed. out. On-ly in the distriat of Ailelaid.e, with ten cand.idates arÌd six to be elected. was the voting process at all complicat dr2o but in the Council election the voter was faced rith a more conplex task. He was requÍred. to pe:rrse the list of twenty seven candida.tes anl erase ni-ne to provid.e a fr-rJ-l use of [is fra¡rch.ise.

Inerçerience, and the cornplications of the ballot clearly had. effects.

The right to plump gave voters the right to sutrtport one candid.ate to the exolusi-on of a-11 others, regardless of the nrmber of vaca¡rcies. tZ this p}:mp cor¡nted. fø one vote onl¡r. It effeøbive\r reduae,å, the voting lpcmerl of the elector and. prorid.ed. a¡r advarrtagc for the ca¡iclid.ate plumped. for, as it preolud.ed. his rivals fron support, a fact whictr came u¡rcler considerable eriticism fbcun d.efeatecl cand.idates. Plunping 'was more prevalent in the Assembly than i:r the Cor-¡ncil contests where interd.ing p}.:mpers were faced. ïrith the task of orossing out trrrenty six of the tvrenty seven nanes. As well, the r¡atr-¡re of the Cor¡nci1 election, in whioh a r¡¡mber of proninent colonists víed. for support, compared w'ith the more persor:aI contests amor€ three or fou¡ ca¡rdid.ates in the smal-Ier Asse.rrbþ districts, also accounted for a lwer 1eve1 of p}:mping for upper house ca¡idid.ates. 0n the other ha-nd., even the lovrr proportion wtro:: plum¡led,,

7.4 of t]ne Lfi)P foll¡¡al Cor¡ncliL voting papers, cor¡ld have had. a marked effest on the overall r"s,rlts21 voters who plumped. used. orÈy one of their eighteen rvotest, and. in the Cor¡ncil elestion there were ]¡68 plumpers, or 61256 rvotesr u:nrsed.. with onry 2161 vo'bes separatir¡g the totrr of the ballot fron the least popular cand.idate, arrd a mere 105 separatÍng the successft¡-l from the tlefeated., the f\rlt use of the fra¡rcirise could. well have va.nied. the results, In the Assenbly contests ph:nping was i+-id.ely used., a¡d or¡er one thj-¡¡d. of the voters excludeiL al-I but one carrdid¿te.22

the cornbination of these vo}:rrtar¡r aspects of the elections, aïd. the t first past the postl method. of counti:rg the votes prowicled- a sitr:ation where no eleoted. member i¡r a contested. seat coul-d. claim a¡r absolute majority. The highest i¡rdividua-]- po11 was the À4.5 percent of votes to John Hart ín Port .Ad.elaide while, on the other end. of the sca_le, the splitting of the votes in Yata-1a brorgþt the sitr¡ation where the conrbi:red. tg su¡rport of both el-ected. members stil.l feLL short of a¡r abeolute 6ajority.

In the six.+ember d.istriot of $.cleraid.e, If . II. tsurfor¿L ras elected. on the basis d 8¡e percent of the votes, whlle the greater f.ragmentation

in the Legislative Gor¡ncil elections a'llowed. C. e. Everarrl to wj¡ a seaü with a mere 3.3 percent of the tota-Ì foJms-l votes.

The first general elections proved. to be costly to the ta:qrayers.

lhe official report to the parliamerrt shØed that a total of â1OrQ+7-1lFg

was spent on the preparation for arrcl the nrr¡laing of, the poIls. The cost of revision of rollsr registration of voters ard checki:rg of propect¡r querllfications for the Legislative co¡r¡øil was over €l+rooo, ard. the

expen¡es of the election itself constitutecL the reu,"i¡rd.or.ã No anaJ¡rsis of the costs to the oanclidates is possible, as it was not r;¡rti]

L893 ttrøt expenses were ljmited. by stahrte, a¡d. car¡d.idates rnere regulred.

to J,od.ge a retu¡r,.

the afte¡rnath of the trnILs was harsh on those enrolIed. adult mal es w?to had. not exercisecl thei:r råght to vote, a¡rd eve¡r harsher on some who had. no oppontunity to èo so- U¡rd.er the prorisions of the original

IÌleotoral Act, those who had. registerecl but had. not votecl were to be stn¡d< off the roI].s. The llgrbridr cor:¡rcil had. accepteil t]ris clause to lessen the o¡rportr:nities for cor:rrption, ard' especially to bloclc the possibility otr votes cast in the nar¡es of d.eceased., but stiIl regístered el-ectors. But the way in which this clause Ìras alptied. ís harder to t¡¡ld.ersta:rd, Ðd was not officlally e:ç]-airn ù. As a result of the purges carried. out, sqrie eleqüora-l roll-s were d.eoi¡nated.. Of t]¡e 121230 voters er:rolled in the contested. Assembly districts, BrZ55 h*d. applied fon voting certifícates a¡d 61877 had. actr¡aLþ votecl. A to-i;al of t+r613 E1 of the original enrolmenls rqere stnrclc off . But in the uncorrtested tðutyi ùistricts where enroIIed. voters had no opportr:ni,br- to exercise their r lr7OB of the lr3OZ enrol.lecl electors were stmck offr4with some r¿r.ther ludicrous resuLts. In three r-¡¡rcontested. districts the p'urge ïvas so severe that enroL¡nents dropped. in Mutray fron 1O5 to thirty three, in Víctoria frcx¡ 322 to forty nile, while of the 355 in Fli-nd.ers only three remained. Such a¡ror¡alies were exacerbated. when Chief Secretar¡r Fi¡niss pointed out that r¡¡der the existing Ac+ all vrho were enrolled in uncontested ðistnicts should have been strr:clr off.25

There were clearþ shortcomings in the electora-l system, h¡t lprocedural-r representation r,¡as d.ebated. orrly briefly i:r the fi^rst session, partly due to the fact that the question of the relations of the houses d.crninated. ]-egis]-ative activitSr. The disinfYanchisement clause, hcmever, could. not be posþoned ård it wâs repealed. by an arnencli.ng Bì1l on

Septerrber 8. But th:is was, J-n fact, a rninor aspect u.f the 8i11, a¡d. a supplementarSr cJ.ause opened a spirited. if brief d.ebate on questions which had been thorght settled jrl 1855, br-rt which were to dominate not onl¡r the first session, but the colonia1 period. as a whole. The goverrrnent of the c4' ti¡re''" proposecl to overcqne the obvious e{pense of activati+g the entire machÍ.:rerXr of the colorgr for Cor:¡rcil by-elections by dívidir¡g the province into six ctivisj-ons. As will be shown in Chapter IV, such proposals were rejectecL by the Cor¡noil urrtil 1882, but on ttrls occasion it failed. even to pass the Assembly. À majorit¡r agreetl with Re¡mold.s that it would be haruful to introduce elenents of tloca-l representationr into the Cor,rrciJ, a¡rd. the second. readi-ng was d.efea+&..zl A seoond attenpt by R. R. To¡rens to strbdivid.e the Prorrince, thi-s tjme into síxteen divisions, passed. narrow\r, d-espite strong opposition on the gror:nds that the Cr¡:¡cil twor¡ld. ?o no longer be iad.eper¡d.entr ard t¡¡at shor:ld. it represerÉ, ^Ðrd. be erected by, the rgeneral bodyrr2S but lapsed. or'" r techrricurity2? But,

as Chapter \[[ ïri11 shcm, it was not long before the rnierws of this najorit¡r

of .A.ssqnb1y møbers who stood. tn¡e to the ¡n:r¡roses of the original

electoral schme were totally reverse,cl.. Ard the genesis of this charrge of mind. was i¡r the legislative activit¡r of the Cor¡nqi1 in this first session, a faotor to which we wiIL retur:e.

As noted. above, there was little in the electoral addresses of the successful ca¡rilid.ates on which to base even general-isations about attituiles

to poli-cies a¡d. issues, but it was clea¡ that the representation of th.e people was in the hand.s of leading colorrists and- nen of property who had. wiile anil settlecL interests ín the prouince. Despite rathe:" sketclry biographical materiat abcut some of these early representatives, oertain general attritn¡tes ca¡r be j-d.entified.. In opposition to what ís generâlly assr:med. to be a pattera of al-1 early coloníal parliano:-.ûs, So.rÈh Australia was not rmled by the squatters ín Jl857.n Cor¡nercial a¡rd. manr¡faoturing interests pred.ominated.. 0f the twenty eight menbers of the r\sserrb\r whose rruuin occtrpation cor¡rd. be id.entified, sixteen were merchants, manuf¡:.ch¡rers a¡d. brokers, fíve were professional men - a docton, furo lalryers a¡ld' two architects, and. there were four fa¡mers anô or:e vígnercr in the House. The place of birth of fíve members is r¡nlarøtrr, but given the onigins of the rernaining mei'rbers it can be assumed. that most were bøa in Britain. On-ly F.E.H.Tf. I{richar¡ff (eennarry) and. ¡¡sü.¿se Dea¡r a¡ld C. S.

Hare (arnerica) brolce fYom the pattern. of the twenty seven members whose migratíon to South Australia was verified, sixteen hact arrived, i¡1 the colorgr before Bllo, a¡rd. J. T, Bagot was the latest to arrive in 1g50, qt These patterrns of British origin a-nd. earl¡r arz'ival in the colory

'i.ere er,ren stronger in the first Legislatiu. Co.rt""'o31 All but f¡,r:r of the Cot¡¡rcilJ.ors hail sat in a rl5rbriill Council, seven as norrínee me¡nÞers.

And the upper hc¡urse u¡as even more a house of settled. property. The large Iarrd. cm¡rers gravitated to the cha¡rÍ¡er they had. helped. d.esign as the protector of thei-r property, althotrgþ they were well- shorü of a majoríty.

It should. be noted, a¡rd. a later chapter will return to this question, that nargr of these early mernbers whose inain occtrpation was il:r the cønnerqial- area aJ.so held interests in land., anl it would. be e4pected, then, that the Cor:ncil wor¡19 be protective of property, ald. especially of n¡¡m.I prop"fry.32

It was in terms of resid.ence of members where there 'viras a marked. simiJarity between the two Houses, one whj-ch to scme d.egree denied. one of the principles of the origi-nal electora]. systeuo. During tLe d.ebates on the ]:85Ñ Electoral Bill fears had. been expressec chat thc. six-memben district of .Adel,aid.e would. provid.e an over-representaticr¡. of the settled. areas. What was need.ed, i t v¡as argued, was more representation frc¡n the outlSri-ng ereas, more representatives who would. be in constant contact lrith a¡rd. a.-irer:ab1e to the problems of the n¡¡z-l population. In fact, the election produced- two Houses vhich, in ta:rns of resid.ence of menbers, could. hard.ly have been f\:rther from the ai¡n. Of the thirty six Assernbly me¡obers twenty six uere pernanent residents of what was becorring the metropolÍ-tan area arrd. only six v,¡ere pemranent country d.vrrlle:s. 0f the four unid.entífied., occtrpations point to Adelaid.e resid.ence of two, making a total of twenty eight metropolita¡r resid..ot",33 0f the eighteen Legislative Cor-¡ncíl members onJ.y two were perma¡rent corrrtrSr residents. q> But, even if forty for:r of the fifty forr representatives were fucm'

Ld.el¿.icle ar¡d. its subr:rba¡ wiJJages, the feared. clluination of the oolo4r by the settled areas àid. not eventr¡ate for, met'ropo1ítan residents

Althorgh even contdnporaries !Íere baffJ.ed by the dearth of clearþ- stated opinions in pre-election addresses, the Egggler òid' point prouôly to wÏrat it called. the lconso¡¡ative naturet of the elected members.

,.. Alf r¡e ncr!Í require is to _99!9_915¡9 or.¡r Ínstitutions and. carrSr out their essential prinoj.plesr... 0rr reviewing the lists of both Houses v¿e think it is probable that a workable-Einistry nlght be constnrcted' out of either Cha¡nber. ),

In general terrns, this editoríal caugþt the cr.¡:rerrt of popular opi:riont for the most widely e4pressecl opinions shcmed. satísfaction that tdenocrac¡fl hacl at last been attained. But it was marked.ly incorrect in its preùictions of stable government.

æÀn Unstable Besinni¡,s

By October 6, 1857 , the Hquse of Assembly had met on fifty six clayst yet only two Bil1s, both of minor importance, hacl passd througþ the parliarnerrt. On the other hard., tbere hail been consj-derable activity ort two other legislative froçrts, both of which hail played. a majon role Ín slonÍng the process of goverrment busi:ress, a¡rd we will retr:¡n below to the part the T,egislative Council played in this. At this point we are concernetl with the fact that after fifty six da¡rs of sitti:rg there had

been four separate n-inistries and that fiftee¡r of the thirty si-x members of the Assenrbly had. occtrpied. a seat on the treasurlr benches" The st4ge QI hacL been set for South .ô.ustra-l-ia to achieve the dubi-ou-s distinction' -bhe by 1B9O of being the most admi¡ristratively r:¡s'tal.l;e of Àustralia¡:. co]-onies.

ChronologicallJfr the charrges were! B, T. Fj$rlsst rninístry resigned.

on August 10, but held. office for adrrj¡ristrative gr4poses for a fi.¡rther ten days; John Bakerts was formed on August 21 but was d.efeated on Àugust 26 on the second d.ay it faced the .ê.ssernbþ; R. R. Torrens faced

parliament for eleven d-ays arrd. was clefeated. ard. a censure motion on

Septerdcer 2J; and R. D. Hanson, whose ninistry remaj¡red in office for the remaind,er of the first parliament. ïle will- retr-rn in Chapter VTÏ to the

patterns arrd. causes of coLonial instabilty over the period. as a whole,

but the char:.ges in mi-nistry in J:857 aye of importance as thel- oerived fbom aspects of I functio.nal.t representation, the effects of which were not foreseen by the constitution planners.

South Australiar s first responsible minisiry was a tran^siti-ona-ì- one,

constitutiona-lþ ard. politicalJ-y. The Firuaiss rrinistry, composed. in the

ma1n of members of the former rgovernmentr in the thybrid.f CouncilrJÇ *U

been appoi-nted. by Gorernor MacÐoru:e1l six months príor to the formatic¡r of the ':arliament to which it would. be responsible, To Fj¡lrriss, the members of tbis first mi-rristry

looked. on themselves especially as the asserbors and maintainers of parlia.urentary priwileges, ald. as the guardians of the popular rigþts of self-go,rernnent, 37

but this role, a¡rd. the uri-n-istry itselfl, lras soon tested. by the Governor

arrd by the parliament. The rninistry was in a void between two polj-tical

pressures. the old. Executive Cor:ncil had. been e>çected. by the Governor

to support Ìris policies althougþ, as yras shcnrsrr above, it d.id. not always q+ d.o so, ar¡d Gcvernor MacÐor¡rell i¡rtend.ed ttris relaticrship to contj-n¡e il the new constitutiona-l and. politi-caI enrriroryrìî.1i, .È.s Fin¡rlss states,

MacDonne]-l

sotrgþt to irnpose h-is persona-l policy on the first rni.:eístry on the grourd- that being preriousþ identified. with it they were consistently bcund to foJ.lc¡w up his exesutive action as Govemor of a Crown Color5r with i-¡nfi:nited. pçrwers.... MaeÐonne1l could. not èivest h-i¡nselP of the id.ea that he was the responsibJ-e heacl of the administratÍon, a-nd- that his porers had sr:ffered. no diminutiqn und-er the operation of the Constitution Acü. He used everTr mearìs whictr bis position gave h-im to wea-ken the effect of Responsible Goverruent,.. terded. to emesç¿]ate Responsible Goverrment arrl t¡ftimately lecl to a åivid.ed. Cabi:ret, which was what he seens to have ajmed. at, acting on the n¡arcim well- larown to ItDivid.e ki4gcraft, et imperafl . r r so as to r¡ake the Government the servants ... 3e

But pressr,¡re flcrn above was not the onl¡r problecn. The mi:ristry mernbers themselves were a¡r unstable mixture, workable in the situatis¡ of a ncutd¡ee Ïxecu.tive Cor;ncil, but u¡suited. to a uinistry in the new enviror¡- ment. Tonens ar:d Davenport had. mad.e no secret of their conserrative, even TorSr wiøs, a¡rl in compar-ison Ha¡rson rras a rad.ica-l-. Finniss himself Ìras an able adni.:nistrator, but rather out of place in practical politics, as events were to shcm.

Rüa.ours of mì¡risterial æisis were voiced. even before the session began, a¡rd the Register had moòÍ;fied. its early optimim in its vienr that ta degree of r:ncertaixty attend.s the rrinisterial ca^reerr.59 îhe goverrrnentls programme, encqnpassirrg proposals on Lar¡i. tra¡.sfers, furnigra- tíon, roads and. railw4ys, tariffs a¡ld, postal serîvíces, pror.Éses to mod.if! the grow'ing prblic school system, the eleotoral laws a:rd the admi¡ristra- tion of justice Ìvas one which. Finrriss hi¡nself admitted. I corrld. scaroel¡r be carrj.ed into effect in its entirety by the möst practiced Assenb\y' rÐ "rru ql tl"e Asse¡:bly gave it ]-ittle cbartce. Th5::1y-veil-e,J- th¡eats aga-inst the mirÉstry were voiceil on the second. day of the scssiotr4l a¡d afte;i: íts d.efeat on three naJor bills in one week in August, Fil:riss gave up tlre effort ald resigned. hls ad:oi-:tistration.

The Register had correctly ana\rsed. the situation earlier.

... [W"] regret that or:r present Go¡e¡:ment shorld. have, apparentþ, so strar¡gely overlooked. the i¡revitable tend.ency of potrxrlar representation. Mirristers should. have assurecl thenselves of their supporters ¡,¡ We have no heaven-born trli¡risters in So¡th Australía; we ca¡¡rot look for them ... our responsible Minísters must not despise the or"d.inar¡r means of acquiring arrl retaining the support of their party in Parliamerrt ... for where there is no previous r¡rrd.ersta¡d.i¡g there wiIL be no assured. support ... oD the part of those who ma¡r wish to tneasr¡re strength rrith a¡:. ad¡nirristretiør j-ts that works rra¡r in solemr¡ soleanrrit¡r, irrespect-ve , of party tend-encies, a¡ìd. regar¿lless of party support. %'^

The govenønent was tsurprS-sed. to find. measures rejected. whicti they hoped. l*5 a¡rd. believed. wor¡ld. be carried t ur,¿ certainly d.icL no'! :xpect poficy bÍLls to be ilefeated.+ Fi¡¡riss lirrveigþed bitterly against the oppositionr, ard. claimeÉl the I factuousr beÏ¡avio¡r of the house I had. d.ishonestþ interpreted. the conduct of the Govorr¡nentt.Þ But Fi¡rriss a¡d. ltis ninistry, J-ike MacÐorureJJ, had. not u¡rderstood. the nm envirorment. There was no evidence of a stable majority support for the rninistry, especia-lþ one ttainteclr by its norni:ree bacþro:nd, arrd the Asserobly had give¡r warning earJ-íer of its f1uid. o^u.t*u.6 In the final arralysis, Finrriss hacl to face the fact that, as J. B. Hugbes put itrLT he could. tno longer expect contj¡ued. cor¡fid.encel , arr1 that t therc was no means of neeti:rg that difficuJ.ty but by the resigr:ation of the mi¡ristæsr.Æ

There was no i¡sneùiate replacement for the Finrriss nr-irristrXr. There vras no d-cmi¡ant cpposÍ-tiorr leader, let alorre a I shadcm cabj¡ett preparetl ,. Qø to move onto the treasur¡r benches. there was, ra'ch.er.', a bewil-d.ering

.and. fluict congløreration of groups of menbers, a.:.ì- the resignatiorr of the ministry causeil a period of pol-itical. flt¡x as rival groups a¡rd lead.ers måt

thei-r rfbierdsr ar¡I measured. support. As wel1, the Governor ùid. not

accept the resignation i:mrned.iateþ. Finniss hacl nad.e it c1ea.r that his

ad¡ninistration was prepared. to caryÍ on the necessarJr business of the

colorgr until his successor was appoirrtecl, but MacDonnell con^siclered. this rnecessatryr busir:esst to mea¡ more than the ministry i^ntend.ecl.. ¿¡ Executíve Cor-uroil meeting was called. on the morning fol1-oring the resigna-

tion, but Firurisg I excuseilr his ninistry. The Goverr:or sr¡¡rmoned. hj¡ on the gror:rd that resignation was not yet accepted. and consequently his

ðuty was sti1l cIear. Finniss again refused on the grour:d.s uint it would. be tintlelicater to offer ar5r official u.dvice.L9 MaeDor:nell, clearþ

piqued., felt that such a d.irect refusal meant he hacl no choice but to

accept the resignation immed.iately, rather than corrd.o:,¿ a tper:licious

preced.ent, opposecl to constitutional practioe in EnglaJd, ard subversive

of a posítive enacfuent huret.F He su-mnoneil 'llaterhouse who had. been

in the forefront of the opposition to Fir¡riss, but Eaterhouse d.ec1ined., for he had- earlier rejectecl the rprinciplel that an identifiable opposition

lead.er should. 1ead. the replacement ninistry. Hanson disagreed., for there

was a duty for aIL mønbers, tif circr¡nstances requirecl it, to submcit thenselves to the tra¡rnels of officel.5l Contemporaries clai¡neä that Waterhouse hacl, in fact, attempted. to obtain support for his lead.ership of a ninistry ard had. failed., alci Re¡mold.s, for one, exlressed conce¡n that

these atterrpts were mad.e irr. ".oret.52

But Re¡mo1ds, a-nd. other me¡nbers of the -å.ssernbJ-y, Ìrere more concerned.

with rumours that a t cer*ain gentleman from the Upper House Ïrad. been calLed.r q7 r but hacL not given an arlsvrer. ltris 'w'as trifting w'ith the Hq.l,se an¡aL the Cor:rrtr5rt.55 John Baker replied. from the Cor:nci1 that negotiations

were in progress5L u.r,¿ he a¡¡nounceiL his nem nrinistry to the parliamerrt on

August 21. But his ministry had little hope of, achievir¡g majority sulrport in the Assenbly. rt was a rainistry of six, a¡d. as the constitution

specified five, hls new post of solicitor General was attacked. as

unconstitutional. More i"rnportantly, the Governorf s choice of Baker, and. Balcerrs choice of E. C. ffi¡mn inthe Cor:¡rci1 as his Attorney-Genera-l

exacerbated- the cor¡stitn¡tional conflict between the two ho¡ses which was

raging at the time, and. to which we will return. At the sarne time, the Baker ministry was a clea:r ind.ication of the flui¿l natr.¡re of politios in the parlia¡nent. John lIart in -bhe Assembly had. been one of the leaders

in the current attacks on the Cou¡:cil-rs assertion of its poner and. in

persona-l criticisr of Baker, Tet he accepted. the post of Treasurer i¡1. Bakert s ministry and. the position of the leader of the goverrment j¡r the Assembly, a¡d. was sure that, 'by a stu&ious avoidarrce of ar¡ything cal-øuJ.ated 55 to excite angrîr feeliagsr tt'r" constitutional question could. be resolved..

But this issue had. r.:¡¡ited. members whose general politica-l attitud.es were

formerly in ðirect conflict. Finriiss aj-mecl his no-conficlence motion tthe òirectly at Baker as manr who had. originated. this ùiffictrlty. On everÌf occasion he had. been the stirrer*up of strife, the cause of al1 mi s u¡d.erstand,ingst .56 Reynold.s secorded. the motion, and I heowing the miserable position of the hon. gentlenen ... hs wor:ld. take pity on thæ,, arr:l attempt to remove the cause of their misery ... the Chief Secretar¡rr.57 Torens, who hail been one of the staur¡chest supporters of Baker at the time of constitutiort-naki4g d.eclared. the ministry members were t a rrice tmere batcht, but they were babest who had. been reffectually mesmerised.t qg 58 ¡ry a leader rrho t cot¡ld not be tnrste'dl . This was too rn'ctr foæ the Resister:

nothing ean appear nore ninoongnrousn tha¡r the spectacle of Mr, lomens anil ¡¡¡.. Re¡molcts linked - together, a¡d. lrl.rntir€ in cctrple. If Mi¡ristens a.re a heterogenesus ccnbination, the O¡:positiør is cer'üainIy not less ... [ttJ was a verclict of conclen¡ration record.ed. on purely personal gro.urd.s ... such a course of policy=gay be gladiato:rship, but it is not legisJ.atiúl. 27

Defeat was inevitable. On the secord cta,y of its offioial Iífe, Ba.ked s tmtrshrocm ministryr& tat d.efeatect with orrly tt¡ree Âsseurbly membens supporting it.61

But lorrens himse}fl, as the color¡yt s tbi.¡d. rninistry leader, fared, rittle better. For the thir"d. time, a fresh body of men faced the parl-ianentr 'with samuer Davenport the only meraber with ainisterial ercperience. Waterhotrse pond.erretl aloud. to the .A,ssembþ rwhether it wcu1tl not be the best cor¡rse to i¡¡troctuce at once a vote of wa¡¡t of confi¿enoer 12 but he tlecicled, instead., to resign from the house. Torzer:s faced, the parliamenü sr nine sitting days follc,wíry Septenber 1, art'' n¡ch of this ti.¡ne was spent on the question of the relations of, the houses, A oer¡su¡e motio.r on Septembet 23 was afso justifiert by its mover on grornils of the prfvileges of the bouse. Hanson attacked. lqræ¡sr actions in by-passing parlia,nent to susperÉ. reguJa.tiorrs concerning pastoral leases as lu¡mama¡rted. ard illega1r. At a time whevr the Assernbly was r¡¡rcier attack frm tù¡e Co:nci-I, Tor-ens¡ acÛions were a lfr:rther d.estn¡ction of the ¡xinoÍ.pIes of 63 constitutior¡a-l goverrment ¡ r ¡ â oor:p d.l etat , . The motion ras ca.ried., a¡d. the ninistry resignetl.

The succeetling ministry J.eit by Ha¡rson brought a¡¡ elernent of stabíIity, as j-t sttnrived. the ræairder of the first parlianent. îhis stabiliþr uas q1 not the resr¡-l,t of change¿t circtmsta¡rces in the Assembly, such as the grc'wbh of rpartyt supporb for Ha¡son. It was rather the result c.'

Harrsont s astute recogrrition of the wealaresses of fomer le:d.ers. f.:e Egggler had. pointed. out earlier that Torrenst mode of action

had. enbarrassed his colleagues; his vaultiag ambition had aver-Ieapt itseJf ; a¡¡d his bolil d.efiances, so far frcm j-ntimittatíng hon. me¡nbers feelíngs only arousetl their of ird.epend.ence. "/- This I independ.encer was 'che tenet of legislative behaviour, at least Ì¡Jxtil the ln-ineties, as part III of this study will shcm, ard Ha¡rsonwas the first to recognise ar:d attenpt to cha¡mel this mod.e of behavio¡¡. llf-s rninistry was the result of a calcrrlatecL recognition of faction leaclership a¡ll faction support in the Assenbþ, regarèLess of fomer antagon-isms a¡rd cor¡flicts over principles of representation. llafr, Dutton ard Re¡molcls had. emergecl as leaders of strong groups i-n the .{.ssembIy, and. their presence in one body promised a majoriQr support of the house. l¡Ie will- retr¡rn below to this mÍnist4y and tc¡ an analysis of the extent to wh-ich stability of ministerial office was decided. by the workings of a faction syste.m.

To those who had. opposed, t¡recipitate actior¡sr in the drafting of the co:rstitutions, and. who had opposed the granti¡g of such a tpure d.e,mocrac¡rr to the color¡y, the events of the first months of 1857 had. provecl their case. To Sa¡nuel Davenport,

a spectacle like this goes far to justify the assertion and. preùiction nad.e long sínce in high quarters that the people of .â.ustralia were calleC upon to govern the counlr_y before ihey were able- to govern themselves, 65 a¡¡d events of succeed.ing years were ta.ken as firther evid.ence of th-is. 66 loo There ïras an equal-I¡r rapid. turreover in the mørbersb.ip of the house. By the cl-ose of the first parliament j-nDecember I3iJ, only twenty of the

orig.ir¡a-l thirty six me¡nbers were still present, and. a total of fifþ men had. occtrpiecl a seat in the Asserrb\r. Þior to the openílg of the secor¡1 session j.n l-858 ten of the origi¡ral members hact resigned., a change greater tha¡l that wrcrught by most of the succeecling general elections, a¡d. Horace

Dea¡r in the itistrict of Barossa haè been elected, unseated, re-elected a¡rd. again unseated in the brief period. of, for:r months.

Ihe rapiô rÉnisterial cLra-nges hail a¡r effect on the passage of govert ment proposals. Forty three public bills a:rd. seven private biIls were introduced. into the Asseurbly in the first session, but on\r twent¡r five

had. passeð ¡11 sf,¿gss at the prorogation, anl the fj-rst biLL to pass aIL stages took fifty sitting da¡rs, But not alJ. the blane for this legisJaiiYe inactivity could. be laicl on the rapid. ministry changes. Fon rnuch of this fi-rst session the parlia¡nent was enbroilecl in a conflict between ttre

houses.

Deaùlock

Disputes between the legislative chanbers in the Australian colorries were an iltegral part of their political- history. Yfhether norúnee, as

in Queenslaxd arrd New South Wales, or eleotive, as i¡ South Australia ard.

Vi-ctoria, the upper to*".= consistently asserbeci what their me¡nbers saw &s their rightful powers hd. privileges, a¡¡l the lcmer houses vehementþ fougbt for what they saw as their rights in a clemocratic bica.meral systen of goverrurent. The advent of each conflict was usually a constitutiona-l-

disagreenent, and the frequent crises openecl ïrith interpretations a¡d.

cor:¡rter-interpretations of constitr-rtions and. constitutional preced.ents, blrt lol . 'rl on most occasio:r-s the conflict took on a po15-tical fl^avor¡r. Hather the issue remaining as a disagreeoent between a t councjl-t ard. an t assernblyt,

ít became a debate about the powers and. actions of a t conserwative cor:¡rcilÎ and. a I democratio asserrblyt . The tenor a¡rcl results of these d.ebates in the other colonies, es'pecially ín Viotoria, has relevance to the South

Australian situation, and. we will return to the Australia¡r context, arrd to the development of the relationship of the tluo houses Í:r Chapter W. At this point we are concerned with the beginrai4gs of South Australiats lorig history of d.i-sputes between the Legislative CounciL a¡rd. the House of Assembly, dísputes which have lost J.ittle of their frequency or importanoe at the present ti¡ne.

The aim of the constítution-makers in all Australia¡ colonies was to produce a strong upper house, and- they succeed.ed, although more thrcugþ what was crnitted. frcrn the constitutíons than what was incorporated. th€ only constitutional }i:nitation explicitly applied. to the upper houses was that money bi11s were to origÍ-nate in the lower cha¡nbers. In South -A.ustralia, as we have seen, the plarurers i¡rtend-ed. a pcr,ierful upper house, but the constitution they produced. was, by its lack of precision a¡:d prescription of leglslative polrers, the root cause of a conflict of consid.erable import. The genesis of this was ín two clauses. Section I stated. that the ï.regislative Counci1 and House of Asse'mbþ shall have ard. exercise al-l the powers ar¡l functions of the existi-ng ï.regislative Cor:¡rcil: Provid.ed that alJ- Bì1Is for appropriatir¡g ar¡y part of the revenue of the said Þovj-nce, or for imposing, alterir€r or repeallng argr rate, tax, duty, or import, shall originate in the House of Asse.rnb\r, a¡¡l Section 35 ad.d.ed. that the Parliament had. power to d.efj-ne the pri-vileges and. powers of the two houses, prorrided. that they d_id. not lo> t exceeÈL those now treJ-d, enjc¡¡ecl and- exerci-seô. by tlre Cmnons llor¿se of Parlia¡nentl . The first crisis pivoted. on these clauses, on rather., cn what they d.id. not say.

Unlike Vi-ctoria, where the conflicts between the houses ðicl not ccrne

to a head r¡¡rtil the I sixtíes, or New South Wales where the rmost notable 67 crisist o"crorecl in 1861, fi've years after the rirst Parlia.ment opened,

South Austreliafs constitution facecl a test which had. its orígin ín the first Bill to pass the House of Assembly and to be introduced. into the Co:nci1, a mere eight sitti.ng da¡rs after the inaugr:ration of responsible

gorrerrment. The ensuing argr:nent set a political and. constitutior¡al

pattern which was to be the basj-s for all futr,¡re relatíons of the two

houses urrtil the present d.4y, and. thus it merits e:camir:ation in cletail.

On the first d.ay of the nem parlia:nent, the fj-rst B1IL introd.uced. was a seeningly innostlc,us lonlage Duties Repeal 8i11, d-esígned. for the

si-mple purpose of repealing the existing harbq-rr dues at Porb Ad.elaid.e ard'

substituting a systsn of wharf leasing. It passed. the Asse¡nb1y with a n:uiÃi.rrün of d.ebate a¡:.d was read for the first time in the Cor¡ncil on Mry 12.

The first attack cane fbcûtt John Baker, not on constitutional nor on political- gror:nd.s, but

as he could. rea-l1y not r.¡¡rd.erstard its provisiolts.... a specimen of r¡rrintelligible legislation .,. he couId. not nake out what it meantrr.. the Bill ... was a ðisgrace to its franer. ffi charles Davies agreed, and- proposed. that the Bill be returrred. to the Assembly, but this was d.efeated. on the grourrl that rit was certain\r ilesirable to avoid. on any snal.I ¡¡atter a collision with the other portion

of parliarnent' .69 Horever, the kesiclentt s casting vote was necessa.rTr lo3 to d.efeat the motion, anJ. the Cor¡ncil was soon to change its nird and. assert its pcmers, regarèless of collision. Davenport, Ín the lìor;rçi], amended. the Bill I to make the phraseology scmewhat more cleart ,70 b,-,t . rnajority vote rnacle further changes which Ìvere unacceptable to the govern- ment. From this point, the Bill itself was of seoond.arXr importance. It beca¡ne merely the cataþst for a larger constitlrti-onaI isstre whicûr was to raise again the whole question of the respective roles of the two hotrses i-n a systø of representative goverment, a question still r:nresolved in vtzl71)

John Ba.ker set the prooess into motion, arl pre-d.etermineit that later d.efeat of his ni-nistry, when he based his stanl on tthe duty of the Cor¡ncil to rnake a starrd. against anything they thought w:rong, withcut reference to the feelíngs of the other ho,r".'.72 ïn repIy, Davenport took a pcsition which he was later to oppose cørplete1y, axd his earþ roJ.e in the constitutional argument must be seen in toons of the constrict- ions placed. on him by l::is membership of the Finr¡iss nrinistry. He invokecl. the rprinoi-pIes of the constitutionr which placed. the Legislative Cor¡ncil in the position of

the House of Lord.s (No, No, ancl ironical cheers). The first clause of the Constitution Aot prorricled. that al-l money bills should originate in the House of Assemb\r. It uÉeht be said. that th-is particul-ar Bill did not origir:ate in the Legislative Co:ncil, but the cond-itions of it were so alterecl as to make it in effect a new Bil-I.... (No, No) - a money Bill initiated., i:r fact, in the Leg"islative Cor::aqi1. It was contra:¡r to stanÀing ord.ers. It wor¡ld. appear to be the opinion of some Honorar¡r ïfembers that the Constitution Act did. not ínterd. to grant to the Hsuse of Assaobly the exclusive privileges with regard. to money Bi11s that the House of Cmons possessed. at hor¡e (hear, Hear). But they mrst reãember that one of the most po¡ular eries at the ti¡ne of, the Genena-l El_ection ïras nno taxation w:Lthout representationrr (Hear, Hear, a¡rd. much laughter)."., The BilJ, was to all intents a¡rà loç purposes a money BilJ- i ni tiatetl i-n tlre LegisJ-ative Cou¡rcil: for it retai¡red. nei-ther the shape nor the principle it had. when it-'w"as sent up to them by the HouËe of Assembly. 73

The majority were u¡rooved.. Baker couId. see no reason wlSr they should. not amerrd a money Bill- A4gasrconct¡¡red. entirelyr, Morphett rtook exception to the d.octæinet, for a BiJ.l which cane to the f,egislative

CouncíJ- rmust of course be d.ealt with as the members thorght fitr, a¡d. Bagot refused. to tr¡a.mc¡r the fi:nctions of that House to nottrir¡g....Their duty was to watch the proceedings of the other House ard. impose such eheck upon them as they night think ,r"o"""*¡r t.7L The a¡rend.ed BiLL was passed, a¡rd. forward.ecl to the Asseurbly where the members, in a rare ùisplay of unani-urity , a,gqeeil with Filniss that I it is a breactr of privilege f or the Cowrcil to modify ary money BilJ. passetl by this hous .75 Legislative "' From this point, the arguments, counter-arguments, resolutions, messages anô conferences were Èlqnínatect by two bnoad. questiorrs, the first constitutionaJ-, the secor:d. political, both producing opposi:¡g positions of the tro hotrses. The constitutior¡al question was at first a simple one: as there was no provision j,n the constitutiøt concerning legislatíve priviJeges and pwers over money BiILs after thei¡ j-:ritiation in the Assembly, were there ar5r ljmitatior:s on the Cowrcil-? The ccurplexity arose, a¡rd. the political- natr:re of the cor:flict emerged., when the Corrncil sought preoedents a¡rd. provided. tristorical exarrples to support its viem that there vrere no lirnitations, a¡ld when the l|ssernbly sought to justiflr its ql¡im to retain al'l powers over money Bills,

In the strict constitutional sense, the Cou¡tciJ- was in a position of strength. With no specified. Iimitation on its pcryers of a¡neiiCrnent or loÇ rejecti-on it cou1d, aJxl d.id., argue for ooequa.l powerÊ with the Asse'nnb1y. But, sparked. by the tra¡soíssion by thc i'.sieurbly of the unanimity of the tt Ccn:noil set d.ecision to reject the ameul¡nents to the Tonnage 8í11176 " out to assert its pol-itical as welJ- as its constitutional rights and pcmers. J. H. Fisher, Presid.ent of the Corncil, broaclenecl both aspeats of the issge when, i¡r a¡r t opinlonr on the privilege question, he stated. that r¡¡rder the Constitution, the I two Houses are expressly investecl with the

sa¡¡e po¡vers as attached.t to the I hybri¿lt Cor:¡rcil and, thus the porers of

each House a.re I co-extensive a¡rd co-equalt . lo maintain the contrary it

must be sho¡m that the Constitution Act contairrs some exception or provision in favour of the House of Assembly to the exclusion of the Cor:¡ciJ-, and extenùi.ng the limited. right of originating money Bi11s to the r¡nlirrited. rigþt of d.ealing exclusively urith them after they are orÍgi.:cated..

The Council, therefore, had.

not corsnitted a4y breach of privilege, inasnuch as J consid.er their acts clea¡ly within the soope of thej-r powers.... f am governed. so1e1y by what I conceive to be the lesal i¡rterpretation of the Constitution Act. 77"

ln strictly lega1 te:ms, the Assernbþ had. no anstwero In fact, the

Assembly ùid not claim poner ur:d.er the Constitution and., had. the d.ispute remained. at this leveI, the pcmers of the Ccn:ncil in the terms they were

claj-med were unassailable. But Fisher dicl not leave the questíon at this constitutior¡al leve1 a¡d. his inclusion of lg!åj$! argument shcnrl-d be seen in the light of Ìris role as a conser:r¡ative i¡ the stage of constitt¡tion plan:ring. þe I feel- Írupelled to refer to what I r:nd.ersta¡d. to be a favourite theory of scrne., that the right cJ-aimed. by the Counoil ca¡rlet¡t 'i-re well-for;nd.ed, inasrueh as it is opposed. to the custorn and. pra-ctioe of the Parlia¡Tent of Great Britai¡r. To estãblish that theory an anolog¡ must be shown to exist between the Parlianent of Great Britain arrcl the Parlianent of the Colorry.... No such ala.].ogr exists and, therefore the theory is groudl€ssro.. the Parliamerrt of Great Britain consists of three estates ... the Parliatrer¡t of the Colorgr consists of fuyo estates orrly - the Queen a¡d. the Ccumons - although the latter is ðivid.ed. into two d.ifferent Houses... Both Houses here represent the people, beir¡g elected. by theur .... The Lrords, as the secor¡l estate, have a ùistinsü interest fbom the Cous¡or¡s.... Wtrile here neither House have a distinct interest from the people, both Hcuses beirÀg equalJ-¡r borrrrit to protect the interests of the people. The right assrmd. by the House of Cor¡snons to introctuce and. pass money Bi11s without arry f\:rther interference on the part cf the f¡orcls t]ran by assent or rejection is founded. upon the fact of their beíng the eJ-ected. representatives of the people, a¡rd. as such alone having the right to inpose burthens upon thøn, and. the Lord.s representing their c¡wn interests ont¡r; but that principle ca¡nod apply to this CoJ.or¡y a¡rd. confer a greater right upon the House of Assernbl,y as to deali ng with money BiJ-ls tha¡r the Legislatíve CounciJ, each being eqr:alþ the elected. representatives of the people, a¡rcl each possessing by consequence the same authority a¡d. control over the fina¡rces of the colorgr. 78

Davenport was the on.Iy dissenting voice when the Corrnqil- accepted. these

viems a¡.d. cl.snand.ed. the concrr.:rrence of the Assqnbly, for, tit being bor¡¡d. in justice to the people by whom it is elected, ... it is the irnperative dutyt of ttre Cor¡¡roiJ- | to maj¡rtain their rightst . 79

By this stage the lonnage Duties Bill had beccme periphera-l, ard the assembly 1aid. it aside tpending the fr¡rther pleasre of the House,r& to devote its flrl1 energies to the question of privíIege. By this stage a1so, both Houses hacl indicatetl they inteniled. to tfight to the endr. The Councíl hacl refused. to accept messages from the Assembl-y after the latter hacl ad jor-rr*ar81 a¡d. the Àsserobly rejected by a vote of 26.-1 a move by lo7 B. H. Babbage to establish a c'snpronise and. to express rregrets for argr urisu¡rdersta¡idingt .82 The Cor.¡ncil was urrd.oubtedJ-y heartened. to reseive a petition fbcnr thÍrty rrine residents of Myponga whlch, rwith sentjments of the d.eepest respect a¡rd confid.encerearnestly prayed l that you may long hold. the p@rers you posse""' ,83 arrd., while the Assembly was ernbroiled. jJr the dcrr¡falJ. of the Finniss rninistrXr they fo:mard.ecl a terse resolutÍor¡ which mad.e quite clear that the d.ifference had gone beyorrd. the ¡¡arrow constitutional i""o".84

In the Assernbly, Chief Secretar¡r Finniss ðlsoussed. l the Iegal gro:rrd.r , the I constitutior¡al gror-u:d.r a¡ld. the I question of expeèiet:rcyr] , arid. with the vocal strpport of al.l mernbers except BabbagerS5 he used preced.ents from the rlgrbr:id.r Cor:¡rqi1, fbm the English Parliament a¡d. its traclitions, arrd from the rvarious oongresses in 3¡nerical . Ihe debate, which rarrged. or¡er the whole gamut of constitutiorul issues arrt pol-itical representation provicled. rhetoric of high quality, and. long arrl weLL- researched speeohes frcm meurbers who were onJ.y rarely, if ever, to reach these heights .g*irr.86 Fir¡riss concluded. his attack squarely on the concept of represerrtatj-on. He d.enied. Fishert s rejection of the Assernbþr s argr.rment by ar:alory, afd. d.enieil even the grounils for the rejection.

I clergr to the Upper Horse that they are virtualþ representatives of the people. I d.ergr that that House d.oes represent the people. (Hear, ttear). fn the first place, they are elected. by a fi¡nitecl constituenc¡r - they represent orrly a class - they represent a monied. class - the monled. class of Sotrth .fiustralia - a special interest - (I{ear, Hear from all sides of the House) - a¡rd. in that iespect, Sir, they are not analogor-rs to the House of Cønions, and. they are ana-logous to the House of l¡ord.s. I cier¡y thei¡ right to represent the people, a¡¡d for this very good reason. are not ctirectly responsíble to the people. olUfnO lae But the ccuncil rras sti-ll not íryressed'. It requestecl' the Gorrernor to gcant pemission fon I¿r ffifícers of the Crærr to give an oplaion on the issue, a request rhio}r MacÐonnelL dleclLnetl on constitutional gtt rr1".88

the cor¡ferenoe of ¡nalragers of, the tro ho.rses vÌrlch finally procluced. a.n' rrnsteaêIy cmprourise leas helit after tseo nínisterial crises a¡d. or¡ the er¡e of the thirct. The archj-test of the cmprod.se Eas John Baker, ard. his ¡roposal was to moiLify only sligþtly the wording of the earlier resolu- tior:s, to leave uncha4ed the rprinoiplesr nhiatl the Ccn¡¡¡clL case had restecL on, and to leave intact the veto pctwer of the tl¡>per Hcnrse. He hacl no i¡rtention of yielcting the rprivileges of the Co¡¡rcilr, but he was happy to offer a d.elay in their implemerrtation.

r.. alaining the fì:Il rigþt t9 d.ea1 wlth the mgnetar¡r- affairs of ãuis kovince ... [hu proposecl that] ít shall be compêtent for tþl s CoUr¡oil to suggest argr alteration" in argr sueå [r"n"y] Bi]-]- ... .rd. i¡, case of such suggestions not being agreecl to by the Hqrse of .ê.ssembly, such Bí11s na¡r be returned by the Hcuse of Assenbly to this Co¡¡roi-l- for reconsid.eration, il which case the BiII sha,ll eitber be assented. to, or rejecteil by this CounglJ, as onigirra-lJ-¡r pg.sseð by the Hqrse of Assembþ. óY

The reasor¡s given by both the Cor¡ncil aJd' the Ass€¡ûbþ were d.etailecl.

They sr:nrnarized. the vierrs a.nd the principtes d¡ich had. besr raise¿l earlle.rrp a¡d ¡nade it patentJ-y clear that a¡l insoluble itea&Lock was the only alter¡atíve to an acceptance of the cmpror¡ise.

The Assenbþ acceptefl the oonproni se as a teruporar¡r measr,ure, mJ¡r tr¡rrtil the Pøe¡rs ancl hr"ivileges of each House shal1 be dLete¡mined anil clefÍ¡ed by the Parlia¡nentt .91 This I sto¡rgapr was to last fæ a qr:arter of a centur¡r. the Gor¡errment a¡d. a clea¡ najority of the members acoe¡rtecl it on ¡ragmatic gro;nd.s. It was, in fact, forced. upon them, and they bad. no real choice. ft lwas the onJ¡r alternative left to thero consistent TrÍth 11 the publÍo Ínteresl'r92 it was'the onJ,y way to rfaoil-itate the conôust of publto busínoss'.9J BurforcL a¡d Peake conti¡nrett to advooato rejection,

the fmer because the proposals rwo¡lct spen a preced.ent to na.r$r dangerous i¡rnovationsr, the latter because tÌæy rwere co¡ched. in the rarrguage of equivocatiort r9L but they were ansrwerecl. by princtple;

the ¡:esolutions ilicl not yielcl the privileges of . .. [îh. Assernbly], but irre attituãe they-assr-mecl was to listen to the arguments of the_gther Hotrse, wÍthout concedi:¡g their cryn rights, 95

â¡t¿ by pra.gmatim; I strpposing the reasons¡ were not agreed. to, the business

of the corrrtry woulil be at a sta¡ld.stilll .96 .An uneasy trrrce goverrnecl the relations of the Hqrses for the succeeding twenty five years, ald. we will retr¡rn to this in a later chapter.

Conclusion

At the qpening otr the L857 election canpaign, the Register congratrrla.ted Sqrth Australla.

or¡r new constitution is lorcn'rn to be itecictedly bette¡ tt¡a¡r the n,erw constitr¡tions of vi-ctoria a¡rd trtem sot¡trr lÍales; it is }orscyn to be more popr:_lar, more libera-l, a¡d less ohangeable with old. rorlcl. traclitior¡s a¡d. olass par too rnrch to suppose, that as S clecl as beir¡g pófiticaffy in adva¡rc _we shall bè iega¡ded with so].i 97

But by the close of ttre first session of the ner parlianent nuch of this euphoria had been díssipated. by the actualitles of political IiJe. QuestÍons abcnrt the r¡atr¡re, theory ard. practices of political representation Ehlch were thorght to have been settlect by the 1855 cor¡stitr¡tion becane topics of controversy in the first session of representative goverrment. lrd unlike the sitrration at the thirrl readirrg of the constitution B1IL in 1 10.

1855, verJ¡ ferr leaditig. colo¡jsts:','erit home from -ulie session of 1857

sati.sfied tirat the problems h:iC ri

conpromise, and. members of the Floure of, AssenbJ-y lvere soon to sholv tjrat their" acceptance of the Councilr s proposefs was forced on them brr circum- stances, and i;hat the fight woul.d continu.e. There vrere obvious flaws in tire electoral I¿v¿s, and the systan of .lectora1 districting lvas far froro sa-tisfying to a number of members. the rapid. chãnges of urinistry had. brought into question the problems of responsible goverr:rnent, problans vriú< had. litt1e airing in the constit'.rü.on-p1a¡ning stage. The role of the indivj.dual- legislator had. been c_uestioned.. To vrh"at extent shoul-cL he follor uhe dictates of his electorate? To what extent should he seek to lead. or become a member of a legislative group - a faction? These, a¡d other issues of political representation had been raised in the pre-1857 yeåÌs, and they had. been raised a.gain in the first session. Few, if any, had. bcen finally resolved, and 1855 had been shovrn to be far from r the end. road.r of the "

The be-sic fra¡nelvork on rn¡hich the pri-nciples and practlces of pclitical representation were s1m¡ly and often pairrfully erected. was formed in the five years to 1855" But the principles and. practices and, in fact, the frame''tork of ihe constitution itself had corne und.er question in the firsi session of the bicameral parliarnent, This was not un-rratural , for political system is static and. ín a your¡g and rapidly rleveloping connunity such as South Austral-ia change r'¡ou1d. be expected. It was the intensity of 111.

the debates over politica-l- representation which rvere inaugurated in 1B!/, and uirich v¡ere to recur, which he.s been und.er-rated. by historj_ans, AdmitteclJ-y, Piket s tPostscript: t,.e uses of civil ]iUertyt 98 is a postscript, but i.t leaves the reader wi-th a.n impression n, nllrar""f cluiéude for the remainder of the nineteenth century. Pike refers to the fact that there lvere forty-two nrinistries frorn 1857 to rgoo ¡ut

neglecis to mention the bitter politic¡l conflicts which accompanied mar¡¡ of tire cha-nges in ad¡rinistration. Ii-e mentions that treirision of electorates r¡ras ofterr talked about, and actually achieved. three times in ù"¡enty-five yearsr and that r elections provoked enthr¡siesmt , but 1eaves such general- statements in wÌrat Croøley referred to as rtantalizingr fono.l

His statement that t the procì-ivity of farmers to return ind.ependents confused- a-nd hi¡rd.ered. the d.evelopment of party pclitics until the eve cf 'li orl-d ï/¡r If ', and his viev¡ that

by 1BB2 the new ultra-conservatives.were complaining of a rising labour Party ... bLlt a¡other genãration wls to pass before a-nything like .r, o"g"nised. party emerged., are, at best, overstatements, Rather than rthe end of the roadr, by the close of 1857 therelvas a clear recogaition in the nrinrls of leading col-orústs tÌiat there r¡as much to resol.¡e and., equally cIearly, there vras a wjrle gulf se-oarating the ideas, a-spirations and aititud.es of rnember and nernber, of group and group ancl of the two houses. 112.

This thesis turns ncn¡r to the ways in which corrfl_icts over and about political representation 1"¡ere resolved; the institutional str.r.rctr:¡es t'¡Ìdcl: 1','ef'e erected. or mod.ifi-ed as cirsrmstarices, major"ities e¡d. political

attitudes changed; the theories, or lack of theri, which lay at the base

of tirese changes, and., overall, tlre development of theories arrd practices of trrolitical' representation until tr'edera.tion" The stucly t'rms from an exa¡rination of a bri-ef but crucj-al pez'iod in the pcrlitical history of the colony to an arralysis of almost half a centw-.y of 1;r,litica1 cha.nge. rt is not i¡rtend-ed' to be a chronolo¡4ical outline of political events, but is a stu-dy of major themes of i:ol-iticar lepresentation, The division be't-¡¡ee¡r the tr"¡o fc'l-loving parts of this study is based

on a di-vision betv¡eerr tr:rocedural-t f ar.d- functionall r.epresentation, ancl a-s suc. contains a certain artificiaÌity. But it seemed. logicar that ar¡y discussion of tlie role of tLre replc:sentati_ves in the colonial par.Iiaments t'ras;, to a- consirlerabl-e de¿¿ree, depenrìent on the theories and. practices of tìre systens rvllich produced. tÌrem. Consequentlr,, in part If, tire stu

Th-is study of ttie rnajor themes of political representation in colonial t Soutli .A,ustralia begins v¡ith an anaÌ;rsis of the basic building-blocksl the electoral sJrsf,e¡n itself ' /t4 Footnotes. Chapter 5. 1. Citecl in E. Hod.cler, -9È-gi!. , P.þ7 odd' fasbs: IIod,ilert1he hi^¡nself notecl some rvf,ol-e population of the oolor¡y wES e ,¡ fefler by scne hr¡ndrecls thirn are to te fou¡d tod.ay in such towns in Englard as Bnigþto:r¡,. r. o the te¡ritory of the colorry, on the other ha:d, was nearly three tl¡eE as large as tfrat of the whole of Great Britain.... Only trenty years before, the l-ancL was practically unirùabíteil ... populationt â cerUain a.uótnt of wealth, bd poured. i¡r frø¡ a1I quarters, brt nri¡nors reverses hacL been experienced. Ot¡t of these the people had stnrgglecl, holding on w:ith tenacity to each success untiL it had been mad.e more slrccessf!-L; thræing off o¡re by one the leactiAg strings of paternal goverr:ment r¡ntiI they attai:red. political ma¡¡hood. 2. 1t was not, in fact, fr¡ll se}î-goverment nor ft¡f-\y representative gorerment, as Chapters fV a¡ril IÆ w"ill shc,r. 3. Scn¡roes of statistical data írrcLude the Statistigel_Bsglg:ler of ie57-8, tr,e Elgg¡gÈ a¡d the Census or@a¿ rægistátive ffiapêrr 1855) . The tteyear ti-ne gap fro 1855 to 1857 produces some problens in tems of occrrpationâl st¡moture etc., fcr tyre total polulation rose by 14. But litt1e olrar¡ge ocsurrecl in the basic Fgcio-eaononic stn¡ctìJre of the So¡th Âustralia¡r soci-ety, a

lr. Distribution of popUþti-sùx, 1855 Censu,s. Imetropolitanl Renair¡ler of Co]-orty

City of Adelaide 1 I , 259 Courrty Iright 51167 East lc.rqns 5 ,705 Yatala 3r,p Po¡t Ad.e1aid.e 3, @z TanlcalliLa-Encor:nt er Bay 31152 Hi-¡rdnarsh 3 .507 Burra 2ræ5 l[itctra.n 2 ,966 Barossa 21619 KensingtorrNeçooËI 2 ,553 I[ii.lunga 2rliZ4 Gi fbert qr-Wal ke¡rni IIe 2 t 209 Mu¡no Pa¡a 2rlß, Ilest Tosens 1 , 607 Rernain4e¡C 2,+,61ß

38't+75 tß1925 Occupatior¡a.l Gro¡c Percent of f,ork f,orce Grazier, Fa:mer, Garclener 22.6

Merchant, Stookholcte¡r 2.O Retail Traders t.8 f¡l censed Vi ctr¡allers 1.l} 7.2 Marn:facturing Brewers, MÍllers, lfa¡n¡factr¡rers 1.9 Prof,essi-onal Medicos ().4 Iawyers o.2 Sunreyors, Engineers o.7 0thers 2.1 3.1+ /ts Footnot-e l+ ( corrti-nred)

rhPlo¡reesr ] Car¡rerrters, Buildi-rg Tblade 8.1 Shoe nalers, Ta¡r¡ers 2.5 Clerks 1.8 S¡i thar Sailtllers 2.5 Other 2.2 17.1 Rr¡r€-1 AgrJ.suJ-tt¡ml l¡abou¡ 20.2 årËísa¡r Mi¡¡ers t,t Shephercls, Stocloen 5.5 0the¡r 2.8 3',.6

Dmestic Se¡r¡a¡rfs 16.3 Total Work Soroe 25Jn

t No clistinction was made in the Census betreen eurployers¡ self- eutployecL ard' employees a:d. ttris analysis is therefore approxi-nate onJ¡r. The pro¡nrtior¡s of 'bhese ocotr¡ntional groups in the metropolita¡¡ areae were: a.gficrrltr:ral - 11.V, oqmersia-l - 58.1o, rnan:facûUring - 5t+.fi, professional - 60.4, temployeest - 62:4ß. 5. E, Eod.iLer, ¡l&.Si!., p. 3O7. Others were more optimistic. To the BFgister. tlarch 9, L8572 I the reign of nø¡ineeiw a¡¡l of imesponsible acl¡ni¡ristratioa is at a¡ erd; the age of seJ-f-gorrerrment is coumencir¡g, alßl we t¡r¡st that Sotrth rtustrali-ans maJr prove thæselves equal to the €uergency upon which they are cast. 6. .&gæg' Febnrar¡r 1or 1857. 7. See be1ø, Chapters IY, lilf. 8. Sgg!g!g, Jarruar¡r 2l+, L857. 9. Balce¡f e rcalIf set the recorll of 269 supporters. Febn:ar¡r 20, f.857. &i9., 10. Ili$:, Februaqr 17, 1857. 11. &i9:, l{arch 3, L857. f2. IÞi$., uarch 7, Uló7. ltL

0n ocoasiols, lhese appeals bro:glrt a repþ, Alfretl France, ca¡rd.id.ate for Hort Adelaid.e toltl his auclience that rlf .rr Jroü ca¡r trust me with your suffbages, it rilJ- be esteeneil by me an honor¡r to serve yotr. I nø thrcq 4yse1f in the contest, assr:red. of yorrr r.uiborght arrà r¡r¡asked. s.rpport, a¡rd an confid.ent I sha11 be retn¡¡necl on the shorrlders of the peopler. But one elector at least hail a different opiniorr. rTÍarrteil, a fer YOIING MEIü to ce.r:ryIB.AIEE to the SIilP on the d.ay of election. they wilJ. be requirecl. to go into trainíng at once, a¡rcL rriJ-l be suppliecl rith BEEE ard. BûIl[;Ð EEER to get them ín order ... N.B. They wi1l not be required. to bring h.im backr. Ibid... lfarch 3, L857.

1¿+' rbia.. I'Íarctr 7,1857. 15. Ibid.. Marcft 9, L857. 16. JÞ4., March 19, 1857. 17. Ibid.

18. See F. M. Cain, ip:._cft.!.r for f\¡II d.etails of the systen.

19. Certainly the leveI of the turrrout of Cor¡nøi1 electors exceeiled. that of Assanbly vo-bers in all dístricts of the l¿tter where cqgtr)ar- isors Ìirere possible except in Onlcaparinga. Voters as percentage of tota_l_ er¡rol^mer¡t District l4ëEgÞlt_ in Cq¡nsi]. Acle]aid.e 52.8 61.6 Port Ade].aíd.e 65.3 66.0 lTest To¡rrer:s 5O.0 5¿+.8 Yat¡]a 5O.5 02.9 Sturt 5D.Z 61.,+ Noarlunga 62.8 66.7 Mt. Ba¡ker 50.5 66.9 Onkaparinga 8j.O 7g.O Encorrrter Bay Ip.3 50.4 Barossa 68.2 72.7 Bu¡ra a¡rd C].are L9.9 62,7 Me+r¡ D5.g 62.9 But enrol¡nent was vorr.rntarSr, ancr required. the enrorlecl voter to apply fon a cerbificate prior rparr-itr to etection da¡r ancl present this as a to vote. rf the û¡rnout is e:prãssed ãs a pro¡rortion oJ those who applied for certificates, theã 7l& tt¡rned, ãrf ron trre Cor¡rrcil xñ 7V" for the .A,ssenbly. tt7

æ. rnforual ballots in aderaid.e constituted 5.11ß of the total voti.g papers issuedl. i

21. PlmpÍag cLetails for the rregisrative cq¡¡¡sr] ca¡dicrates are: OtHaILora¡¡ 18, Baicer l¡J, Torrrrgþusbatù, 55r l[orphett i, Grr¡mne !, Forster 19, L. Scott 2, StiTlit€ th, TÍ. Scott 5, Fisher 13, HaJL 3, Bagot 11, .êgrers 28, Davenpott L, Freeling Nil, Da-vies fO, Angas l/, Iterard.2, Lipson 3, SutherlÐd ì, peacock B, Butler 6, ttardy 2, Ifigley niI, soÌmon1j, stoeks l, slrar¡gways níI. 22. Plumping Ëletails were publrishecL for only tÌ¡ree dj.stricts (*uetw) but a simple calcrrlation (see chapter vbelcm) ca¡r be ur"à to establish levers of plunping in arI other contested clistricts except å.delaicle. ctors plunped), TataJa (n.Ø) , Mt: Barlcer (n.q6¡, Noar}.urga de{. ( 28.11), Burra ,¡a cla¡e*

2j. Costs of election, 181/. Eg., L957. Con¡¡rcil Àssenbly lotal € _e € Copies RoALs of 979.11. 1 799.11+. 1 a Notices 7 ,779. 5 I of frrrits, etc. 31O.]-5. 6 392.17. 5 69r.'to 9 Officer attenilanoe 5\6. 4. g 330.1'1. g 676.t6 6 lravelling Etçenses l+71. O. 7 l+43.12. 1 u14.12 a I g Polling booth erestion 7O8.3. 699. g. 8 1 a ¿l Printing Postage ,W7.15 arrl 129.12.5 114.19.8 2l/..1o 1 Advertisir¡g r1 58.12. 6 41. l+. 6 99.17 a 0 Ba-llot boxesþartage J18.10. o 235. 1. 6 55r.11 a 6 Søtrti:1y costs 168.16. 6 165.16 a 6'

f otals 5 1491. lr. 10 3 r}t+7 .1A. O 6r53g.f &.10 For a d.etailed. analysis of the electonal raw a¡rd. registration procedures, see F. M. CaiI, op. sit., Chapterr 2, i. i 2l+. E@. , L857, No. 57. 25. ëP. ' L857, p. 1153. 26. see belc¡qr for the status' : of this first nj-nistr¡r, a¡ril fcn the changes 5-n goverrments in this session. 27. !48. r 1857, p. 124. 28. d.ebates, For see !/fiD., 1857 _pE. 720-1, a::d fq the vote, ca¡ried. 1O-9r Ëå8. , aB57 t P. ' 326. ltl 29 fn the fi-rst use of the ccuplex sta¡rding oril.eùs on the nachinery of passage of BiLLs, which hacl been transposecl frc¡m Er¡gta¡d, the Bill lapsed when it was shwn thåt t the question haÉt nõt ueån put th¿t the clause d.o starrd as amenare¿lr . E@. , lBD7, p. 7tL. 3o. See Chapter V for a ðisctrssj.on of oco.rpatiorul patterns in Sotrth Australia¡r parlianerrt, ard - for a gãneral piøtr:re of the colonial. society.

3t of the eighteen members, alL but OtHallora¡r (rnaia) were British- born, a¡¡d. ten had. e'rÉgateil to south Austraria before l8¿p. 52, the pastora-lists_çere .Þrgas, c. H. Bagot, Baker, Daverrpon*, Morphett a¡il sti-rl-ir¡g, arld. wíth the add.ltion of suoh men of scr;e!.çi ¿s å¡rers, Eve¡arËL a¡rd orlr4ll ora¡r each rith interests in Iard., there was a pastoral bLoc in the Cc¡¡¡¡ci1. Their aativlties arå clisçtrssecl in Chapters III a¡d. ÐC belm. 33. There was no clea¡ rine separating netroporitan frm extra- metro¡rolita¡r electozal ilistricts r¡ntiI the 1881-2 reèistrih¡tion, but a ùistinebion calr be ¡¡ade between pred.aninantly nual åistricte anÈl those which nere, or were rapièL5r Èec-ir€ cloninatecl by urba¡ develotrment" The.latter gory incrud.ed Ad.elãiite, ffest rolcens, East romens, strrrt a¡rä Port Adelaicte. lrhe lasi was a rrnixed,r d'istrict geographically, as it includ.ecr the whore of lorlce PeninsuLa, but the bulk of the population riveil. at the port. rn 1855, Census results shqred lJõ7-peoele resident in the r¡rba¡r settlement of Port Adelaide, ana Jnere 356 ín the totar area of Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo rsla¡¡d and. a consiclerable portion of the miil.-north.

3l+. See Chapters IV, IJ( especia.l\y.

11 1857 35, !gi , March , " 56. fþ9 minÍ stry was conposecl of fo¡uer nrrninees: B. T. Finniss, chief seoretar¡r, (colørial secreta¡y in the rlrybrÉdl.r Cor¡nc" t ) R. D. Ifanson, Attorzrey General R. R. Tomens, Treast¡rer, (Col A. H. Freeling, Coplri ssioner replaoeil by Samuel Davenport Freeling hail not stood fon elestion. The position of comissioner of c¡cnnn r.e¡ds ¿nfl Trmi g,ation was gi-ven to a nenr-cq[er, c. H. Borrrey, a¡r 1g]g colonist-a¡d a consen¡ative pastoralist . 37. B. T. Finniss, op. cit. t p. j71. 38. &i9s, PP. 383' tgz-r¿t+. 39. Sg!E!SI, March 14, LB|T; Aprit ZT, Ig5l. il1 Ào. B. 1. Finniss, _qPi_g!q., p. 435.

41. J._Balerr-!æ., 1857, p. 18, H. .â¡rers, j¡i$., p. 20. Babbage a¡d. Tfaterhotrse gave quarifiect support, asT-ong as the adclress i-n Reply rdid not predge the House to argr specific course of actionr, IÞ$', P' J2' \2. 39gig39l, April 27, t857. )+3. Eig., August 12, L857. \4. S@. , 1857, p. l+81+. I+5. Register, August 12, 1857, and SåID. , 1857, p. À84. 46. Ihe Assembly had given warning of the fluidíty of its support in the second. week of the session by ad.jolrning tho secor¡d. reacting of the Postal Bill aga¡nst the wishes of the ninistrXr, and by adjcurrring d.ebate on a controversial Gawler Railway BiIL one month later. Internal fragmentation beca¡re eviilent on July JO when the ninistry itseJ;f diviilecl over the question of free ctistillation in the coJ-orryr, and, the fir¡a1 stages cane when a¡¡ Electoral Birl was defeated 8-7 on Júy 3l a¡rd the Post¿l BiIL arrd the Main RoacLs BiIL on August /. The vòting on these ùivisio¡rs was, respectivelv uBDT p.-æ); r (p. 121); !6:11, ç41T., t çÃL,-,D;TL). 6:-6;--ió-ro 8-7 (p" tzt+); 1z-jo aÐâ. 1D-g Gp. This session was notable for absenteeism both from specific divisions and. fron the House. rt was not uncorrnon for a fifth of the members to be non-attend.ers, a¡d. on only three of the seventeen itivisior:.s he1d. r¡nd.er the Fir¡rriss ministry dið. ro"r than thirty members vote anil on five occasio:rs the clir¡ision lists tota't ]ed. less thalr twenty five. These divisions provj.ded. no evid.ence of stable support fæ either Finniss ard his ministry or the roppositionr. On the th¡ee najon d.ivisions which the ¡ninistry took ã- collective vote of lack of confiåence, it was r¡¡abIe to secr¡re"" consistent support frm ar¡1r of the members, atd fou¡rit its fomer ]oya1 supporË€r3 absent at the crucial ti-mes; tiutton, NeaÌes, Ba.kewerl a¡¡d. McÐemott, althotrgþ narked. rpresentr by the clerk of the House, were absent fbm the d,ivision lists. the fluid' r¡ature of the supporü for the ministry was clearly relatect to the issue. Those mqrbers supporting the ministry werei ELectoral Bill: Cole, Dawes, Harrzey, Ila¡r. Postal Bil-r: Balcewell, IIarvey, Marks, Milcrrect, lÍiJne, snedley. Road.s Bill: Br:rford., Co1e, lIallett, pea-ke, Sea¡r¡el1. chapter vrr will retuzn to this question of ir¡stabilíty of ministerial suppor.b, and Part rrr of this study analysãs tbe cause. l+7. Ê@. , 1857, p. t+85. À8. IÞig. 1+9. B. T. FJrrrriss, op. cit. s p. lþ9. flo 50. SgE. , L857 ' No. 1o!. 51. S@. , 1857, pp. l€8-9. 52. Ìract solgbt a ¡rinisteria-l tea¡n to support hi.m, anil Waterhqràe hj-nseJ-f suggests this in a speech to the Asserrbþ. fþ!1J.¡ p. &88. G. D. Combe, -Í&,-gi!., p. 89 ís certain that Waterhorse had. kept to Ìris guararrtee. The resolution of suctr disagreenents is me¿le difffá¿t by the inad.equacy of the I t¡ansa¡Ar ar¡d of press reponts, but also by the fact that such attempts were ca¡rieil out in infor¡aI discussior:s - in caucus. We wiJ-l return to this in Clrapter VfI. 5t. Eæ. , J.857, p. À89. 5l+. &ig', P' J€5' 55. IB:, P' l+89' 56. IÞ4, P' 5@' 57. Ibiil.. p. 501. 58. M.' P' þo0' 59. !ggig!q, August 27, t857. 60. Re¡mold.s, E@., 1857, p. lÉ9. 61. Babbage, Bonney, Ha¡r, !SIE., L857, p. 1r¡lt. 62. $p. , 1857, p. 511. 63. Ibid.r PP. 553-4, 6t+. &gi , September 2t+, L857. $9 nror,l 65. In T. the Davenport Fanily - Colonial Hisjprl, (n.d..). 66. See Chapter-, VII. 67. L*9d"q, rThe Legislative l: Counqil, in Ner Sorlh Wa1es, 1856-1870t,- Ilistorical StucLies, (Vol. 11, No. lr4, April- f965), p. l+8i. 69. !@., 1857, p. 119. 69. fbid.. . r¡. 120. 70. æ. t p. 1l+O. 7'l . see D. Jaensctr, rc rs re.st Gasp: the regislative cq¡¡rci1 of South Austra-lia , (VoI. 7, ño. 1, May 1972) , pp. g2-fß. t2r 72. E@. , 1857, p. 186. 73. f$.¡ pp. 226-7. 74. IIi9'' PP' 22U9. 75. IE', P' 257' 76. åSE. , 1857, w. 39'W. the cor¡¡rcil Presid.ent took exception to the fact that ín thei-r message the Assembly had stressed. the una¡rimity of the clecision. To hÍ-m, this was I an irregr:larity in a matter of fo:rr; which, if allcnred. to pass withc¡ut notice or obse:n¡ation, might establish a preced.errt which hereafter ¡gight be quoted. as justifying a eontinrance of the systen. rt is not acoor{i.ng to the usual practice of Parriament, in tranmitting Bi1ls betrreen the two Hotrses, that either House should acqr:aint the othen by what nr¡mber anjr aiü on resolution before thern passes; a¡d the introduction of an arteration in the usuar method of proceeiti¡g in such respect might be j-nconvenient, if not ðangerous in its consequencer. 1857, No. Tl. Sæ. , 71 . .

78. I!å9. ,loþ Ba-ker, seeki-:eg to press this argr:ment høe, quotecl. an Inperia-1 Attorney General: toìrr (British) House of cø'nor¡s sta¡ds upon its cnn raws - the whereas Assertrblies in the Colorries a-re espectj.ve charters, usages and the cornmon larn of Englaxd, ar¡l wii.I never be allcnreã to assr.ue those privileges, vrhlch the House of Cor¡mons are entitlecl to justly here, upon principles that neither ca¡r nor m.rst be appliecl to the .A.ssenblies in the Colqliesr. ï{hen pressed by Daverrport, horever, Baker was forcect to ad:nit that the Minister, hatt, was referring to the porers of the Cor¡¡rci1 a¡ril å.ssenbIy of tr{ar¡rlancl, a¡d. that rit was scnethir¡g less tha¡¡ a centur¡r ago. (A faugn)r. Ëæ. , 1857, pp. n2-3. 79. salæ.. 1857, p. l+3. 80. Ibid.. p. 113.

8.1. rbid.. Pp. 10J-¿+. 82. SAED.. 1857, p. l+\2, 8J. S.AIP.. 1857, p. 85.

Chapter IV

The tDemocratict Electora1 S.ystems

r ff'¡" rrtoill of the peoplen prevails in the election of members of the l-egislatr.rrer.

D. J. Gordon The Central State Introduction l>3

One base of argr system of røpresentative government is the process which pt'od.uoes the representatives, the process of elections. The tnatr¡rer of the representative charnbers, a¡¡l often the natr:re of the legislation which is introduced into, and passecl through thø, ca¡r be affected. to a markecl clegree by factors which a¡e built in to the eJ.ectoral systern. these factors, includ.ing various institutional clevices such as method.s of norrination and. election, restrictions¡ on the franchise, the relationship of votes to seats, the bases of apportioment a¡rd- the relatecl electoral geometry, ca¡r effect the r¡ature of the body of representative¡ which is produceci. îLris was clearly recogn-iseil in colonial South

Australia. Argunents about these institutiona-l d.evices occupied. a considerable amou¡rt of time in the colonial- legislatures, and. the principles, stnrctures anct effects of the existing South Australian electoral systeurs, a¡Ê of those of other raations, were clebatecl in almost ever¡r one of the forny nine sessions to 1901. The clebates on electora.l systems in the period of constitution-ruking have alrea$r been srrmarized., ard the issues were raised. again aI¡nost i-mrediately after they were thought to have been so1ved.. This was a continuÍng trerrl, The electora-l systm became one of the tgreatr questions of the colonial perioit, arrd is still so toila¡r. Menbers of both houses were corrtinually embroiled. in d ebat es on bo¡¡nd¿ries, reðl stributi ons, single-memb er a¡¡d. m¡Iti+ember constituencies, apportiorrment a¡ril the franchise, that is, in d.ebates about r prooedura'l I representatíon.

As a resultr the electoral systeros of coJ-onial South Australla r:¡d.er- went numerous changes. Major reòistrih¡tior:s1 were camied out fux 186j, 121+.

1874 and. 1882, increasi.ng ihe .A.sserirbly membership in l.874 a.nd. 1882. In l-BB2 a1so, Lhe original single-Province system for tÌ:e Legislative Council v,-as replaced by for¡r electoral divisions and. the menrbership was increased from eighteen to tvrenty fouro .4.s v'rell , proposals for reform were contimrall¡ movecl., there were consta:rt variations to d.istrict bou¡r,fal'ies, polling places proposals ".lnd clectoral proced,¡res, and. four major redistribution uere ctefeated.. l-rom tÌre d.ebates on these, arrd. fron the electr¡ral systems v;h'ich:,-/ere c.1rried., it is possible to isolate the main themes of rproced,iirall representation, in theory and practice. Above all , it is 'porrsible to es'tai-rlisli ihe similarities beü;'¡een South Austrafian iliecries and. ¡rractices

¡,nci ñre concepts of .Ëdmund Burice, a.rrd- to d.e¡nonstr:ate 1,he i:eculiarly iThig l-,asis of .i-;Ïie colonyr s electo::a1 s,-sterns. ij'.ir!;e :,nd I Ilrocedurall P.ei:¡'ererttation

Bur}:e lvi:s corlt:Ét'r,ed- tc a- p:r'j.nciple that ¿ovr-ìrnments ileri've their iicuels frc;rn, lrnd are ultimatel-j' r:espoiìsibl-e to the cc¡nseilt of Lle ¡.,eop1e: a1thou¿h ¿,overrunerlt certaí¡r'l-y is an institLrtic¡n '¡f divine alLthoritr', ife', ii-s f',-,rns, aiiol :he ¡,ersgr.s uho ¿.-d.nj.:risit,r it, ¿ill cri ,i:.laie frctrt the pr:c,ple.¿ ;c"t .Lt cliô riot fclfc"¡ 'ti;¡t B.irke sui)tof'ted ;cpuIa:' sove::eig:rty, fcr I cnly fi,,r¡-tic],s pretenC.r to | ¿r ur:ive:'s:¿-I uruloCifiecl capacii¡rl .J Bii¡xe ilsed a rpeoplel s--,ecific r:ì mitatìon of , C;ich r';¿s botLr aristocre,t.j-c a;:.1 i,;ragmatic. ri'¡er^, ,e, e na-L;¿r¿:l-1rr uiteciual ... ',;i;ose uìro ar'e best fi'5tccl for ,oi;blic func',,ions siroul-d. ru.tulall¡, rul-d.it Gcvernme¡rt l'¡a-s Í'cr tÌre bei:ef it of alJ-,

itut to accorrr;tÌish this ít esseltlal that gcverrùrerìt sÌlou-lrl nct be j-ri tl'e "r'as ì-:¡:.-irc'ls of a.11, 1Ìor t:re rnajoritri of treople r.,¡ere incâ¡-able; /25

G,od a.nd nature never made ttren !o tlr-inlc or act without guid.ance or direction. 5

Those errd.øect w:ith the necessary capacity, ¡ the British Publickr , comprised

those of actrrlt age, not cleclining in J-5.fe, of tolerable leisr:re for such discussions, ald of some mea¡:'s of ínformation, more or Iess, a¡¡l rrho are above merriaJ- d.epend.encet on this calcrrlation, about for:r hur¡dred. thousarÉ. persons in Britairu5 Frcrn such an attitucle foLlowed. the core of Burker s theory of electoral representation, his emphasis on representation of ínterests.

Br.¡rke attacked. the concept of the rsovereignty of the peopler , on the gfound. that if power is given to tkre rmultitutlei then th-is pcffier ís the most d:iffiç¿lt tc¡ ctreck. It was nattlraI, then, that he shoulcL clergr that all men, a:rd their wills, opinions a¡td votes, should. cou¡rt equa11y.

It is saicl, that twent¡r-four milliorrs ourght to prevail over two lu:ndretl thousand.. lrrre; if the-constitution of a kingdcrn be a problem of aritúnetic. 7

A ful1 sr:ffrage is therefore devoicl of neaning:

Ma¡r is politicalþ sigpificant, not as a¡r Íncl-iviilual ci-ti,zen, but soIe1y as a me.nber of a g¡oup to which he belongs socially or economicallyt. o

These groups ccmprised the rinterestst of the societ¡r on whi-ch his theory of procedr:ral representation hingecl. there were ttso t¡pes of interest: an over-ritlirrg t ccurmunion of lnterestsr ir: wtrich was fouxd I the prosperity of the whole ... the general interestr ; 9 arrcl suborrlir:ate interests of

rrnequal value, which were historically recognisable, arrd. were part of the orgarric st:ructure of the society.

The lgeneral interestr was ran a¡'isto;la.cy of virtue a¡rl w"j-scl.cn goverzring for the good of the entire r¡ationt ,10 was both necessar¡r ald. "rrd. l2b possible. That it was necessar1r follcnvetl from Burkels oor:ception of the mass of the pecple as incapable of knowing on achievir¡g their ow:r lgenera-l

godr; it was possible because the representatives chosen woulil be men tinterested. in the prosperi.ty of the whole, who are involveÈL in the genera-l interest ard the general sJrropat}¡yr.11 Within this tgeneral interestt was a conception of societ¡r coryrised. of

broad., relatively fixed. interests, few in r¡¡mber a¡rd clearly defined., of wbich arÐr group or local-ity has just one. These ínterests are l-argeJ-y economi-c, ard are associatecl w'ith particular looalities whose live- lihoocl they ch¡4acteñ-ze, a¡rd. whose overall prosperity they involve. t¿ lhese incluclecl such econornic j-nterests as the merca¡rtiIe, agrierltural alad, professior:al, but there was a fi.¡rther interest, not fixed. to a loca1ity, but essential in the Br¡rkean concept, the interest of propenty, arrcL

especially of n¡ral propert¡r. In his , Br:rke wrote that I the property of the nation is the r¡ationr , arrct ha¿l

earlier assertecl that if the larger lanileil prcprietors rwere ta.ken out of, this countr¡r, it worrLcl leave hardly alything that I shoul-d caIL the people of Englanctr.1' Thus, as Ga¡ava¡r puts it,

the Ia::d.ed proprietors were the people of Engla¡d. in a sti-lI narrcrwer sense tha¡r trthe British Pr¡blicktr because they were the cøners of the soiJ. and. the natural- lead.ers of the cor:ntry. 14

Br:rke addecl yet a f\:rther d.j-mer. Ëion. It was not necessa:ry that each distinct grographical loca-1ity of the roajor interests shorrlcl be dÍrectly represenfed., fon

there is a comr.¡nion of interests, and. a s¡arpatþ in feeJ-iqgs a¡d. desires between those who act in the r:a.ne of any d.escæiptiori of people, ard. the people in whose naroe they act, though the brrstees are nol actua-Lly chosen by theur. This is virtt¡al represen- tation. Such representation I think_to be, in nar¡r cases, even better th¿¡¡ the aotual . '15 t4 There was no contraùicüion, to Br:rke, in his concept that a representative electecl as a representative of the nercantile interest woulcl be a repre- sentative of the general interest, arxl for the general good. of the cc@unity, The resolution of the two concepts ca¡ne through the speclfíc fi-rlctions which Br:¡ke attributed. to the representative, fi:¡rctions of a¡r indeperrtent cteliberative r¡atr.¡re, to wtrich we wilJ. return in Part III of this sturfur. At this point, we are concezteecl w-ith the tproceclrrralt aspects

of Bu¡ket s theory of political representation, ard. the ma¡rner in whích

these were absorbed. into the South Australian environment. It is t:rue, as Pitkin points out, that an

entire ccrtplex of id.eas - elite representation of the nation, actual and virtr:al representation of constitr¡enoies, parlianenta:ry deliberation, aco¡¡ate reflection of popular feelirrgs - togeth* nakes.up Br¡rkets theory of political representatiorrt, 'lb

anil to separate these, and. exa¡ruine parts of theur only is, to a d.egr.ee,

artificj-al. It is hopect that the conclusion to this stuËty w'iIL clraw together both the oontemporar¡r theories ard practices of poJ-i-tical. repre-

sentation in South Australia and. the complex of id.eas wh-ich cmprísecl the

'[Ítrig, anà. especially the Br.¡rkean theory of political- representation.

In narglways, as Bcmle points out, Burke tbelongs to the English eigþteenth centrrryr.lT As shown above, the theories of rproceduralt representation ôiverged. frm 1[hig attihrcles follovrilg the Refom Act of 1832, although the ¡rractical effects foJ-lowed more slcrvly. ilanna Pitkin notecl that

as late as 1857 George Harris fought a J-ast ¿litcb defensive acti.on against the rising tid.e of d.enocracy by argui-::g that nthe interest of mer¡bersñ was on\r one of the several interestç composlr¡g a state, that cugbt to be represented. 18 l?s Yet, in Sorth Austr.elia, throughout the latter }:alf of the nineteenth centurXr, lfhig attitr:des to I procedr:re-l] aspects of political representa- tion were suprene. The cc.rncept of representation of interests, in aLmost its origir:al Br.¡rkean foam, was accepted. as the nodel for the oolor5r, bnrt

in different wa¡rs bY each house.

the tive Cor:¡rcil - Hcuse of Rural

X'rom its inception in 1857 r-¡ntil the present da¡r, the Legislative Cou¡rcil has been elected. on the basis of a restrictive fra¡rchise, based on a pr5-nciple of repz'esentation of prcperty. Since 1882r the I gecmetrSrr of the Council el-ectoral systern has incorporateËl the principle that r'¡¡raI property shoulcl be paranount. The intransigence of the cor:sen¡ative majority in the t lryrbriclt Legislative Cor:ncil in the esrly I fifties was maíntainecl, even hardened, in the half-centr:r5r of colonial respon-sibIe goverrment, arrl all attempts to lower the value of the propert¡r qtrallfica-

tions arrd. so broad.en the franchise were soundJ¡r clefeated.. Even in the decade of the Inineties, when a short-livecl libezp-l najority in the

Legislative Corr¡rcil allosre¿L a series of socrial and. ir¡lustrial reforrn BiLLs

to pass, this libere.Iity

of, the basio eJ-ectoral props of a restrictive fra¡chise and. a m¿rked.

rrural- over-representation. Espec5-a11y after 1882, the Legislative Counoil carriecl into practice a lllhig system of t procedr:ralr representation.

Before examining the theonles erÐound.ecl by menbers of the Colr¡ei1 to justify both restrictive aspects, it is valr:ab1e to establish the extent

a¡rd. the results of the restrictions. the fra¡rchise li-mj-ts irposed. by

t}:;e 1855 Act were uncha-rrged. at the er¡d of the centur¡r; a freeholcl of €!O, an a¡ma1 leaseholcl of €20 or ocst¡pation of a house of annral value of €2!. t21 At fi-rst sigþt, a¡rd. in moòern toms, these agPear relatively llberalr a.nd they were less restrictive tha¡r in Victoria.l9 But they were restrictive,

arrd. ad.eq¡aüeIy carriecl out the aims of the conse::r¡ative planners. Althcught

on the basis of q:rrent rents j-n the coloniaJ- years, a-n average working

family nan rn4)r have qualified. u¡¡d.er the t occtrpationt clause{ krge r¡¡mbe¡rs of men, especia$f in the significantly large nr¡al work force were effectively exc1ucl"d..21 Jr ccnparison of enrolments for the Assembly and Cor¡nci1 in 1881 provides scme ind.:ication of the effeots of these restriot-

l-ona..22

Table 4.1: Effects of fra¡rcleise provisions. 1881 Metropolitan Area Assønbþ Adult Enrolments as percentage District Males of adult males Assembly Counsíl East Adel-aíde t+5o6 6t n Ifest Adelaicle t+115 7t 38 North AclelaicLe 1811 84 50 Port Ade1aid.e 3W9 84 1$ West Torrerrs 3328 88 1¿ East Torrens l+7d+ 83 55 Stìrrt 3t+95 74 )ß MEAN 78 I{4 Non-l[ etr op olitan .Area Assembþ A&r-1t Enrolments as percent4ge of ach¡J-t nales Assernbly Cor.¡¡rcil Albert 1970 81 38 Barossa 25t+7 90 50 Burra Ø23 85 t+5 Encounter Bay 1176 92 )+7 Fllnd.ers 7707 66 31 Gumerache 1672 86 t+7 Light 2856 86 50 Mt. Barker 1613 92 t;7 Noar}-rnga 1255 98 58 Onkaparinga 1763 87 52 Stanley 4769 87 )+5 Victoria 2525 81 39 lÍaIla¡roo ilÐ2 90 59 Wooroona 2522 8t t+7 Tatal¡ 1t¿g 84 49 MEAI\T fßd OVERAEL }ÍEAII 81 r+3 t3ò

/ilthottgh there are no mea-nsi to establish the exact natio of those who were eligible to enrol for the Cor¡r¡cil to those who d5-d enrol, it ca¡¡ be assume¿L that such ratios vrere similar in the case of each house. Thus over"]lr the forby three percent of adult ma'lss who ôicl enrol for the

Cou¡cil probably constituted. about for:r-fifths of those eligible, a¡rd. on ttris rough approximation, the property requirements exc}:deit halfl of the ailult rnale popr:lation. In the city, the strongly Ìrcrking class areas of East a¡d.'!'Íest /rdelaid.e shor¡red. the lowest proportion of e¡rrolments for both houses, while in the cor:ntry areas the lmest Ievel of enrolments occn:¡red. in the far-flwrg ancl sparsely settled. district of Flinders" Tfhat is noticeable is the relatively hi-gh IøveI of Cor,urcj-I enrolments in North Adelaid,e a¡rd East Tomens, both populatecl to a trigh degree by the wealth-ier colonists, and. the relatively hi-gh leve1 of Ccl¡¡rcil enrolments ín Noar¡nga and. to a lesser extent in Barossa, Líght anit Onkaparj¡ga, eactr of whích were the homes of South ¡Iustralials famers.

the disparity between Assembly and. Council- er:rol¡nents was evid.ent throughout the colonial period. the ratio of Cor:¡¡ci1:Assenb\r enrol:nents was at apeak at the first eleotion inJ:SJf; by the encl of the centqr¡r the ratio had been halved. t3t

Table 4:2. Ccmparison of enrol-ments. 1857-1899 Election Council Assemb\r Aanncll/ Enrol¡nent EnroLmerrt Assembþ Pe¡rcent

L857 JßO92 r5341 6l+.8 1860 13363 22265 60.o r862 ttÐ6t+ 2tß16 56.7 t865 rzuþ 23589 5l+.1+ 1868 15168 29567 51.5 1870 t6339 50t57 5¿+.2 r87t L67t+1 3L6tß 52.9 t875 tBA+5 3t+189 5l+,5 1878 215o7 1+1223 52.2 1881 30662 56727 53.o 188¿+ 50372 5811É 52.2 1887 3195t+ 6255o 51.1 1890 33265 69921 )+5.6 1893 35n5 732Oo lß.2 r8g6 45843 1383r& 33.1 L899 tßL9l+ ].5tr24 31.9

By 18!J, the last gerreral election on the basis of mal-e suffbage, the e¡rol- ments for the Assenbly had. increased. by a factor of almost 5.0, those fon the Council by 3.5, wh5'Le the respective increases by 1899r follcming the

íntroduction of female votir¡g rights, were a.l¡nost 10.0 ard.4..8, By the end. of the colonial perioil there was no doubt that the Cot¡ncil resteil upon a very f irnited. electorate inileeil.

What were the gror:ncLs for the conti¡¡ration of the restricted. electorate set up by the compronise forcecl. on the more rad.ical members j:r

L8557 ÎÌrroughout the colonial period., the consa¡¡ative members ia the Council were unequivocal in their attlblô9 tbat

there shorlil be two branches of the Ìegislatr:re a¡¡å that one shor¡J.d. be largely representative of property ... it was a-n er¡:idence of higþ civiriz¿tion whàn the- rights of propert¡r r¡ere respected.. 23 l3>\ To gq¡nr.1 Daverçort, rthe only warrzrrt fon one olass of men to goverzr the other classes is that the latter are most benefittetL by itr. It follrred, then, ras property benefits allr, the restricted. fba¡lchise was rmost

berreficial to the people as a whol .% Ilis cor¡senrative colleagues in "' the Cor¡¡rci1, and. those of this attitud.e in the societ¡r agreed.. Men ma¡r clai-m the right to vote, but the restri-cted, eleotorate was necessa-r¡r for one house at least I to gr:arcl. agairÌst darrger in tj-mes of popular excitement,

or under cirsumstances of persona.l- feeling or of prejuòicer. It was essential to prese:nre the right,

the privilege, of ever¡r i::divldual Colonist to acqui¡e propert¡r, and. to seq.lre for that property its clue weight in the legislation of the cor.urtry. Besides, it wo¡lcl be difficu1t to shc¡¡v that property is not entitled. to a d.istinct representation, beyond. the mere o1¡ims df marrtrood.l . 25

fn fact", this axim was so widely accepted. that Ít was not r:¡rtil 1895 that

a goverrxÍFnt bill was put before the Cor¡ncil to seriously questíon it. The lradicalr id.eas of Dutton ard Kingston of the early tfifties were revived.

by the ]-atterr s son, Charles Ca.meron Kingston who, es later chapters ri]-t shcm, was the d.sninant political personality of the Inineties.26 But this Bi1} l-ike its successors to 19ô1, was peremptorily rejected..

The Cou¡rcil was plar:necl to act as a means for the protection of

property rights and., as will be show-n belonr, it d.id. so in a vetXr ccmpetent manner. It was also granted. a secor¡l fi:nction by the constitution rnakers in the rfifties, to act as a general house of review over alJ- legÍsJ-ation,

to mod.ify, a.merd, d.eIay and., if necessarlr, d.efeat prcposals anit BiLIs whiah fgeneral were held. to be not in the interestr. As wiIL be shown in a later chapter it also canried. otrt this fr,rnction ef,ficiently. The Cor-rncil t33 îras prs\rid.ecl with tr¿o ir¡stitutiona-I derrices to ensure that it was I kept free from poprùar or Ioca1 excitenentr, the single-province electorate, ard elections held. at d.ifferent times to those of the Assenbly. Until

1.882, Council elections were held at for,:r-year period.s a¡rd. coj¡rcitled. with those of, the Asse,rnbly only in 1865 arrd 1881. tr'ollowing 1882 the Cor¡ncil revertecl to tri-enrrial elections, but one year later tha.a those fon the

Assembly.

The single-Þovince electorate was the second urajor d.efence agêj¡st majoritaria¡r d.emocracy built into the Constitution. Coupled. with the restrictive fra¡rchise it ocmpleteÉL the institutional defence aeainst the fuL-l- maLe suffbage grantecl for the Assemb1y. It enab].eil the ruìal property @ners to have a¡rd exercise a nrmerica-l ailva¡ttage s\rer their r¡¡ba¡r counter- parts before this imbala¡rce rûas institutionalized j-n 1881. this was

essentially a lfhig concern, a-n Ðcpression of a belief that those who c¡w:eeil the lancL co¡:stituted. the most wortþ a¡d. most able tPrrbJ-j-ckt, and that they should. consequently play a doninarrt roJ.e in the fo:mation of the d.sninant partner in the parlia.urent. Such a scheme tc¡ over-represent n¡ral. propert¡r was dependent for its effectiveness on the nature of population movements,

ard it was vali¿l only so long as the embryonic metropolitarr area rou¡rd.

Adelaicle remained. proportionately Ða-11. lable l+:J. total er¡rolnents s]-ative

Assembly Election Counoil EnroLments Metropolitar:, Non-l[etropolíta¡r l.857 47 53 1860 38 62 L865 34 66 1870 35 6S J875 n 7o 1881 38 62 t3+ For the first L-went¡r five years of representatíve governmen-t, n:ral property-orslners constituted. almost fuvo-thirrls of the Cor¡nqil enrol-ments, and the effects of the grcmth of the metropolitan capitalists which, by 1881 t

hacl reversed a¡r increasing trerrd in favour of the n:ral areasr was part of the reason for the Cor¡¡rsilr s accepta¡tce of the 1882 reòistribution, ad. the formalisation of, the rural i-mbala¡rce which is explai-rred' belcm"

But while the bala¡rce in favour of zural property was att ìrnporta¡lt reason for the establislrment of the single-Fovj-nce system, the oçlicít purpose, revea'lecl by public speeches a¡rd legislative debates in the eeJly rfifties, was to produce a chamber which corrlcl be a¡t aristocraqr of politica-l representation, In the tme Br:rkea-n sense of I f\:nctionalr representation, to which we will retuzzl, in Part III, the early plarrrers and. menbers of the Cor¡ncil sougþt a¡ idea-l of quiet electonal d.esisions, uninfluencecl by loca-l iss-ues arrl press:-lres to form a ctrarnber whioh wor:ld. legislate for the general

good. of the colorSr as a whole. the Hcuse of Assenbly was the comect place

for representation of eaoncmic ínterests, arrd. the place vzhere faotional pressures ald general poJ-itical- infighting shotr.ld. occr:¡. the members of the the Cor.¡ncil, as representatives of/whole population, wouId. carrTr out their

legislative fi¡nctions above this j¡rterplay of petty politicking, al1d. d.ebate matters w'ith the general interest, ard only the general interest in ni::d.. Th" 3gåg!gg, in 1855, pointed out that

i.f there existed. at the time of the election such a popr:lar feeling on solne partiaùar topic as would. carry men into the Cor¡¡rcil for the ad.vocacry of that topic, the sa¡ne resr:-lt wor:J.d. foJJorv, whether this popular enthusiasr expressed. itself in one or in many constituensies. 2(

å.rd in 1881, it raised again the practical problem that tel it is vir fuelly i-upossible that more tha¡r a verlr snal1 proportion of those who are on the Cc¡¡ncil- ro11 ca¡r tcrcn' ant'$tine abo.rt the cardidates seeking their suffrage, but such argrrments had. faìlecl to oonvince the members of the Cor¡¡rcil i:r ttle past that refom should. be caried. out, a¡d the singJ-e-electorate systø abandorred,. The reasons why the members of the Cor¡ricil agreecl to refo¡ro thej-r cnrn house and its basis in 1882 were, in essence, to guararitee thei¡

crwn political position a¡rcl eJ-ectoral- base. the final aoceptalce by the Cor¡ncíl of a systesi of electoraJ. divisions, 1o.g sought by the 1c¡wer fr*"u!9 was achieved. or:-ly at the cost of fo¡malising the 181/ privilege comprorrise, of a¡r the constitutionat do.ina¡rce of the Cor:nci-I over the AssenblyrJO "t¿ electoral gecmetry heaviJ¡r weightecl against the city of Âd.e1aid.e.

J " G. Ransay, the Comni-ssioner of Prrblic Works u¡rd.er the new\r-fo:med. 7,1 Bray ministryr/' proposecl to ]ris Legislative Cor¡nciL colleagues in June 1881 that they support his Goverrment Bill, i¡rcrease the rn¡rrbers of the Council to twenty four, introduce trier¡riaI electior¡s a¡rcl clivicie the Þovi¡rce into six Cor:nci]- ¿istricts.J2 the reaction was i¡rned.iate and oa ti¡e-worn gror:ncls. The proposal was I a¡ absrrrdi-tyl , r ørrd.e a¡d. i11- digested.t a¡rd. tutterly r:rnorlcablet ,33 urf' the stalwarü of the cor¡sernatives, R. C. Baker,

consiclered the i¡rtroduction of the local eIørent ínto the Cor:nci1 most r:ndesi¡able. It was one of the proud.est things that a mqber of the Council could say that he was elected. by the who]g coLorgr, and not by a particular d.istrict of it. r+

Althctrgh the BiIL passed. the second. reading rwithor¡t a èissentient voicer, it was agreecl to by swe only so that it cor¡Id be a-ltered t 1oak, stock a¡il ba¡re1 when i:r Cormit t""' .35 But d.espi-te such a reaotion, it becane ß6 clear that most menbe¡'s were more conce:.-'s:ed to retai¡t the dcmi¡a¡t position of the Cor.¡ncil in the bica¡neral system than they were to retain the siìgle- province electoral system. the consen¡atives blustenecl abotrt the rlocal elenentt ard. conilenned. the BiL[, but j-n the end. they foud' themsefves va1nly supporting the proposecl six districts agair:st a¡r anendnent whictr reduced. the r¡.:mber to for¡r.56

The resultant sche¡ne incorporatecL a bias against the r¡rba¡ centre of

Ad.elaicl.e, arrcl against the r:rba¡r proPerty hold'er. Map J+.1 shc¡¡ys the Cou¡rcil divisions, and, the House of Assembly ciistnicts which ccrnpriseil them to 1901, a¡rd table 4¿l+ shcms the effects of, the grtrth of Aclelaide antl its subr:¡ùs on what was, in 1882, on-ly a slight ovel-rePr€sentation of the extra-*etropolitarr area. 137 Map 4-1: Electoral divÍsions, Legistaùive council, 1882-19O1

I [rcl ld¿iaø¿ 2 h:l îd¿ladt 1 llüth ldeløa¿ 2t l Ut//aræ 5 'h,l ld./adc NORÍìTCRN ( l¡¿gt lorxs /a/ø/a ¿6 7 6 êunYac*¿t I fas/'7-,,rre'¿s' lo (/¿¿¿t tl nL'ar/tn4a E ho,.trÉ ûa't*e+' /3 0t;þøPø''m4ø /4 fna*n/a'' 8a4. /l ,âe¡acca' ll /¿ahf Ér\øf C YA|k P¿'tìnsl¿ ^'oÈfr{ 2o /B l/t/¿na. /9 ILfu¿ 2t 8ç¡¡a. 2/ lla'u/ta 7) l¡/aoroor¡:. 23 61'¿¿c/one 24 {rem¿ 24; ,i/c<.

Sowrgt¡¡

t?

¿6

\i t2

l8 EILE'fl.OR/AL DIIS3ÏI-RIGTS \8@2- 1190[ /3t lable 1+:4 tion ard. t Leeislative Colurci! ,

Division: Central Sorthern North East Northern 1881 Popr:lation 29-8 22.9 2l+,5 22.5 Ç too/") A¿tì¡1t Males 29.8 n.6 20.5 28.8 1882 Enrolments ?ß.7 22.1+ 23.1 25.8 ]-gor Population 31.7 23.7 17.2 25.1 Adu]-ts 34.5 23.7 16.1+ 25.3 Enrol-ments 33.5 26.6 15.1+ 2l+'8

The Central divísion, comprising the metropol-Íta¡r House of Assenbþ d.istriots, contained over or:.e-thizd of the total population, over one-thi¡d of the adults a¡rd qrer one-thi:rd. of the enrolments fon the Cor¡nci1 i:l 19O1r but it eJ-ecteil only one-qr:arter of the mernbership of the upper house. Table 4:5 shc¡ws the effects of the grcnrbh of the netropolJ.ta¡¡ area on enroLments, a¡d the effects of the i-ntroduction of feu:al-e voting rights i-n 1897.

Table I+:5 Division enrolments, 1882-1t00, as a percentage of total enrolments Tota1 Tear Central Southern North East Northern Enrolment

1882 29.7 22.1+ 23.1 25.8 ,o198 1885 to.2 22.3 21.9 25.6 30372 1888 30.7 24.4 19.4 25,5 52062 189t 31.o 2l+.1 19.1+ 25.5 3297o 189I+ 29.1 2l+.8 19.1+ 26.7 35212 1897 31.1 28.1 17.8 23.o )+5811+ 19oo 35.2 27.O 16.6 21.3 tß5te

Throughout the colorrial period., the el-ection system for the Cor.¡ncil incorporated. a restrictive franchise and. a bias to the n¡ral- a¡eas. The weighting against the r-rrba¡r areas r\Ias seen as necessarSr to ensure that those who crynecl the 1and, a¡ril therefore 'rho had the most perzranent a¡rd most t31 I i'rtFor+ant stake in the cctrntr¡y', would. have the most say. The

restrictive fra¡rctrise was justifieil by the co¡:ser¡¡atives who f]a¡nect Ít

anl, as wiIL be shqrn below, who benefittecl frm it, in Br,¡¡kea¡r terus as ta trtrst ... to be exerciseclt, to stop the I great prostration, ttre insecrrrity ard. injustice of la.¡rsf which resr¡lts frcrn the

forbidiling aspect of resid.ence in a countqr where

Io such nen, the Cor.¡nsi]. was intend.ed. as a bulwark agair¡st the rising tid.e of najoritaria¡r d.e¡nocracy erq)ressed in the colorgr at large, but especially in the r¡¡ba¡r settlenents a¡rd. through the House of Assembþ. l[e have alreacly seen hcnv the Cor¡ncjJ- imposed. a I ccmprcmiset on the Assernbþ in the fi¡st session, a¡rd. we will return in chapter vr to al ana\rsis of the relations of the ùwo hotrses, to the attitud,es a¡rd. aotior:s of the rnenbers of the Legislative Cou¡lsil and. to the nanner in whictr the upper house used. its d.crninant constitutior:al position for political encls. At this point, we will tr:rn to the electoral system for the Asse¡:obly and examine the cleirn that it did. enable the rd.onina¡tt nar¡¡rt to e4press thei¡ wiIL in the lower house.

The House c¡f sentation of Interests

The inclusic,n of mel e ad.ult suffrage a¡¡l the principle cf r or¡e manr-one votet in the 1855 constitution cane only after the guarantee of tbara¡Lcer the to the upper house a¡¡d., even then, in the face of strong opposition frcm the more conserr¡ative menbers. Ihese I o1d. wor:ndsr were re+opereil in 1862 when attorney-Genera-1. R. r. stcm brorght in a Bìrr to /./p

give arr ad.dii;ional vote to orìÉiËrjs of property ... to secn¡re those whose i.nterests rrere especially ir¡volved, a larger vçrice in thç experrcLiture of public revenle r.. [othezwise] properby wor:,1.d. have no i-nfluence. Jö

This proposal was war:m-ly reoeived by t.rirse members who agreed. with the tht¡rsd.at_Bgvig that

the constitution of J-,855 was the production of a periocl of unnatr:raf exoitement .. r a political d.ebauch ... bJr PhiAlstines oe ¡ zealists... w-ith frotþ appeal-s to the passior:s of the r¡rr1tituite.59

Stow oontirued.,

every na¡r shor¡Id. have a vote, but iJ thegr left the whole pcmer in the ha¡rd.s of a r¡¡nerical majority, as the colorry progresseil, as manufactr¡res arose, ald. large r¡¡nbers of mecharics a¡rd labo:ri::g næ would be co4gregatecl together, the whole poerer of the State wor¡ld. be in their hend.s, prcpert¡r worrld. have no i¡rfluence, âfid. they worrld. be subjec.t to the sa¡ne evils whích hacl overtake¡r other countri_es where the same systeun had. existed. ¿O

I u Blyth,,agreed. that the ma¡r who paici the most ta:ces shou1d have more votest , tthis IücEllister d.enor¡nceil taxation without representatíoilf a¡¡d. Mil¡re consicLered manhood. suffbage I the height of injusticet . Trrhy shorlcl I the iôLe a¡rd' ðissipated. man, vrho had no interests at stake a¡¡ct did. not acqrrlre propertyr, have equal pcmers with one who d.id.?4J But there were mernbers who were equally convi¡rced. that the 1855 decísion had been right in principle, a¡d. politically sor:rd fon south Australia. fhe Bill was rreactiorur¡rr denounced. as rl+4 and., saicl rcrwrserrd, the f propertÍed. naturer of the majority of mønbers, rrnany of whom were eleqted. by the working lhannlessnesst classesr, w'as proof of the of ma¡:hood. urrffragr.45 The

BiIL was ðischarged. the Goverrtnent nad.e a seconcl atterrpt a¡d. corrvi.ncecl a rnajority of, the Âsserrbþ that the concept was cor:r€ct in prinoiplerE Urrt t+t the roatter was not pu',. 1r,,., pratt::rc::. lOne ma¡r-one votel rema-ined, a basis of the electonal systø of the Assæbþ. For all but the most consen¡ative, the ríght to vote had. been accepted. as arr attribute of citizensÌÉp rather than property, while to the Aclvertiser. which, so often in the ni¡¡eteenth centtu¡r took up the c¿r-rse of the more rad.ica-l sid.e of, politics, the suffrage was a tsure-al-l-r.

Universa-l suffrage asserts the rights, priuileges a¡rd. sovereignty of rThe Peopler against the nachlnations of every d.escription of cabal on facticn. Universal suffbage rebukes all pIots, íntrigues a¡:iL secret workings; guararrtees to the people a goverr¡ment at least as enJ-ighteneit and. as patriotic as themselves; it is i-rreconci.leabl_e with perpehrated. abusesi j.t c,bviates fo¡midable grieva-nces; it supercecles clarrgerous agitatiø and. public panio; it is cor¡co.ni tant with p:rogress in the adoinistration, paral1e1 with the ¡:ational progress.... has faith in Humanity; reoognises a brotherhood. in nu.n. l+7

To those, like Forster, who clai-neil the sr¡ffrage hacl placett the tadmj¡ris- t¡ration of public affairs in the hards of the least iltelligent portion of the cormrrnityr, the ådvertiser repl-ied,

the Ballot has_bee* $ven to the mob, the , the oi poffãtls¿c], - and rigbt weli hav eA itr_right well have they viniticated its merits, rigþt well have they justi-fied. the assertio¡¡s of its advocates. ¡{ö

Butr if the oolonia'l House of Assembly rejected this Wleig attitucle to a restricted fra¡rchise, or rather, the granting of extra rigbts to property, few bacl. an¡r d,esire to see unbrit[Lecl chartiq in South Australia,

This clemocracy was to be tenpered.. Ihe Legislative Co¡¡rcil. prov:id.ed a check with its restricted. franctrise, and. in neither syste.m was there a:ryr evidence that a najonity of the representatíves favo¡recl roræ vote-one vafuel - a¡r el"ectoral systerc based on equi-population appø-tioruent. The t+> rn¡ral weighting in the L655 lct rù¿ìi:: ìi_Ì.; .ed. ar¡d., a-lthough the ertent of clisproportion rmriecl, argr attenpts to wealcen or dilute, Iet alone abolish the n¡ral weighting were strongly resisted. ar¡d. u-Ltinately defeated. Both checks on the rd.ernocracyt of the suffrage, the restricted fra¡Lc¡lse for the Cor:ncil a¡rd. the apportiorrnent weigir.;i-ng against the centres of pçuJ-ationr were tenets of all but the most rad.i- ca]- f ew in the colonial

parliaments. 1o the maiority of members the f\¡ndamental principle otr

representation inolud.ed. a recogrrition of the I special rightst of those with a stake in the colorgr. as the ,,frdverbiseE put it,

is_non-monopolizing; it mereþ It does not sqy tÞoperty stlatl aJ- representationr; but it says it wil,,ingly .oo..af3 ä:Thi:tï"#H#1..;;*-' it specially upholds the rights of nan.-t+9

From such viems as ttris carne the conpromíse of 1955. 0n1y once was the principle of r¡a1e adult sufftage questioned. in the fo¡m of a BiI1, and rafltiple voting was rejected. frqo the outset.Ð But the seconlar¡r question of apportioruent within this nale ailult sr:ffbage rapíd.l¡r becane a pr5-mar1¡ issue of aIL d.ebates on the electoral systens, re:ith the najor points of contention being the qrrestion of representatíon of interests, the rights of rnajonities ard. minorities a¡¡d. the voting power which shqrld, be granted- to the n:ral- areas.

/rlthottgb no noves were rnad.e to anerd the electoral geøetry in the first session ú LBD7, the rapid cl'4ges in the pattern of popuration d'elrsÍty in the ColorSr had. becøTe a natter of concern. By electÍon äa¡r, 7857, the imbala¡rce had, beocme extre¡ne. t43

Tab1e l+:6 Ele mea.rr

L856 ].857

Ad.elaide 133 1l+7 Tatala Por-b Ad.ej a: tle 122 1¿C j,fle'l ai {6 0nkaparinga 1r8 128 Barossa Noarlwrga 113 127 L,ieht Mt. Ba¡ker 107 127 Mt. Ba¡ker Barossa 107 12'l East Torren"s Tatala 105 121 Burra & Clare Victoria r04 117 IÍest To¡:re,r¡s Lieht 10t 104 The Stu¡ú 100 mea¡Ì 100 Bu¡ra & Clare 96 89 Or:kaparinga Guneracha % 89 FlÍ¡lders West Îo¡rens 92 81 Yictori,a East Toruer¡s 90 74 Por'ü Ailelaide The Stt¡rf 88 71 Encounter Bq¡r Encounter Bay 85 6g fr¡meracha Fli.nd.ers 76 67 Noarlunga the Mwray 68 26 The Munray

As a result of this concern whictr, as will be showrr below, was basecl our more tha¡r the obvious r¡¡merical imbala¡rce, a rerli stribution was ca¡ried. out i-n 1861, only four years after the ínaugr-rration of the origiræ.l systen.

Ard i-n the succeedirig two clecad.es a fi:rther five atternpts were nad.e to ca¡ly thrangh major reclistributions, of which only two were successfirll¡r oa.tzied. into practice.

the first najor stud¡r of electoral clistricti4g in South Austral-i¿ was carriecl out by J. B. stepheo"orr.5l He set out the changes whictr ocor¡rred. in the House of ,irssembly electoral systemn rlrrtiI 1882, with the aim of establishi¡g the degree to which rpopulation was taken as the basis 52 of representationt. He was concerzred to establish what meanÍJ¡gs were attributed. by contapora.ries to the oft-used. phrase, rpopulation as the basis of representationr, ard id.entified. five roaín usagess t+4 (i) that rrpopu.].ation alone" iva.s -=t^. basisr no other matter.. " beirrg even consíd.erero. . . (ü) that npopr-rJ-ation alonerr was the basj-s, cormr.nity of interest ard. locality being consid.erecl where they did. not conflict with rtrDbers... (iii) that population was the mos'f important br¡t not an ovelriôing cor¡sicleration. . ¡ (t") that all other things beíng equal-, the clivision ained at equal rÌmbers... (") that the òivision aimed at giving eqr:aI political representation to the 1ocal interests of the dífferent geograpbical d.istricts, using rumbers as a gauge to measure whether the par-tic'ula¡ groLrp interests_wene large enorgþ to merit separate representation. ,t

He was concercred. to establish the intentions of the eJ.ectoral planers by means of a study of debates on the proposals for refo:ms, a¡d. he provicles a close anal.ysis of the theoretical positions of the members, a¡¡d. a preli-nrinar¡r exami.r¡ation of the resr¡lts of the proposals, IIis conclusioli¡ wa.s that the theoretical vierrrs of the najority of members tl:ranghcnrt the period, approxÍmated that of the L8554 Select Ccm¡nittee:

nThe ilivision of the colorgr into eleatora1 districts shouJ-d., as fa¡ as practicable, be based on populationn. But the phrase rras fa.r as practicablen was interpreted. in a very wj-de sense so that population, though usua-lþ regard.ed. as the most importa¡rt consideration was not maile a¡r ovorièing one. It hað to yielcl at variotrs ti-mes... 2+

Stepher:sont s sumar¡r of the d.ebates on eJ-ecto¡ral proposa-ls leaves little cloubt that an equi-population apportior:nent for-¡¡rd few exponents, but t'his ís not to sa,y that they were norFexistent. A s¡aII minority of the colonial leaders supported. such a pr:inciple rin order to give a 55 proper representation of the peoplet. l¡ilce Twr¡send., they aslced. tif population was not to be the basis, he hoped. someone worlct te]1 hi^m 56 what principle they shorrld go upo¿r. Th. &gåg!g supportetl this in l+s 1881 with d. pi¿i:r. pi:c¡;-lùilð that t Ð- giye- ^'rTr:"r;-r' of electors shcnrld have the

s¿une propoz-tj-on of me¡nbers a]-lottetl to the,n, .57 But the gceat majority of mesrbers qualifiecl ttrei-r posi-tions. To sme

whilst population must be -::.'he oridnal basis of the electoral divisions, other c;:::siclerations must be respected., so as to avoid. includ.ing in argr one distric,t local;lties with hostile or uu.congenial interests, 58

and. sone appeared. to accept the prínoj-ple as absolute, but then r¡odifiett it. Boothby, who was the author of a r¡.¡nber of rectistribution proposals

in the period, stated. that he

was grrided., in fact, by the canon of representation laj-d. tl.own in Brougþmt s British Constitution. al ilthe distribution of representation-sñõffiITe such as to sesrre representatives of all the great olasses in the ocmrrnity whioh are sufficientþ ruln€fous. o¡11

It follcmed., therefore, that as in South Australìa rwe are al.l ver¡r m.¡ctt

of the spme classt, population strou1.cl be the sole basis.59 One year Iater, hovever, Boothby mod-ifiecl this sta¡d. and., r-rrd.er questi-oning frm a Selecû lpopulation Comnittee, felt sho¡¡l-d. be the fi^rst consid.eratiol, a¡rËt after that Iocal-ity arrd. id.entity of ínterestsr. &

The cor:flLicting theories of e1-eetoral representation wtrioh were at the base of the debates over the 1852, rB55 aa lg55 constitutior¡ Bills seern at first to be relatively straightf,orra.rcl. 0n the one hard. was the minority view that a¡r electoral syste"n shou.Iil be apporbioned. on the basis of population alone; on the other was the attitude that thls was tmonstrous | a evi1l , ã fal_se principlet which wot¡l_d. l,l+ co¡fer o¡r those hav-ing the lowes b Ìnterest i:l the welJare of the CoJ-orgr the greatest power of representation. Thus a ma¡ whose soJ-e stake i¡r the colorry consists of nether ga.ments... â¡d. a mattress, has, in the cíty, a voting capaeit¡r which returns one-sixth of the House of Assernbþr - wlrile, ín nar¡1r cases, a sc?.1 :.''.-'seî, crning from twenty to fifty thousand. .-.' ";::F enjoys but one thirty-si:iúh part. 61

0n the one ha¡rd. were the railicals, few in rnmber, who arguecl fbm the

basis of ir¡d.ividrÞ,l rigbts and fearetL an olígarcLgr of l-a¡d.ed. econcoío

pcrwer. On the other were the conse¡¡ratives, who were concerned. that the

protection of properbTr arid. the politica-l pcrwer acconcled. to pro¡:erty by

the fra¡rch-ise for the Legislative Council, was not suffícient safeguard.. To these, representation was not based. on ,'.rulation, but on econonio gct¡ps - interests - and. only througþ a representation of these ínterests cor¡Id. the rt¡æarmy of clenocracyr be held. in chec]c. A mass of, people, 62 I croseþ congregatedt could. be r actecl upon in a¡r unfaÍ^r wayt **t , , "r¿ the oity could' d.crni¡rate those who had, the greatest productive interest in the color¡y. Hence the døri¡ant the.me in colonial debates - the necessity to grarrt a nr.¡merical over-representation to less popùated. sreas as rrepresentation on the basis of population alone is u¡rd.esirable, 63 as it gives undue votiag porver to oentres of popuì.e.t j:on, , and. gives t to errery large twn the choice of too nar\y representativ.s, .64

Ihe various electora-l plans brotrgbt fo:mari!. in the oolonial period. shø evid.enae that this theory was carried. into praotice. An aralyeis of the proposals shows that the sparseþ settled. areas of South AustraLia were gralted. a consiclerable electonal weighting against the oentres of, population.

Suoh a¡r analysis is made èifficr¡It by the natr.re of the electoral systems ín use. The emphasis on trnixed.r representation by single, clcuble t+7 alrd muJ-ti-inember dj,.rtrict,s, ccrnplicated. by vol:rrtar¡r voti.g, volurrbarTf e¡rrolment ard. p}.rmping, and. the absenoe of establisheil politica,l parties with relatively stable bases of supporbr65 pr"*loite the use of recently d.ørrelopecl. tecturiques of testir:.g apportiorment by reference to par*y r¡¡d.eæ represent ut1r:n.66 ï4lith these limitati..¡rrs, the ar:alysis of the elecüorral systems in South Australia required. a method.ologr which could ccnÐare d.issimi]-ar systems. the purpose was to establish a meers of cæparison between successive reèistribution proposals ar¡d. to estabU-sh a means of judging the quality of apportior:ment. Thus, for this study, the systæ lsror¡r as t one vote-one valuel , that basecl on an eqiril>opuÌatíon apporbioment, is taken as the base, a¡il the actual electoral syster'.s in coJ-onial- South Australia were coqpareô to ì,1És. the means of corrparison

cor:sistecl of the rr¡mben of adr:It males per mæben to L895, ar¡d. the r¡-'mber

of aitr:lts per meúer, 1,896 arrd 181!, where such iletaíls were avail¿bIe. 8or the aru-l¡rsis of j¡rter-red.istribution period.s, the comparative aruJ¡rsie

'was basd on the er¡rolments per mernber i¡¡ the respective d.istrícts, althcttgh there were clisparities betwee.n, say, ad,ul.t males a¡d. enroLments

at argr time, ancl the effects of these are discussed. belcm. 0n the basis of these meal fig.rres for the respeative d.istricts, it nas possíble to ooa¡rare the ratios of apportionment in the mi¡ced. system of sir¡gl.e, clouble arrô mrlti-menber ðistricts, axd to establish the extent to wfrlon the conternporarlr theory of electoral representation was camied ínto practice.

There was a series of najor redistribr:tion Bi1ls introitucecl into the House of Asse¡ribl-y, a¡d. a'l'l were products of Select cqmittees. Frm tbese, thirüeen d.etailect el-ectonal p1a¡s were produeecl, but on\r three were ca¡cried into practice before the erd of the colonial period.. l+s

Table lx7 Redistribution proposa-Is. 1856-1891

9"tg Proposa]- Outcone Districts Mernbers Natu{g.oflistricts r85fr 17 fi 1x6, 1xj. 1232, 3x1 Act @r1l$!6-.

1861 .4, 12x3 12 t6 lapsed B 18 36 18x2 Act 20,1ß61 c l8 ,6 18x2 J-apseô L869 18 36 18x2 lapsecl 187t A 18 56 18x2 lapsecl B 2'l h2 2'l x 2 lapsecl c 12 t6 lzxj lapsecl r872 æ. I$ 3x3, 18x2, 1x1 Aú 27, 1;872 r87g A 24 \6 2x3, 18x2.4x1 lapsect B 25 50 25x2 'leFsed c 25 50 25x2 lapseil 1882 26 52 26x2 Lct 278, 1882 189t 52 52 J2x1 lapsed. ,

rt is notabl-e that the emphasis in a-1r but one of the proposals, ard

espeoÍally in those which were carriecl into practice, was on nulti-member d.istricts. 0n1y one red.istribution proposa-L based. on sfutgle-møber

êistricts reached the stage of d.etaileil pIans, a¡lt this was sopnd.\r rejectecl at the second. reading. We riJ-l retu¡n to the reasqns for thj-s antípatþ belor,

the prelÍminary analysj-s of the a¡rpor-biqnnent in each of these

proposals sho¡ved. that all but one of the ttrir-üeen eleoto¡al plar:s presented.

to the Aseernbly incluciecl a narked d.ivergence frør ar¡1r prinoiple of, eqrri-

population ûistricting. lhe least divergences in 18614 a¡d 1871C rer.g pro¡rosed' by IT. R. Boothby, the cbief returniqg officer of the Co1oq1r, ard. were sumnarily rejectecl.. t+1

Table l+:8 Extrenes of apportioment, ELectoral prq>osa-ls, I856-L8gl 67

Date Àdìút rnales per menber

hiehest (¿istrísü) Meg r*es!_(g¡"t"+!) Members 1856 'l 788 (¿¿eraide) 6-t{ Ilro (uurray) x 1861 A 887 (Adetå.iae) 8,,t (nr:naers) 716 - % Bt 1o16 (West Adetaide) S¡t 52S (stu¡+) x c g1t (víctæi.) $1 Zt8 (a¡rra) fr 1869 r4lr8 (Trest Adelaide) uo1 8oB (Orrkaparirrg) % ].87t n 2352 (po* Adelaide) rLBz 6Ð (Noarlunga) fi B L52 (wattaroo) Lo15 5r5 (albert) te o 1536 (East .A.d.e1ar fls) IISI lo78 (r'ainaers) 56 L87Z: 1210 (West Adelaide) 925 6ry; (nruert) t$ L879 L ) ro80 780 (aruert) t$ B U¿t6 (Tvallaroo) ) gg,* 51o (r'rinaers) fl c ) 1882 r (Eøst 2255 Âdelaide) tt67 628 (troarrunga) 52 m9f 21OB (Sorth Âd.el-aid.e [test) rh45 994 (Iüoa¡runsa) 52 r Ca.rried. i¡tto practice

But, while such a pre'lir¡ina-rry ana-lysj-s irrlicates the ilegree of d.ispa-rity, it d'oes not revoal the ertent to which the two basio crite:*ia of acceptable electoral proposals were careft¡_lIy written in. .â,Lt thùÉeen proposals includ.ecL a bias to the n¡ra-lareas, ard. arl rere basect firml¡r on a representatÍøt of j¡rterests. In each case, the Selest Çcmnif,f,çss sorgþt, in the wonits of, the Reynolils Co¡rnittee of 18þ, ras fa¡ as praøticable, to axrange the districts on the princj.ple of si"rilarity of interests, natr¡ral featr¡res of the oourtry, ard. populationr, 68 ,r-itt poprrlation the l¿st consid.eratisr.

Like all societj-es, colonial South Austza-Lia contai¡recL diverse g.ogps; occtrpatiolral, religicnrs, ethni.c, etc, But rhen the neurbers of Select I llo ComnitteeSl aill c.î the parj-i,'.jnerrts they reported to, y,-erê coú.sid.erir¡g the representation of I interestst , they clearJ-y bad. the notion of a cmunity of socio-econo¡nlc interests. Yet they rejecteil all suggestions fæ síngle member èistriots, a¡rd. optetl fr:r the emphasis on the larger ard. ccaesequently more diverse mrlti-menber d.istricts. 0n one of the rare occasions wher¡ single+eunber districting was suggesteil, the majority of the Assembly agreecl w'ith Bcmer th¿t interests shqrld. be the basis of electoral representation, but they disa,greecL strongþ with his viery ttraü frepresentatíon shouJ-d. as fa¡ as possible be equa1ized, arÊ. separate anl 69 d.j-stinob interests should. be separately and. ctistir:ctIy representudt . His clemand. f* S€ representation of interests was sufficient to bring the d.efeat of his ¡rroposal, but f,þs sf¡im for rseparate anil clisti.¡rc.bl representation raiseil agai-n the fears of r,:rban clcnrir¡ation over the t settl-ed. interestsr of the 1a¡2d.. In retrospect, then, it ís no sr:rprise that the only najor a¡d. cletailecl. proposal for a red.istribution on the basis of síngle-menber d.istricts was sr:runar-ily d.efeated.

the Playforrl goverrrnent in 1691 con'rnissionecL retuzning offícer

Boothby to prepare this red.istribution proposal, and. a Bill based. on thls was read. for a second time onDecember 18. Chief SeæetarSr J. C. Bray was sure

that hon. members wor¡ld. consider it their d.ut¡r to pass the BiJI... because for yea.rs there had. been a strong public feeling... for the acleqrrate representation of the peo5ùe... the Goverr¡nent was a¡:cious to provid.e for the representation of the people and not simply of the iu.nd. rc

But the house ref\rsed'even to d.ebate the measure. There was no reply mad.e to BraJr but there is no d.oubt that the najorit¡r vrere offenle¿ by tpeople his assertíon that nnrst be represented. in proportion to thei-r t5l ht¿ 14 iIrb"rst. /-t iil. Bi-11 was defeatect JÞ11, with only fi-le ¡'':-Iuinistry members, includ.ing some of Pl€yfolrlts etrongest opponents in E. T' $tritht Grairrger ar¡l Solorrorr, voting in favøtr .P In fact, the p::oposal was far removed. frcrn an equi-poprrlation apportiormerrt, it included' a weighting against the r¡rban voters anl it was basecl fi:rnly on the concept of representation of interests. The fifty two proposed. districts were d.ivid.ed. into five groups, each containing districts which shc¡ned a conmr:níty of interest.

75 Table l+:9 Sr-unnary of 1891 electonal proposal. of menbers Sssæ -#Description area Averase population exis-iins proposed. of ailu.].t males

1 City of AdeLaide 66 1817 2 Subr.¡rba¡r 812 t561+ t the earlíer settled. co:ntr'5r ðistricts 16 12 L5L5 I+ nidnorth a¡d. south east faiming areas 1¡l. 1'l L2l+1 5 the upper north I 11 1458

52 52

As the sì¡¡xm¿rrJr shcms, the proposaf increased. the proportion of members i:c. the city a¡rd subr¡¡barr areas frcrn for¡rteen to eigþteen, a¡rd. the grcrirÌg settlements in a¡rd. arcn¡rd. Por-b Pirie, Petersbr:rg, Çlaclstone anl Crystal f Book were grarrted. a further three mernbers, at the expensre of the Ad.elaiéLe ^ hi11s and ¡oid.-norüherrr areas ard. the south east. Despite the continuecl favorrrable weighting to the n¡ral. interests, this greater emphasis on the ciþ arld. urba¡r interests s¿s f,ef,al]y unacceptable,

The choice of a ¡red.omina¡ce of dual. a¡¡1. rn¡Iti-membèr clistricts in the e]'ectoral systems of the colonial period. had tro ìnI'etarrt results, both of tf> whioh were to enger:d.er consid.erable argument whenever tlle '--.,:ì c of el-ectoral reèistribution was debated. Firstly, it enableil the sa1I r:rba.n, ir¡lustrial a¡d niniJ¡g tpocketsr outsi,de the city to be at least balancecl, a¡rd often overwhel¡oed, by the surrorxd.ing faraing areas, ard. ¿11¡*4t this was to be tested. a¡rd. overoorne to some degree by the UrÉted. Le.bon

Parby in the 1B9Or it was notabÌy successfirl in its intent of cr:rbing "r7L still- f\¡rther the electoral pcrerer of the I d.enocratia elementsr in the early decad.es. Second.ly, æd ftcwr.ir:g froni this intent, the larger d.istricts prcnridecl. the possibility of more tha¡r one major interest in ar¡¡r one district, and hence the possibility of a conflict of interests which the plamers had. e:cplioitly triect to evad.e. Tl:ere was, of course, no district

ín wLrich there was only one interest. UrT-'a:'r Adelq.'i¿le contained. fa¡mers as welJ' as factory workers, arrd Lígbt, Burra and. Ifallaroo, at different times, were distriqts containing large ¡dnir¡g populations as weIL as fa:rrring anä pastoral interests. But the use of nnrlti-roesrber d,istri-cts acted. to emphasise this heterogeneous content of the larger d.i-stricts. It is more aco;rate, therefore, to refer to a dcrni¡ant irrterest, or to two or more urajor interests as the basis for the const:cuction of arry one dj-st¡ict.

Table l+:10 pronides an analysis of the occrrpationa-1 stnrctr¡re of ¡he adult na1e population of the electoral districts in 1865 ejxâ. 1881, a¡d. indicates the extent to which the reùistributioras succeecled. in the aim of proviiling a d.orrir¡a¡rt ccrmr:nity of interest in the majonity of d.istricts. The indices associateð with each d.istrj-ct a¡e based. on the percentage of the total male work force j-n the respective occupational categor¡r, obtaineô frcrn the census data of, fB65 ana 1881. /s3 Table I+:10 Majon occupational groups in electo:¡al- d.jstricfs 'by cen-sus results; 1865, 1881. 1865 1881 Cm- agri- Distriot ltini4g Effi= Mi:lins tuÌa-l

East Adelaicl.e 85 '9 East Adelaide 85.5 Tfest Aclelaide gg.g West Aclelaid.e g6.l Port Adelaid.e \O.5 l+9.2 Norüh Adelaide (r)* 83.5 '!Íest Torrens 73.6 Pont Attelaicle 87.5 East Torrer¡s 71.5 Tfest To:rens 82.6 Stu.rt 36.6 56.8 East loruens 80,6 Burra l+5.1+ 26.1+ Sù:¡+ 81.g Victoria 47.9 l+7.1 Victonia 29.6 6l+.o Onkaparinga 52.ì+ 10.9 Wal-l-aroo(5)'r l+1.7 n.g 26.7 Barossa 53.8 l¿.8 Mt. Barker l¿.1 50.6 Noarlunga 54.9 lP.l+ Encou¡.'rer Bay lß.2 39.2 Encor-rrter Bay 56.1 Barosee. 38.6 56.1 Tatala 57.2 Albert lß.2 l+7.8 Lisht 60.o OnJraparinga 50.1 Mt. Barker 60.7 Noarlunga 50 19 Gr.¡meracha 62.1 F1ind.ers(5) * 51.5 l+1.6 Flinders 65.8 Stanley 55.4 Stanley 70.6 Lieht (r)t 56.3 15.2 Gt¡meracha 56.8 Buræa 60.3 ïlooroora 69.5 Yatal¿. 72.7 + Members: rer¡ai-nd.er two.

0f the six metropol1ta¡r d.istricts in 1865, four were d.cninated. b¡i comrercial and. industrial ocøupations. Sturb was the least r¡rba¡¡ised., and. the peorliar gecmetry of Port Ad.elaide, which inclucLed. Torke Penir:su1a a¡d the cqpper ¡rines of lÍal1aroo arril Moonta, provicled. two loci of occupaticrr¡^al interests. In 1881, all seven metropolita¡r seats were ilorninated. by øre I interestr . On the other h.aJrdr the proportion of the extra-metro¡rolitan districts whictt were dcrnir¡atecl by agria:ltr:ra1 ooctrpatior:s in 1865 had fa11en by 1881 with the grcmth of Í¡dustrial a¡d ccrrr¡Tercial enterprises i¡. IS? the larger country tour'¡s. Tfal-laroor r¡rith three seats, conta:i¡red three econonic interests - agrior¿tural, rnirr-i.rrg a¡rd. conrnerciaVindustrial , àrÊ. other forrnerþ n:ral-interest seats hacl been diversified, either througþ changes in their bound.a¡j-es prod.ucing a new impontant econorric influenoe as in Hght, æ by the d.evelopment of cornnercial a¡¡d i:rclustrial interests with-in the district, as in F1j-nders.

0n the basis of these pred.oninant occupational interests within each district to suppor"b the generai-ised. statements of intent of the Select Ccrnnittees a¡d. the msnbers as a whole ín their discussions of interest representation, it is possible to separate the seats allocated. to the various interests at each redistribution, r-rL to id.entify the relative irnpor-bance, in te:rrs of electoral weighting, wtrich was granted. to each.

The analysis of d.ebates on the redistributions id.entified. f our mai ¡1 categor ies of interest considered. by the members as wættgr of tlisti-nct repre- sentation. Table 4:11 sumnarizes the distribution of d.istricts, seats a¡rd. electoral weighti-ng granted. to these interests in the najor red.istribu- tion proposals. A]though, as shq¡l'n j-n Table 4:10, some rural districts contained a strong cqrmerclaj/inaustrial interest, these have been placed. in one categor¡r w'ith the majonity of the n¡ral districts. /sl

Tat¡]-e ,l+:11 Red.istribution Þoposals anl Representation of Interestst A - Distributj-on of Districts a¡rô Seats (Oistricts/Seats) Date City Subr:rba¡r tr¡tinine Rr-¡ral- Tota1

1855* 1/2 12/22 17/36 1861 ¡. 2/2 B/24 1z/lø B* ro 2/2 12/23 18h6 L869 2/t 18/36 1871 A 2/3 18/56 B 2/3 0 z/+ I872+ 3l+ IB79 A z/t 16/29 B,C z/l 17/33 1882+ 1/2 18/36 189t 2/2 52/32 B - Apportiorment, mean adult r¡a.les per melnåer Date Gitv Surln¡rba¡r MirrinÊ. Rr-ua1 Mea¡r

t855* 788 616 650 6t2 6,16 1861 A 887 861 835 812 8n B* 1008 666 10lo 8% 8n c 853 8æ 8to 827 8Jo 1869 1371 975 1193 1075 1102 187r A 1507 1106 1399 1117 'l1I+9 B 1506 833 1170 950 1'll+9 1286 11BO 10,p 1 180 111+9 ISJZ* 1æ5 831 987 882 925 ],879 t 1293 1018 1n4 101+h 1015 B 1293 1018 1fr1+ 885 99t+ c 1293 1015 1535 885 99t+ L882* 1895 178o 1 ¡+æ 1180 1t67 1891 185t 't5Bg 1167 1321 lltJ+5

* Ca¡rÍed into practice

Ccmpari.sor:s of mealr enrolments per mober for each pro¡rosal i-nd.icates the

d.egree to whiah a n¡ra,l ove:sreighting was clema¡rd.ecl by the majority in the Assembly. îhe proposals which approrimated. most closely an equi-

po¡ulation apportiomerrt, notably 1861Â a¡rcl, C, ]..871 C ar¡d. 1879 A were

sumrari]-y rejeoted.. lhe proposals which were accqpted. were those which ts¿ shwed. a consid.erable d.egree of ma1-apportionnent, cf a weightÍr¡g j¡r favor¡r of n¡ra]. interests a¡d. n¡ra1 d.istricts.

\a}].e \212 Âpportiorment to interests, re&istribution Acts. Mea¡r ad.rrlt m¡] es per memben in each catego:frE3 a percentage of the ovena].l meaJrr Date CitI Subr:rba¡r Mini¡g Run.l

r855 1% 97 10t 99 1861 121 80 122 gg r87z '1n n 105 96 1882 119 1fr 1o9 85 rn the 1855 a¡rd. 1862 reòistributions, the districts classifiecL as t subu¡{¡anl were rega.rd.ed. by the eleotoral plarueers as n¡rar areas sprinkled n:tth urba¡r settlements, But by J-.882, the grøth of Ad.elaicle a¡rd. its subr.rrbs into a metropolís had. been recognised.. The subr¡rba¡r èistricts were given a similar quality of apportiorment as the oity itself, a¡d. the nrral d.istricts were oonsequently f\rrther over represented in corpa.nlson.

ÏIe w:iIL return in the fo1lonilg ctrapter to the effects of this na-1- apportiorment, and to the nature of the menbers who were elected. ftcm these clistricts so ilefined. in te¡ms of a :representation of interests. To conclr¡d.e the present analysis of the bases of South AustraU-at s electoral systems, the ernphasis is di¡ected. onto the red.istributions which were ca¡:ried. into practice, a¡rd' the changes in the ciernographic patterns of the color¡y wÌ¡-ich pronrpteil the proposals to be put forward.. 1o set the redistribr¡tions into thei¡r geographical contexü, the follow5.ng maps show the najor cha¡ges in electoral ilistricts in the colonial period. It is notable that as the population of the co1o4y increased.r rffi districts were qreated., especially in the mict-north a¡rd north-eaÞt areas, that is, in the areas dcrdir:ated. i-:e ocaupatÍ-onal terms, by farners. t51 flap 4-2

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ETECtr@RAIL DISIIRICTS l8 il6182 - [g@il tbl I[ith trhs fiñitatior:s outli¡red. above, the tech:riques to establish indices of malapportiorunent i¡r the South Austra-lia¡r situation are limj-ted.

The base of adr¡lt rnal.es per meriber was used. in the analysis of ledistnit¡r- tions, but aruJysis of appontior:raent in the inter-red.istribution perÍoèwas necessarily based on enrol¡nents per member. These ilifferent bases posed. problens of corrparJ-son, for the propætion of errro.l¡oents to the nr¡nber of adult rna].es variecl from d.istriot to aistricù'75 They have bee¡r useä in Table t+:15 as the only avai].aþle means to com¡rare the effec'bs of population movements. Althcugþ there 'was a clisparC.ty between enrol-ments a¡rd. adult rnale population, the enrolment figures were used by contæporar¡r ¡nerbers to justi-$ cle'im.q that reùistribution was necessarJ¡, ald. the disparity was of a relatively sÍmilar proporbion in the case of a naioríty of d.istricts. Hcurever, the greatest disparity occurred in the sparseþ- settled. ilistricts, and the i¡¡lices of the erhenes of mal¿pportiorment in

the inter-redistribr:.tior¡ periocls shouJ-cl be read w:ith this qtra]ification in mind.

Table 4:1J sets cnrt i¡rdÍces of apportioment, basetl on three tecltriques of a:ra\rsis. The first, corrnonl¡r refered. to as the poprrlation vari-ance

ratio, col¡pares the most and. least populous ilistrists to provid.e a¡r ir¡dex whlch, u¡rder arr equi-populati-on apportionment wotrÌct be 1.0. As these extrernes cliverge, the varia¡rce ratio rises. Hcnnever, whiJ.e this tec,trnique irròicates the ext-re,mes of argr systen of apportioranent, it i s ínsensítive to variatior¡s wlthin these extrenes, Fon exampÌe, the varia¡rce ratio for each of the þpothetioal apportiorments, ( i) l1ooo, 4o@, 4ooo, jooo, 1oo1 (ii) Booo, zoo1, ÐN, 2ooo, zooo would. be l+.O, but the variations are oor¡siderable. The seeord. techrrique, /6> 76 lu.tes seats erno-lments frcma the Dauer-Kelsay Index "."*t a¡d. the gnallest enroLment u¡mard.s u¡rti1 a majority of seats is accor:nted for, Tln¡s this ind.ex establishes the si:al-lest percentage of the total enrol¡nent whictr cot¡J-d. be representetl by a majority in the legislatr¡re. In the lgpothetical cases abor¡e the lnd.ex is 5lÁ in Case (l) ,"¿ @o in Case (ii). The shorbcoming i5 simil¿¡' to that in the first tectrrique in that the extent of the imbala¡rce in those enroLnents which exceed the meclia¡r Ís igrro""d.7T The thi¡rcl tecturique was utilized to overcc¡tre this wealgtess. Devised. by H. F. K*iaerr78 the teohnique establishes ari i¡rdex of tqr:aU-tyt of appontionment, ranging fÞcm 1.OO to O,0O, the fo::zrer inticatirrg a perfect equi-popr:lation apportionment. IÇaiser applieit va.Lue jucl.gmerrts to h-is inlex, naneþ, 0.95-1.00, exoellent; O.90-O.94, godi O.8O1s, fair;

0,7Ols, poor; beJ-cr O.70, teneibJ-e, ard. on this basis the Souttr Austral ia¡r apportÍ-or:ments fare badþ. /ø3 Table 4:1J Irdices of' J.pportionnent, rö)b-19o1 Redistrj-bution Dis- Mem- Mean(lt) Variance Da4pr- I(aiser Electior¡ trists bers Ratl.e Ke1s4¡r (") (b) (c) (d) 'qualít5rr

1885 ,,t7 36 636 1"2 ,+9.0 O.85 Fair LB57 )pg 5.6 tg.g 0.68 lerrible 1860 618 4.7 l+3.3 0.7I+ Poor r861 18 36 83O 1.1+ )$.6 o.78 Poor l.862 680 3.4 \O.7 o.71 Poor L865 6ss 3.3 l+1.7 o.72 Poæ 1868 821 3.5 ,l+1 .O o.69 Terribile r870 8¡a ,+r1 t7.2 o.63 Te¡rible IB71 879 4.o 38,5 O.61+ Te:rible r872 22 r$ 925 1.3 l+3.7 0.81 Fair r875 7t+7 2.8 1ù.1 o.7r+ Poon 1878 896 2.8 IQ.2 o.69 Ietrible 1881 1255 3.4 35.1 o.(2 Terrible

1882 26 52 1367 1.6 J8.8 0.67 Terribl_e

188I+ 1118 1.4 3J .8 O.7O Poon 1887 1203 3.9 56.6 O.& Te¡rible 1899r, 27 5J+ 1295 4.g(5.8) 34.t+ o.5B TerrÍble l,895 1556 5.1(7 .l+) 36.0 0.60 rerribre L9g$** 2562 5.2(1r+.9) 35.2 0.56 Îe:ribIe 1899 27gg 5.6(16.6) 1t.1 0.51 Ternib].e * (Irrtex) refers to the resr¡lts of a calsulation with the Northerrr Terr:itorSr included.. The representation of the Îelrite¡r was based on its bourrda4r rather than population, ancl its enrolment of ¿+5O in 1899 ccrupared. w:ith a mean of 281J fon re¡nai-rrfng èistricts, The enroLmer¡ts for the Northerrr Territory 1890-9 were includ.ecl in renainir¡g tnrìi6es. :F* Adult Sr:ffrage introduced., /6+ the extent of the dewiations fbm a¡r eqrri-po¡nrlation apportion¡.errt are evident, as are the effects of deurographic changes in the inter- redistribution perÍoös. the effects of i-umigration ard natr:ral popuJ-a.tion growth were sholrrr m,ore in the alread¡r und.er-represented tmetropolita¡rr d.istricts than in the n:ral. areas, arrd while the red.istribution proposals

corrected the increasing imbala¡rce to some clegree, the weíghtirrg was never renoved. Red.istributions na¡r have correctecl sorne i¡¡bala¡rce in the overall apportiorunent ratios, but th-ís was not their main pr:rpose. 1o most members of the House of Assernbly, electoral- char¡ges were justified, or ín

sone ir:starices were mad.e necessarJr, not in terrrs of restorÍng a bala¡rce of populations, but to restore a corunrurity of interests¡ alxd Stephensonr s conclusions are sour:d, The plarrrers sorgþt to give

equa.l representation to the loca1 interests of the different geograptrical òistricts, using rn:¡ribers as a gauge to measure whether the partiqllar group interest was_Jarge enough to merit separate repre- sentation. 79

The L855 E1ectoral Act hacl grarrted. |special representationr to the tproperty interestr in the restrictive fra¡rchise for the Legislative Cor:¡rcil and, in

a f\rndanental tenet followed. in the succeed.ing reèistributions, had. granted.

I special representationr to the land.ecl. interests in the fo:m of a¡r electoral- system for the House of âsseurbly which over-represented. the nlral âreas.

Ðut this apparent clichotoqr of n:ra-1- versus r¡rban representation was cøpli-cated. by two acl.d.itional features of the theorXr. there were interests within interests, and. the distinction between propertie¿l alrd. non-propentied.

in the Legislative Cot¡ncil ha.d added. to it a ctisti:rction betwee¡r n¡ra1 prqpertied ard. urba¡r propertied., Eith the fonner given a greater representation. Simil¿1'ly, the House of Assembly systems subôiwicled. the rurbaril interest into city, sub-urban ancl nÉnirg rinterestst with a tbs differential electoral- weighting. The Unitect le,bor Party i-n the rr,¡netíes' accepted thj-s thene ancl sotrgþt to achieve representation of ttre rworking- cl¡.ss interestsr as agai¡:st those of the non-working cJ.ass urba¡¡ resi¿entfl

The concept of a nation conrposed. of separate tgreatl j.nterests, eaclr of which hail a rigbt to be represented. apart frcm the rinterest of nmberst was the d.omi¡:att featr¡re of the äebates on eleatoral char¡ges ancl of the electoraL systems which flcmecl fbæ then. This atti-tr¡cle ras ccxmon at all ti.oes when electona-l change was debateil, but the wictest range of attitt¡tLes was provideil by evidence given to a¡r 1871 Seleot Cmrnìtt?when the opinions of almost t¡ro thj-rd.s of, the menbers of the llouse of Asseob\r Trere eå.nva"""d.B1 Althotrgtr there was no unarrimity in any of the issues, there rvas a general cons¡ensus frcrn the najority that interests sho¡¡lÉl be consiclered. before population. There wa-s rthe ¡recessity for maintaini4g the principJ.e of local representaticnr tlurs rpopulation a-lone rS2 "rrd shou.Ld not be consid.ered.: cmunity of interest ard geographical positim should be consídenecl as *"1J1.85 .A¡d. this rrepresentaticrr of interestst waE taken to mean that each d.istrict shorld., as far as possible, contain on\r one such interest. In Encor.¡nter Ba.y, for example,

the interests of the people to the north of the ra-119e a.re more f\¡rther north. Ì¡ave d.ifferent ra4ge makes a interests of the people... Mt. Barker a¡rd. Strathalgm have been_pulling in opposite ùirections fon sq¡e ti¡ne. 8Iþ

Above a-11, as lÏer¡tze1 put it to the C.n' i¡¡u., tI an satisfiect rith arly clivision you DaJr adopt... [whiotr] puts together those interests w]rictr a¡e not antagonisticr. there mas l6L no worse thfu€ than to includ.e into one district opposite interests. Mæbers ca¡u:ot d.o justice at alf-. Scrneone must go to the wall-. ö,

The prevaíIj¡g opÍnion in 1871 as in 185f ana sti1l so ín 19O1 ras that there should. be a cornrnr:rrity of interest at the base of an¡r eleotona-1 system,

a¡d that ru¡al- interests shorld. be given an electo¡ral aclvantage over those of the citJ¡.

What political i:lportance and- politica-I pcmer were these interests to have? To what extent were minorities to be consid.ered.? Despite the atteurpts to establish a comurrity of interest within each clistríct, the

developing state of the colorgr and. the patterns of settlement often provicied.

a minority whose econonic base was not that of the major interest, To g. S. Kir¡gston, there was realþ no questi-on at all:

the ninority have an ;oppor-twÉty of voting for the whole number .., ltheyj are bound. by the majorit¡r... they rn¡st be zr:lecl by the majorít¡¡. I thinir the rnajority must always prevaíI. 86

But ¡tinoríties were consiid.ered. more favcr.r¡ably by most, who expressed. concern that on scme occasions t large ninoritiest were t qrri,te lrr""p"""urrt"å7. Hart pointecl. ot¡t the serious ùifficulties in his d.j"striot, the i.Il effeets

of clissjmilar interests, when

a large najor5.ty was poJJed. at the PorË in favor.rr of one mernber, arrd. that was upset by the votes of a¡other por-bion of the districÈ, j-n whicür they had. no interest, but which were opposed. to the vienrs 9f !1" other par* of the d.istrict. In consequence, in that part of Port Ad.elaide, we hacl a la¡ge portion of the electors who were unrepresented. öö

From such considerations for the electoral rigþts of minorities ca¡re the

continueÉl najority support fon plumping, the right of a¡r electon to sutr¡porü lc7 only one ca¡didate in a multj¡næber ðistrictrtg ,* the use of nn-rl-ti' à¡ld dual-member d.istricts rather than those return5-ng a single mertber, on the basis that the latter causes the minority to be totalþ r.rnrepreserrteð. This argtment was used by the Le.bon Party as well as by thei¡ opponents, on pr:rely prognatio gro.urd.s, as its district suppon'b was often less than an absolute majority in its eâ.:rJ-y y""t".F

Conclusion

At fi-rst sight, it appears that, by incorporating male and later adult sr:ffrage for the House of Asse¡nbly, the plarueers were rejecting a basic theme of Burkea¡r attitud.es to poli-tícal representation. However,

Br,¡rke f onnulatecl tris concept of I prooe&]raIt representation for a single elective Hotrse of Cormons; South Australia incorporated. a fu$r electi.ve bica¡aeral system. Ilus, ar¡y analysis of the extent to whiah Burkea¡r id-eas were accepted. and. put into practioe in South Ar:stralia must take

into accor.¡¡rt the electoral systems, and the attitudes whj-ch produced. them, in relation to the bicameral system as a whole.

The onJ-y major aspect of Burkean theor¡r which was not incor¡lorated by

Sctrth Australia¡r plarrrers was the concept of virtr¡a1 representation, There lÍere no rrotten bororgþt in the color¡y arrcl, d.espite the marked. ertent of mal ¿ppeptiorocent especialJ¡r at the upper a¡rd. 1o¡rer extremes of populatlon, a]1 people were directly represented. Ïn factr a consiclerable proportion of the constant d.ebates on e].ectæa1 ¡natters involved ôiscr¡ssiorrs as to whether gfJ *i* geographiæ-L and eoonornic interests were represented..

The complaints concerning the reJ-ationship of, apportionment and. representa-

tion of interests usually revolved. arou¡rd. the suspected. breakd.own of

I corm:rrity of interestt ar¡d. the necessity to ?åvoid inc}:díng in one d.istricb tb? Locatities with hostiie cr u:rcongenial i-nterestst r9l * a-n alleged inequitable weighting of, i¡rterests, usualþ ccn¡ched. in te¡ms of the relation of that interest to the general- econonic cordition of the oolorgr As tr\¡rner put it ín 1882, tin the whole hcnrse there were orrl¡r two representatlves of the !Én5.4g industry, r¡rhich was verîr urfaj-rt. 92 Above all else, the House of Assenibþ was d.esigr:ed. by the constitution plalnere rto represent the different prinoipl-es of the coIor{y' ,93 uø' this was maintainert throughotrt the ni.¡retee¡rth centu4r by means of the appllcation of, the principle of representation of i:rtereets, with special emphasis on n¡raI interests.

The pecutiarly Burtcea¡r natr:re of rprooe¿turalr representation in the colorgr is shcrn by the actdition to this concept of representation of interests of the eì-ectoral- basis for tbe Iregislative CouncíI. The restristecl fba¡rctrise, basetl essentia$r on proper-ty îralifioations proviclect the other h¿lf of Burke. 0f course, to be Brrrkeal, th-is tHouse of Þopert¡rl , arrd especially of n¡ra1 property, requÍrecl the ultinate legislative power in the systeut of representati.ve gorremnent. Ur¡:l.er the IÍtrig concept, not on\r was the representatíon of ¡roperty necessaÌ¡¡, ht that pro¡rert¡r needecl. political. a¡rd constitutional pcnrer, ancL th.is is preciseþ what the South Australian upper hor¡se was grarrted.. A clemocoratio sr:ffrage in the lower hot¡se was modÍfiecL ard., to a certain extent, lirníte¿t by the application of ar¡ electona^l systecn based. on representation of l+c/ interests, but bothlssembly anê the intenests it represented. were subordin- ate to the pwer of the Legislative Cq¡nofl. However, before trrrnirrg to this question, ar¡d. to the ccr¡flicts betreen the houses whidr flc¡red fu@ it, the follcming chapter ala-l¡rses the rva¡rs in which these electonal systern-q were ca¡riecl into pracùice, a¡rd the natures of the bica¡nena-l legislatr:res whj.ch. the elections produced.. tq Footnotes, I

1. There were contin¡a-l cha4ges to distrisb bou¡rdaries¡ polling P1aoes Distriots of t , a or reòis- which involved. charÀges in the rn:rnl¡er of members or the nt¡mber of ðistric*,s or both.

2. See fr. Strauss¡ J. CroPseY (9d.), of Phj.los , (na¡n Mdrlal-ly, Chicago, l-]6l+) ' PP a o 3. Cíted in F. P. Cananran, tioal of , (Outce University Pness, : P. a 4. See Ir. C. WalJass, Ilist of Politíca1 , (eeorge AILen a¡rd. Urmin, Lordon, r P. t tr Citecl in L¡. Strauss, J. Crospey, eP:.-9it.2 p. 613. 6. F. P. Cananrar, .p¿Si!.¡ pr 12S. 7.

B. Cited. in 1[. Ebenstein, æGreat Politíca] Thi¡¡kers, (ninenart, Nem Tork, l9j7)¡ pp. u+7-8. ' o Ir. Strauss, J. Cropsey ("d.)r lP,:li!., p.616. 1Or H. Pitkin, -gp:l'i!: , p. 172. 11. cited itjååÈ 12. llÏ. Ebensteù, gL.__!þ.¡ pp. 2ù8-9.

13. Cited. in F. P. Ca¡¡ava¡r, lp:l5!., p. 14J+. 14. Ibid-.

15. Iretter to Si-r Hercules I'angrishe, citecl in'lÍ'. Ebensteinr P. ¿læ. -gg,li!.r 16. H. Pitkirr, gpr-f;!þ'¡ p. 188. 17. J. Bw1e, ÌTestern Po1itical thslrght, (Metlnren, Lord.on, 1961), p. !#7. 18. H. Pitkin, jpJi3,¡ p. 18!. Í{y Ïta-lics.

'19. Freeholcl estate of €1@ or a leasehold. of €10O per a.rututr, 170 æ. Ê-:tc in 185::. for example, ra¡geå frc" -ight to ten sh:i-1.1i:tgs per wes'. a:rrà thr¡.s an average dwealirg hcme i:ad. an a¡n¡ral rental r¡alue oÍ' €20 - f,25 per anrnm. See T. A. Cogþlan, !P-:-eit.r for analyses of conterporar5r rrages, prices a¡ld. rents. For example, in 1861 there were 59t507 nales in enplo¡nnent. 0f ^. these, 7985'were fa¡m labor¡rers nnd. senra.rrts, a¡cl a fi¡r'ther 1106 were I other labo¡rersr , It is '..rikely that of these fa.¡m labor¡rers, 2Øo of the tota-l male vrork force, --- . marür qual1f5-ed for enrolment for the Council.

22. . , 1882, No. 74. No earlier cornparisons can be mad.e as the dttã was not detailed. in census reports.

23. E ., 18Ð, p. 618.

2l+. I¿etter to Regi-ster, April 21, 1899. 25. A. Forsterr ep: dt. r P. 197. 26. See belcm, Chapters ïII, lClII. 27. Reqister , August 31, ]-'855. 28. s!}', Febnrary 10, 188{. 29. In 1866, a House of Assembly Select Comrittee recoluoendeËL a itivision of the hovince into seven d.istricts, but the BiIL was defeateô after a short debate, on grotnd.s outlir:edl above. Eæ., L865-6, P- 677- Sg. t 18654, No. 147. þ. See Chapter Vf . 31. See Ctrapter 1III fon an analSrsis of ministries a¡rd. ministers, an:l. Chapters ü, X for the factiona-l alignnents which proilucecl, naintaj¡d. a¡rd defeatetl thø. 32. EP., 1881, p, 281r. 33. Respectively, A. B. Mr.rrqlr, iÞi_il. ¡ p. 286; R. C. Baker, fÞiÈ., p. 288; A. CalrpbeÏL, j-bid.-, p. 5¿+7, 54. IÞ¿g', P' 28)' 55. &ig.' P' 288' 36. &ig'r P' 580' 57. ft. Davenport, Remarks on Gor¡errunentr lp*li!.r p. 17. 38. SÂED., 1862, p. 12'1. l7t 39, Tlrursd¿¡r Rer'cr¡r, Ja;::¿øry¡f ), 1860" l{o. lqri- - L862. þ. 121. The fear of the td'eu,c''craoXrt of other natl@s ï-äË-ðárrstanif! explressecl by the conservatives, espeeiâ] ]y thrangh the Ttn¡rschv Reviø. rFraJrce afJ¡| 4merica ... tlt¡rd.enecl with ì¡rus¡aL suffm gives the u].timate elenents g!-r>grer in the ha¡rd.s õf tfte unreasotling rnrltitr:der ' (¡tarcn 15, 1860). J+1 . ê@. t 1862t P. 256. \2, .IÞ!È' t P' 257 ' I+5. IÞig't P' 261+' ¿{4. fÞið. , p. 271, Re¡mo1ds. I+5. Ibíd.. p. 265. tlret argr Honor¡rable member Look a¡or.¡nd..t. alld. Fhere lFe li.Ë roenwho d.j-d. not represent proPerty? ..' TIas he to be tolil that bact a¡il dissipatecl ¡nen ri¡ere confineô to the working olasses anit that there rÍere none anongst men of propert¡/?r. \6. , pp. 3t&9, oa-rried 18-11. lrt. Advertiseq, Marcùr 14, 1860. Both the Ad¡¡Cr!¿qef a:rd Forster suPPoIb ffiårgunents ón pru.gn"tio grounùE;-ã;õ:EñË views of both 'were temperecl by their ryinior:s of colonial leadershlp. the was favourable; Forster clai¡red. the sr¡ffrage producd' i¡Éerior capacit¡r ... irr political lifet. Samue1 Davenport dicl not stop rvith pragnatic reasons: rA11 t¡.istory a.nd experience forbiil itr besicle reason. No cqrnurrity in the vrorld. is, otr ever has been, fitted for what is implied by such suffrager. SumAIEg_çn eovcîlqgqlr _9p:__c-i! . ¡ p. 7. ,{8. Advertiser, April 9, i.8&3 A. Forster, -%-9i!. t P. 195. 49. Advertissnr April 9, 1860. fr. In fact, due to an anorualy in the original Electonal Aab, a quaËfied eleotor for the lregislative Co¡noi1 cor¡lcl er:rol a¡d. vote in ar¡¡r àistrict in wh.ich he held the requisite propert¡r. This loophole was not closeil r¡ntil A893 on the grouncLs that it enabled sme property owrrers t-to ggt the better of the legislatrrret, (89., L893, p.2Jj6z Ãú 5ïtn893), but eleotoral record clo not proriile arSr means to ictentSf) the e¡rtent to which this pover was usd..

51. J. B. Stephensonr o.p:ji3. 52. :t P' 115' 53. &iÈ:,, PP' i, 5j.' 5l+. &iÈ, P' 139' l1> trtr 1871. .Ðig, $$r. No. ii'| " 56. .,""-l]. , L872, p. 176O. 57. !9g!g!g, Febnrar¡r 1Or 1881. 58, N. BlJrbh, EAp. , L869, p. 672. tro SE., 1870, Nò, 213. 60. IÞi$., 1871, No. 1Jl. 61. sþf_Ee**, Mat 9, L861. 62. Gþd.e, S@. , 1872, p. 517. 63. 5€., 1879, No. 'lÀ8. Report of, a Se1ect C@ittee on Eleotoral- Systems. 64. 65. This factor is analysed. in Part III of this stu$r. 66. J. B. Stephenson faced. the add.itional problems of limitatior¡s of tecturiques and. resources for his stucly preced.ed. recent , d.evelopnents in apportior:nent method,ologr Høever, clespite his e,nphasis on the theory rather th¿n the practi.ce of the election systems, hts graphical ccmparisons in his ApperrcLices shc¡r irrterestÍng tre¡:d.s.. 67. Details of these proposals were printed. as follons: hoposaL SASP

]-.B55 ].856, No. 1 21 186r A 1861, No. 1 59 B 1861, No. 1 59 ; 18f2, No. 95 Iæ9 1870, No. 1 95 187t A 1871, No. 1 ot B 1871, No. 'l 37 c L871, No. t37; 1872, No. 95 ],872 1872, No. o ]-.B79 A L879, No. 1l+9 B ],.879, ItIo. 1t+9 l.879, No. 149 1882 1882, No. 85 189't 1891, No. ro8 69. S€,, 1870, No. 215. 69. Eæ. , r%9, P. 84J. 70. I@., 1891r pp. 26UF5. 71. &å9., p. 26u, t73 72. IÞid. r P. 26D('- S:-e ?a:'b iT-I, especial-Iy Chapter fJ for facùional- ffiEerns o.- s*pport for nrinist:'ies. 73, 8g.r1891, No. 108. The descriptions of the a.reas quoted' are h-o*S@., 1891 , p. 2625.

7l+. See Chapters )Çf r )Gf . 75. For example, the percentages of adult nales who were enrolJ-ecl in 1861 in the .A.ssembly distrisbs were as fol1cms: Noar}:nga 93 Enco.rrrter Bay 82 Sturt 92 Barossa 76 Mt. Barker 91 Guaerac}ta 72 East Tomens W Port 3d.e1aid.e 63 Or¡iraparj¡¡ge 90 Lieht 57 Tata].a 90 Vioboria 51 West To::rens ¿? Murr4y l+7 Adelaicle 86 Fli¡¡lers 22 Bur"ra a¡ril Cfare 86 rUnrepresentative 76. . Kelsq¡r,-¿li, Statesl, lÞ$ig!3f (vo1. ¡""óuæ 1955)¡ pp. 571-575- tOn 77. See H. R. Alker, B. M. Russettr Measuring Inequalitft, Behavio¡ra1 Ssience , (Vo1. 9, 1964) r pp. 207--218, for a cliscuss:lon of this point.

78. H. F. Kaiser, tA Measr.¡¡e of the Population Qua-1ity of Legislative A , Political Science (vol-. 62, No, 1, ), PP. a 79. J. B. Stephensonr !p:_G!1.¡ p. 1J1. 80. See belcm, Chapters )LT, )GI. 81. EE. , L871, No' 157. 82. Ward, j¡¿9., Question 216. 83, Ca.rr, ;!þ!}., Question 118. 84. L5-ndsay, jlig.¡ Questior:s lß, 71. 85. &g]., Question 1Bo. 96. Ê$$.¡ 1871, No. 157, Questions 20, 23, 2I+. 87. R. S. Ke11y, iÞid., Questiør H5. gg, Harl.t, ¿Þi9., Questíon 353. Bg. Tfard., ÅÞi9., Question 273 qvaJAfi-ed his suppor-b, lipitir¡g the plumper to orrly one vote as the use of both (or all) votes for one ca¡d.idate rwouJ-d. be giving the ¡¡inority too utrch pcrver ... in d.efiance of the majorityr.

Chapter V Þoch¡cing the Representatives - the Elecùior¡s

lWe have no professional legislators. The men who have been called. to Parlianent are, for the most pæt, pJ"a5-n mea, who larow but 1:lttle of politiæ as a sq:Lenoe, â.rúl, as a ¡n¡J-e are but rnotlerateþ edt¡catedlt .

W. Ilarcus, 1876. 175

Introducti-c;:

To this point, the análysis of the rprooeilr¡ralt sens€ of political representation in colonial South ¿us .:':l-ia has been based' on two aspects, the theoretical found.ations of the electoral systems and the actua-l statutes a¡¡d electoral geometry which resulted. from then. .A's the previous chapter shwed., the Whig ideal of representation of interests was emphasised. in the electoral systems of both the House of .å,sseinbly and. the Legislative Council, a¡d. of the various interests consid.ered., the rural land.o¡rner tproceclr:rall was pred.crairaa¡rt. This chapter exterrds this analysis of representation to exa,'nlne hor these electc¡"af laws and electoral systems rprocedr:ralr worked, but it is also a rbrid.ger between the and the t fi.¡¡.ction¿-lr senses of political representation. Part III of this stu4r is concerned' primarily with aspects of legisl"'r-'' l-'r¡s behaviour' with irdividual, faction ard. party attitud.es anrl activities a-nd, as will be shown, there was a consistent relation between this behavior:r e¡rcl the theories anl practíces of the election systens which prod.u:ed- the legislators. The stucly of the colonial elections a¡d. thei-r resr:lts also has relevance to the two following chapters, fpr both the relations of the two houses a:rå the instability of the ninistries was at least partþ a result of concepts of eleotora-l representation which were incoryorated. into South Australian 1aw. This chapter, then, is a link between the analysis of the fo:rral. institutions of representation a¡rÉL the analysis of the poJ-itical behaviour of the men who plarueed, used a¡rd, ocerpied. then. It is intended. to enphasise po1ítica1 representation as a process. Âspects of the colonial electoraL systems outlined. in the previous chapter, such as volurrtar¡r voting, the first-past-the-post system of allocatÍng 17( IegisJ.ative seats, p}:mpir¡g, staggered e.Lections, and the ma1- apporbj-onment which flopecl. from the tenet of representation of interest^s were not stati-c phencùlena. They d.erived. from certain theories of poJ.itical representation, ard they had. a ¡nark-e4 o::'fect on the rrature of the legislatures ard the roles of the repre,",:ntatives.

For these reasons, the folLon¡ing detailed. arralysis of colonial elections and election results is a necessarJr aspeot of the und.erstard.i.4g of legislative behaviour, and. as a first step, ,;¡re varj-ous electioru¡ a.re put into chronological- order.

A Sr-unma¡y of electi-ons, 181/-1W1

Sixteen general and. ninety-two by-elections for the House of Assembþ, fourteen general ard. twenty six by-elections for the Legi-slatir¡e Courc5-l provid.ecL the mai-rr rdata-ba¡rhr for the a¡alyses in'bkr:is chapter. Stud.ies have alread¡r been made of ðiscrete elections in the latter part of the colonial period., and. scne elections have been menti-onecl as coruolaries to othepcentred. but pr:rpose ".".ur.h1t the here is to stufir the elections a¡d results over the colonial. half-centr:r3r as a whole.

Or¡e facton which has ir¡hibited. research into co]-onial elections is that the officia-l recond.s were destroyed. by fire in LfrZ. As a consequences electoral recortls exist, where ttrey ito exist, in scattered. sources, ma-irrlJt j¡r the files of contæporary newspaperso there are annoyÍng gaps in these data, especially j¡:, the d.etails of polling-p1ace results a¡¡ÉL of plunpÍtg, ancl on some occasior¡s d.etai-lecl results i¡. the outlying electorates such as Flinders, Frorne, Victoria arrd. the Northern Îerritor¡r were simply not published. in the metropolita¡r or prov:incial press. Efforts were macle to collate a¡rd check results from a wid.e range of souroes, a.rd, 177

fu-].I ctetaile of c--Lec,Jofal dâ'ca wir',ch were obtai¡red. are provid.ed- in Appen- 2 ,lices,' Such details have been includ-ed- as they provid.e the first

col]-ation of the results of these el-ections. Details of, sources ard otr the presentation of the d¿ta are giveìr .'..- 'the introductorXr note to the Appendices. The tables folloiring sur:sr¿¡'iz€ these data.

Table 5:1 General electj.ons, I857-L899¡ House of AssembLy Sr:marXr. Enro'l¡¡ents E]-ection c-7 Districts Mernbers Canùida-.,.-, Tota1 Per-me¡nbe¡ March 1857 1? fi 6z 15338 rú2 Marcþ/ApriJ- 1850 1-l 36 55 22265 618 November r862 18 36 61 2U67 680 March r865 12 36 57 23589 6s6 April7tr{ay 1868 'r8 36 61 27391 761 Àftri1 1870 18 36 71 28338 787 Decmber L87t 18 36 66 zno9 806 Febnraryftarcfr L875 22 t$ 78 35o35 762 April 1878 22 tr6 68 5e%7 869 ApriJ- 1881 22 l'É 7? 5762t 1253 ApriJ- 1884 26 52 9 5761Ð 1108 March/Âprí1 1887 ¿o 52 '!05 6f_920 1172 April 1890 27 il+ 184 7o69t 13og .0.pri1 ].893 27 5l+ 129 73619 1363 April/fay 1896 27 54 126 1377t+7 2551 AprlI¡Mry r89g 2-7 54 119 152393 2822

Adr¡lt suffrage was granted in 1894 ar¡e was applied. at the general election irr 1896, althougb Ít was applied first in a by-election ín East lonreErs i¡r lfay 189J+. /rs a result, the enrofunents in 18!6 increased by alrnost rcg/o.

It is also notabLe tbat I89O was a¡r election whj-ch showed. a narkecl increase in candiilatures for the House of Âssen'rbIy, and procluced. the situation where twenty canòid.ates stood for the two seats i¡r Yorke Peni¡¡s¡rla. 1pe will retum to these a¡rd. to other d.etailed. aspects bel-crw. Electior:s for the Legislative cor:ncil shcmed. erridence of more stabilit¡r. 17:î

'ta,,Le 522 General Slections, I857-19OO, Legislative Cor:¡rsil SturnarSr. Enrolments Seats Der Slection Dates Districts Me.mbers Îãîããt lotal- meinber Marc¡h 1857 I 18 r8 27 1OO92 561 ,; Itardr 1861 1 18 12 13731 765 March 1865 'l 18 13 128lt0 713 Marah 186! 1 18 ; 13 15773 876 April 1871 1 18 7 13 17&5 9t+5 April 182 1 18 6 14 rn58 1059 April 1881 1 18 6 11 22633 1257 May 1882 1 24 6 14 3or95 1258 May 1885 ¿+ I 30372 1266 May 1888 :., il+ 8 29 332r1O 1385 May 189t L¡ 2+ 8 26 i2976 137t+ May l-E9J+ l+ 24 9 22 35212 1467 May J.897 l+ 2l+ I 17 )+5814 1W9 Ltay 19OO 1+ 2+ I 15 ''q5L2 n22 lis mentioned. in the previous chapters, the members of the Legislative

Council were elected. for' a fixed. tem, with one third. of the merrbership reti-ring at each general election. The ex;ra vacancies j-n ],860, LB6g,

1873 ernd 1894 were the result of casual vacancies held. r:¡rfilled. until a ad-ìi,sÉ¿rri.n general election, to over come the expense of d+!àÈ¡-4- the large a¡.eas in by-elections. The electior¡. of 1882 rv¿Ìs a special general etesbion to elect six new members to the enlarged. house, arrd the first election wrd.er the 1882 subòivision of the fo:mrer single-Provi¡rce systera was that of Tf. K. Sirrns in Central ùivision in 1884. þhø SrluaF,ä., ,vn Unlilcenthe House of Assemb]y, the granting of female votilg rights brought little chalge to Cor,¡ncil enrolnents. These applied. first at the 18t/ general election, ald. resulted. ín a¡r enrolnent increase of thirty percent. Howeverr as noted. in the previous chapter, onJ¡r those n¡ç¡nen who could. prove the necessa¡.y property rights in thei¡ crwn name were eligible to enrol. 17'? Table 5:J sunma-rizes the by-c,lec'1 rc,ns held. for both houses i¡r the c,-l:nial period..

Îab.'l-e 5:J. By-elections, 185/-1901, both Houses. House of Assen'rbly lgglslatile Cor:ncil Elections* Nr¡:rbers Electionsr, Îü¡mbers Period. Helcl Ca¡ròidates Elected Per .. ;d. He1d. Ca¡rùidates E]-ected. 1857-& 1o(r) 26 13 1857-61 152 l.860-62 z(t) 6 3 t861-65 153 l.862-65 5Ø) 16 I tB65-69 121 B L865-68 8( 2) 20 10 t869-73 t(t) 9 t+ 1868-70 4 9 5 l.87,--77 13'l l.8!a-7 t 5 7 5 t877-at 2147 r871-75 t {l) 14 B 1881-85 121 r875-78 12(2) 33 15 1885-88 J¿155 1878*ii1 6( 1) 15 7 1888-91 272 r_881-B'+ 20 7 1891-94 393 188Þ87 itil 21 6 189l+-97 i887-90 3 1l+ 3 l.8g7-AïJa l(tt 10 \ rð90-93 6 23 U 1900-190i l+ 1", 5 t893-96 2 7 2 189Ç99 7 17 7 t899-r9o1 7Q) æ 9

Iota-ls 9o(19) 278 112 26(2) 111 I+5 * Uncontested. elections shown ( ).

It is notable that cf the 112 casual vacancies in the House of Àssembly, one third. ocsLused. ín the first d.ecad.e, thirteen in the fi-rst th¡ee years, a figure exceed.ed. only once, j-n 1875-8, to which v¡e wili return berm.

rn comparison, the legislative council'was a stable house.

the analysis of these d.ata begirs with a theme wh:ich brought co¡¡sistent ccnsr¡ent by the press throughout the colonial period..

The Effects of Vol-untar-y Voti¡re

The lcrvr turnor¡t whictr had. prompted. obsen¡ers of tine 1857 elections to criticize the apathy of the Asserrbly voters, especially in ccmparison to those eligible to vote for the Council, was even rnore evident i¡r 1860, lEo when Assenbly trrrrnout had. falJ-en to J-ess than haLf the enrolment. But critics of male suffbage were confor:nd,ed. by the tr:rnout of J-ess tha¡r a quarter of the Council er:rolment onJ-y one year later, afid a tur:rotrt of only 1J.flo at a Counci-]. by-election in 1860. ÎÌris pronp'teil a terse conrnent by the Q!:relrþþ.

It has scmetimes been urged. against gwing suffrage to the working classes that they neglect to exercise it and. thus show that they are unfit to possess it. If th-is argr:ment had. any force (which we hovrever deny) it wouJ-d. apply w:ith still greater justÍce to the propertied. classes entitlgd to vote for members of the Legislative CürnciJ." )

Thirty yea.rs later, th. BçÉetçr was still concerned., f or t the most serious matter i-n corueectj-on with al-l the elections ís that so nar\Jr abstai¡r ,. from votÍ-r¡gro a¡rd there was alparently cause for concem.

lab1e 5: J+ Voter turnout at general elections, I857-I}O0, percentages of totals enrolled..

L{ogqe o! ,tsse.mbly Legislative Council EIecti-on Tuz'nout Election Iurno:t 1857 56.2 1857 56.6 1860 l+3.7 1861 21.3 l'862 39.11 1865 l+3.8 1865 62.1 1869 28.5 1868 lt6.g r873 26.7 1870 58.5 r877 l+1 .3 t87t 51,6 1881 39.8 r875 56 )+ 1882 tß.9' 187e 43.6 'r 1gg5 59.9' 1881 39,)+ 1888 Ip.3 188J+ 44,J 189t 56.'l 1887 )+8.7 18gJ+ 7l+.6 1890 53.1 L897 4g.g L893 67.6 19OO 52.6 t896 66.j 1899 62.9 * Frqn 1885, the mea¡r turnout in divisions where information was available. l9t There were fw occasionsl"rhe:r there was ev:Ld-ence of wide accepta:rce of w-hat th. &gåSIgI callecL r the duty . .. which an elector owes to the à courÍ.:ryt .r The lom-water mark of 1860-2 prcrnpted. the formation of a Select

Ccm¡.,r"utee to enqrrire into apatlgr, arrct its report contained. a reconrnendation that the pre-I857 open nonination and. open voting be re-introciuced.. But recollections of the scenes at the elections for the tÌ¡ybridr Courcil- brought the rejection of the propo""t.6 The tr.¡rnout for the .å.ssembþ increased in the 1861 elections, due i-n no small part to a well-pubticizecl d,ebate on 1a¡rd costs and. dispos"lrT but it was not until the J-ast decad.e of the centurSr that the turnout for both Houses showed. a corrsistently trigher leve1 of voter involvement. lbe 1880t s had. scen a series of econonic depressions, with effects on al-l- sections of the connurrity, crrlninating ín the Maritime stiÉkes of 189Or8 ard. one result of these econornic crises was the d.ecision of the trad.e urrions in the colony to aÍlalg¡ma¡e and. to enter carrd.idates for el-ection to Parlian"*t.9 The overall increase i-n turnout in the rrrineties was a reflection of ttris, and. was due to a markeclly increased. tur:rout åJnong the men in the embryonic metropolita¡r areas where, as Disney points out, the foc'r-rs of the campaigns was for the first time on r:rba¡r probleurs ard. the urba¡r *o"1o"".1O

Table 5:5 Voter Turnout, 188J+-1891+, by percentages of total-s enro1J-ed. House of Asserrblrr Leeislative Cor:nsi1 CitJË Country CitYt 1881+ 44.8 l+.1 1885 l+3.9 1887 l+4.6 52.2 1888 )+2.1 18go 1+5,4 58.3 1891 *r 5+.1 56.7 J.B93*t 69.8 66.3 1894 73.3 67.1 * East, l¡lest, North and Port Adelaid,e, East and. Tlest rorrens, sturt districts. ** Iirst lrabor Party canclid.ates at a general election. lç> The adult women of the colon-' rüere grarrted the right to vc¡te for the

Assembly, a¡rd for the Council iJ they cor:-ld. prove the necessary property qualj-fications, in 1B9l+, a:rd. thei-r fight to r¡¡in the rights of the suffrage hav': been d.ocu¡nenteil elsewhe"".11 "A.t this point we are concelned. with its effects. To attempt to establish the proportion of wornen who used. their right to enrol, it is necessafJr to make a.n approxime.te calcrilation on the basis of the 1891 census. 5llÁ of the ma'les arñ 4ú of the femal.es were of voting age, ald if these proportions a.re taken as reasonably accurate for the poprlation in 1896, then 91 ,7OO males and 811500 fena-les rrere eligible to enrol- for the l*ssembly elections. .A,ctua1 enrolments were 8y/" these totals respectively. By úd 71" "f the -t"B!! elections, follcrwing an increase of 7.Yo iî rnale enrolments and. 16.7/o in fema].e er:rolments, it had. becone evi-d.ent that the women of the colorgr were as

ínterestecl and. as involved. as the men. Althangh d-oubts lyere erqpressed about the wisd.qn of includ.ing femal es in the electorate - they were considered. by some as turabler to play a rmearri¡rgfuJ-t politioal ,ok"r12 they quiclcly showed the,y intended. to be as i-nvolved. as thei:r *"rrfo1k.15

The relatively high d.egree of infonnal voting had. al-so brought criticísn in 18!/, nmclr of j-t blamed. on the t cross-outr method. of voting. This vas replaoed. by a I cross-in-a-squ^arel method. for the second. general. electior:s, a chalge which was followecl by a marked. imFrovernent in Counqil baIlot papers but by the opposite in the case o,f the House of Assernbly.

Horever, by the earlJ¡ I seventies the leve1 of informal voting had. stabilized. at a figr:re which ocqpares favourabþ with mod.ern levels. T.ab1e Dz6. Infcnnal voting, lB57-L9QO, as a percentage of totar voters. House of AssenblY Legisla tive Corrnci]. Percentage Percentage Election inforû41 Election info:mal 1857 l+.5 LB57 13.6 1860 8.¿+ 1861 7.3 ],.862 5.6 t865 5.2 L865 6.6 1869 2.5 1868 3.3 L875 3-1 1870 l+.5 r877 2.9 187t 2.O 1881 1 .,1+ l.875 3.8 18P? 1.1+ r_878 2.9 r885 3.2 1881 1.9 1888 2.9 188¿+ 2.1 189t 1.1 1887 1.9 1891+ 1.J+ 18g0 1.6 r897 a.6 1893 1.3 1900 0.6 1896 1.6 IB99 1"3

The ilebates in the Assembly and. the Council shonrecl that most menbers

at scn¡e time he1d. strorrg viems on such topics as ttlrnout, info:ma-l votir¡g

a¡rd the fra¡rchise, but it was the cøbination of vo}:¡rtary vot5.ng, the

t first past the postl systç¡¡ and. dual- or mrlti-member d.istricts which

provokecl spme of the most lengthy d.ebates. As the analysis of opinions

on electoral reform shcmed., most members stressed. their support for a fi-rmt but vaguely d.efined. princi-ple of rmajority n:-ler, they gave vocal supporf to the concept that their role was to represent I the opinions of the

najorityr. But what diil they mean by a Inajorityr? There was no d.oubt that representative government implied urajority nr1e to most members, with

onJ-y a fem supporting arry rprincipler of eleotoral ninority rights w'ithin

the system. G. S. Kingston, for exarrple, ùid. not have

much s¡nrpathy with the cry fon representation of rninorities. The dutf, of the ni:eority is to a.rgue or protest, and. to- submit. The majority have the right to rrrle. 1l+ 1el But the term tnajorityr was used loose1y. In numeric tecms, a rrajority refers to the greater number of a discrete series or the gfeater Part of a discrete group, and. in eleotoral ter:ns there is a distinction betwee¡r a simple najorit¡r (ph:ral-ity) a:r¿ a¡r absolute majority. The fo:mer refers to the sitr¡ation where one ca:rÀidate has more votes tha¡r anJr one of his rívals, a¡d is most applicable to the tfirst-past-the-postl system. Tbe latter requires a canÀidate to receive at least one vote more tha¡r exactly half of the tot-f fo:rora1 votes (or, in mul-iiple-mernber electorates, the total tvoting powerr of the formal votes), and. is most applicable to systerns of preferential or tra¡rsferable votes. Jolonia1 coru:nents tend.etl to use both terms withotrt adequate d.efinition. Tfhen they referred to themselves as trepresenting a m"ajorityl , it was clear fÞcrn the context that they were referring to absolute najorities - to sultport which was

greater 1Jbar. 5ú of the potrulation they were d.escribìng. Tet the colonlal legislators Ìrere on-ly very rarely elected. by such an absolute maiority

of votes, arld. in most cases the electoral support of the most successft¡-l cand.iilates i¡r a multiple-member seat was often belor one third. of the total votes castr 18f

Table 5:7. Sunrmary of candid.ate support, House cf ¡tssembly general electj-ons 1857-1899, as percentages of total votes cast. Ralge of support* Mean suppont of Er-ecüed Dereated 5ff:å :fl:i:. Hff;L Elesbion ca¡åid.ates car:d.id.ates canàidate canôiclate ca¡rclidate ÂBCDE 1851 fr.2 13.3 )+4.5 16 .O 28.9 1860 31 .O 1 9.8 \J.5 9.+ 3r.9 ].,862 35.2 19.O 44.9 2O.9 3O.3 ]-,865 36.1 15.9 Ì+7 J+ 28,1 12.9 1868 34.6 '18.6 t+5.2 23.1+ 32.8 1870 35.5 17.O 41.7 21.5 187t 35.7 16.2 +g.g 22.7 '0.831.7 LB75 3t+.7 16.7 50 .1 19.5 30 .6 1878 3l+.1 15.6 50.6 15.5 29.8 1881 32.o 16.8 t+3.9 17.2 3+.2 188J+ 33.8 16.0 48.1 17.9 31.8 1887 33.7 1l+.7 l+5.3 17 .o 31 .5 1890 28.8 7.1+ 53.6 12.6 24.3 t89t 32.5 12.6 ltß.O 2O.1 JO.O ];896 50.8 11+,2 l+3,9 19.1 28.3 r89g 33.O 11+.3 lù.2 21.1 31.3 * In dual arrd niltiple-member d.istricts on1y.

The anonalies az.e evid.ent. ¿.t everlr election, the most popular d.efeated. ca¡rðid.ate received. a higher proporbion of the votes tha¡r the least favoured. elec'ted. canðid'ate, and. al-though such ccmparisons are based on d.iJferent d.ístricts a¡d. ili-fferent contests, they ad.cted. fuel to the arguments of those who sought a rmore equitablet system of erecti*r".15 .a¡d. the anomalies in ttre Council eJ-ectiæs were even more evident. 18{Ð

lable 5:8. summa:ry of candidate suppo:-t, Legisratirre corrncir genrral elections 1857-1900, as percentages of total votes cast. Range of Support Mean support of Higþest Lowest Highest Elected Defeated. elected. elccted. defeated. Election cand.id.ates canùLdates oandid.ate candidate candid.ate 1857 4.3 216 5'2 3,3 3.1 1861 11 .0 5.7 12.9 9.0 8.5 r865 g.g 5.8 11.5 7.O 7.O 1869 11 .0 3.8 13.7 8.3 5.5 r87t 10.0 5.O 13.1 9.3 6.9 l.877 10.7 )+.5 13.5 9.6 8.3 1881 10.5 7.)+ 11.9 g.g 8.5 1882 9.2 6.1+ 11.6 -zIc) 7.2 1885 35.8 22.8 4+.4 21.2 27.7 1888 g.g 25.8 39.6 15.8 '18.1+ r9gl 26.2 10.3 33.6 20.1 21.8 1894 24.o 14.2 35.1+ 11+.7 29.6 IB97 33.1+ 1l+.7 \D.6 25.4 25.8 lgoo 30.3 22,6 38.7 25.5 29.3

1857-82 9.5 5.2 11"7 7.6 6.9 Mea¡r 1885-1900 29.3 15.6 39.7 20.5 25.1

In the forty five years of colonie] general elections, there were or:ly

three for the House of Assembly to retr:rn a single merber, and i¡r each case the successful carrd.id.ate received an absolute majority of votrs.16

But in only three of the 3O3 contests in d.uaI a¡rd. rnrl-ti-manber districts d.id. a candid.ate receive equivalent rn "rrppo"t.17 fact, in twenty three of these contests the cgrn4l4erl support for the successful cand.id.ates fell short of an absolute majority, a:rd. the two elected. members ín yorke peninsrrla

in 1890 sharecl less tha¡r one thi-rd. of the total .rotr".18 On the other haJd., the elections for the Legislative Cor:ncil j¡rÅicated. a higþer level of support for the successf\rl ca¡rùid.ates. 187,,

Table 5:9, Sunrna:ry of support for suclrc--ful canl-i-iates, Legisi., i;ive Conncil-, L857-IWO. Total votes ¿rs percentage of E]-ection E]-ected. Candídates total fornal votes

IB57 1 I 27 'Ð. I 1861 6 12 65.7 1865 I 13 71.O 1869 7 13 77.2 ].873 7 13 70.0 a877 6 1l+ 65.9 1881 6 11 63.2 1882 6 1)+ 55.1 Central Sorthern North East Northern l_885 2 73.2 2 5 75.8 2(Ð 72.1+ z G) es.e 1888 2 52.3 2 67.2 2(ù zs.o 2 (11)3t*.1 r9gt 2 1+7.6 2 5 50.4 2( 6) 6z.o z (6) +g.g :189J+ 2 t$.9 2 5 52.3 z (+) 6s.z .1897 3(t) tt.o 2 6) 53.3 2 3 7)+.1 3) 77.1+ 2 (5) 62.1 1æO 2 )-t 51.2 2 3 71.7 ?l +) 65.5 z (+) fi.a (Ca.naiaates for each division folloring 1882 are shown in brackets).

The use of nn¡tti-menrber electorates, combined- with the first-past-the- post system, ensured. that regardless of the ru:mber of canðid.ates a¡d the consequent fragmentation of the total vote, the most popular (on the least urrpoprrlar) cand.id.ates were elected, orr a-"].,lost all occasions on Icn¡r ninority "tppo"t.19 This situation was ccurplicated further by the right of a voter to plump. In 1929, when preferential voting was first introdue,ed. in South

Australia, dl electors ï¡ere required. for the first time to vote for a specific nmber of canclj-d.at"tr20 but throughout the colonial period. voters were given the choice ctr castíng votes for as margr candidates as

there were vacancies to be filled., or of supporti-ng less tha¡1. this lu¡mber.

The terrn tpluupi-ngr was often applied. to argr situation of a linrited. use of a fra-rrchise, for example, to a voter who supports one, on two, or 186. three candidates fon a for¡r-mernber àistríot. But in Soutir Àustraaia, plunp5-ng refered. to a specifio a¡d. Ij:nited- el-ectoraL choice, tc those voters who, in a district electing two or more members, gave their support to one candidate only.

Contertporary opiniou.s gerìera11y favor-lred. this right to p}:mp a,s an |democratic exterrsion of the rights of the ci-tizenr, often couchetl in a negative ¡naru:er as the ríght of a citizen not to be compe11ed.. Thus, to Neal-es,

If he had. a particular partiality for orre ma¡r and. thought it important that he should get in he ought to be allc¡wed. to give that ma¡r his vote and. no other. 1o ccrrpel hjm afterward.s to vote for a second. nan whcrn he ùid. not care about was contrar¡r to right Principle. 21

Ward. ad.ded. a fi.¡rther argument, for

if you abolish plrlnping in a district where two members are returned., you maJr compel el_ectors to 4ve votes _to persons whom they d.lsapprove of , or else clisenfrarrchlse them þg making theur abstain fìrom voting altogether. 22

I 25 Strangways asked Lrad. the slightest eviJ- resulted. from pr,-unpingz a¡1d agreed. with Nealesr rriew on the necessity to retain the :.igþt, rather ttra¡ the dut¡r of voting, a vj-ew which

enquired. why, if men were compelled to vote for can&idates they d-id. not Like, they should. not also be conpelled. to place themselves on the regíslpr a-r:d. go to the po11. Thj-s woulcl be t¡rrarugr ... z4

There were some d.issenters. To Speaker Kingston, in the House itself every mernber in voting for a select cørnittee is corrpelled. to exercise the whole of Ìris votes; a¡¡1 I fee]. convinced. that if mernbers were so returreed. they woul-d. more fairly represent the countr¡¡ - than when a rn:mber of persons p1t'-Fecl for one,ir¡d.ividuai.25 "rq Andrerws put iÈ another riray.

If a ma¡r had. a right he was entitl-ecl to d.o what he liked. w'ith it, T.¡ut where he had. a dutT d-evolving upon hi:n he should. perform that d.uty. (Hear, Hear) If there were tlro menbers to be elected. it was the electorsr duty to see that two proper rnembers were sent in (Hear, Hear) ...lf he thought one of the three to be a good. man, and. he could. not juclge between the other two, then he ought not vote at al:.. (ont) 26

there ïÍas some n-isund.erstanding as to the effects of p1urnping as well.

as to the meaning of the term. One of South rlustral-iars ephem.eral weeklies, 27 The Sentinel considered. a ph:mped vote shouJ-d. be record.ed. as írrforrnal, for the effect of a ph.rmper is to d.oubJ-e the value of a vote, and by this means it is quite possible that a minority in a constituerLcy rnay monopoli-se the representation to the exclusion of the majority, ttnrs practic¡'ìly reversi:rg the principle on which popr:lar election is supposed. to be based.. Nc¡w it d.oes not seern at alJ- d.esirabl-e that any elector ... should. have the povrer of doubling the force of h-is fbanchise. Ifhen the tactics of plumpi-ng a.re resorted. to, the trrre erçression of the opínions of the electo¡s, i-:r the majõrity of cases, iË not ascertained. 28 '

ïn fact, thu _Þ94!ing1 rnisinteryreted the effects of p}::nping. A plrrmp actualþ d.ecreased. rather than increased. the tporerl of tae individ.ual voter. At the sa.ne time, it d.id. prowide a tnegative advantaget to the selected. car:d.id.ate. Two examples sen¡e to illustrate this. In L862, in the d.istrict of Light, three canùi-d.ates nominated- for the t¡ro vacancles, arË. of the 711 fonnal ba-I1ot papers, J61 showed a pltrmp and the remaind.er !Íere lsplitr votes.

Tab1e 5210. P}:mping in Iright, 1862 Ca¡:did.ate I Splitt votes Pluupers lota1 votes jz5 F. S. DriÍtIQN 58 383 J. T. B,Açc0 3rÐ 16 356 J. White 3l+ 287 32t t?o 3.s will be shoqn below, prr:npirg support to this extent was rare, but

the example il-lustrates the natr:re a¡rd ef:lects of the p}:np. On-ly thi-rty

four voters voted. for ïihlte and., using their Í;lL franchise, supported. ej-ther Dutton or Bagot as weLL, but 287 vcters plumped. for Ïrim, the

majority fron his hme town of Kapwña.29 of the 711 voters who cast a fo:mal ballot, 321 voted. for ri'hite. of i.ine j9o who rejecteit lflhite, on\r

seventy fou¡ record.ed. a p}:mp for either Dutton or Bagot, a¡d therefore 316 gave one vote to each. Ïn this case, if al-l voters had. been compell-ed. to

use their firll franchise, arrd. the prirnary choice of those rho p1:mped. hail been the saJrer then Dutton and- Bagot wouJ-d. stilJ- be successf\rl, as the second. votes of lftritet s plu:npers would. have outweighed. those of phrnpers for the winrring ca¡rdid.ates. Ii; was on the occasions where tlr-is patterrr 'was reversed., when the fr.lIl use of voting rpovrert could. have changed. the

successful to the defeated., when criticism of plumping Ìvas expressed most

strongly. We wilJ- return to th:is factor beLow.

the second example, Burra a¡rd. Clare 1857, shorus the complexity of the analysís of results in nr:-1ti-mærber cListricts. lhr.ee of the five cand.id.ates were to be e1ected., a¡rd hence each voter cou1d. record. three votes or two votes, or he oould. plurnp for one canclidate. He wor:Ld. thus use respectively aIL, twethi¡d.s or one-third. of his fr¡ll_ fra¡rchise.

PllrrrpÍ:¡g in Brrma a¡rd. Clare , 1807. Canclid.ate tSplí¿t votes plumpers Total votes G. S. KIIËSTON UP tll $t M. MARI{S L. 358 '16 374 E. J. PEATE g. 302 r+1 343 S. Hawker 214 53 267 W" Gubbins 76 12 88 tet No record.s were kept of the voters who usetl only two of their three votes but, where both plr.mtrlers a¡rd totaL fo::na1 voters are known, a simple calcr¡-

lation can be us"A.F 0n such a basis, of the 7O5 f ormal voters in Br:rra

a¡rcl C]-a¡e , 165 plr:mped., 226 voted, for or:1y two cand.id.ates anð, 316 used. their ful-l francltise, a¡rd. consequently 552 tvotest were unused.. liÍithout ful] inforrnation on hqn those who used. on-Ly two votes itivid.ed. their support, it is not possible to establisb argr conclusions as to the effects of the fu11 use of the franch-ise at this election.

Tab.l-e 5:12 sr:rma¡izes the levels of plr:mping at general el-ections, using the abor¡e calcu-Lation to establish d.etails where possible.

lable 5212. Plr:nping at gener'a1 elections, 1857-19QO.31 Itor=" of fga"*bly ^ Iegi slative C or-l¡.ciI Election Plumpers (fr) Electi on Plumpers (/") l.857 29.7 t857 7'4. 1860 33.3 1861 6.1 1862 35.5 1865 9.8 1865 35.2 t869 9'1 1868 1t2.6 r873 ia;_'9 * 1870 30.3 r877 14'6 * 187t 26.9 1BB1 19.1 * ].875 Jl .0 1882 13.3 * 1878 26.1 1885 1.1 .8 * 1881 22.1+ 1888 1881+ 22.O 189t ,ü:å.-. 1887 29.5 ].8il+ 17.7 18æ 23.7 + r897 16.1 t893 22.4 19oo 9.8 * rB96 21.3 t 1899 29.2 * * includ.es the use of theoretica-1 voting rpøert calsurlations.

Ihe higher 1evel of plunpi¡g in the Àssenbly contests was at least partly due to the srnaller d.istricts and. the general-Iy lower ¡n¡mber of

cand-id-ates, both of which a11owed. tleadíng colonistst arrd. rfavourite sonsf to achleve strong and. exclusive sr4rport. the localisecl support as that l1> given to Tli:iu- -it Kapunda was iess effec - e in -r,he ì-arge U-'nciL ðivisiorrs.

There were h:igh levels of ph:rrping support f .- sqne Coi¡rrcil cand.id.ate¡.., ar¡d. .å.. A. Kirþatrick, the United. Labon Party.'nember for Soui;hurn, .!rrâs ro- elected in 1897 w'ith 1/,1¡2 ph:mpers in his botal of 3438 votes. But, in general, p}:qring was at a Ìrigher level j¡r the,hsserobly .oot."t".J2 Strorrg plumping supporü did. not guararrtee success and, of those canðid.ates whose tote-l support included. at least one third. plumped. votes, less tìran hal-f were el-ected..

Tables: lJ. Success rate of liouse of AssembJ-;r candid.ates with hign;iumpi-ng support, I8D7-L899. Meen CanCid.ates concerzred. Tora-- f ota-i Ph:mpers 3l-ection total succ-"^.:f,u1 Plumpers votes ñs% IB57 1- 20l+ 261+ 77.5 1860 -$i t862 93 1)121 2079 69.4 t865 93 l.6U+ 31n l+9.4 1868 105 I9Q6 39Q5 ,18.8 1870 11 4 2133 Ul+7 lÉ.0 r87't l+2 780 1732 l+5.Q LB75 94 l:62)+ 3791 )P,8 1878 32 47t+ 121+3 38.1 1881 52 729 1Bo7 )$.3 1884 6S 9'.8 2I1Ð 43.1+ 1887 B6 I':') 4789 I{O.B 18go 95 r976 52& 37.6 rB95 92 3669 8559 ù2.9 l.896 71 529t 11288 h6.g r899 11 4 113W 22756 50.1 Totals 111 r+

Pluroping hail an importarrt bearing in close contests. IThere the margÍn between successful and unsuccessful cardid.ates constiür:ted. only a fery votes, and where ph:mping v¡as at a htgh Ievel, then.flre _-ulI use of the voti.g tpoiverr by all electors m.41r have cha¡ged the result, as this wor¿ld. aicl the rivals, not the carrd'id.ate rho bad. received. the plrrrrp. For exa.nple, Í¡ tls Onkapariaga :l'81/, the result T--s

T[. MIIJNE, 333 vote.-, 1J p}.mpers W. ÐAï[ES, 517 votes, 3 p}npers W. lovlserd., 26Ir votes . zC,J+ plr:n-; -:rs

As in the situation in Table 5:10 abor¡e, f all voters bail. been foncecL to vote fon two ca:rdidates, and. if there hacl been a simiJ-ar pattern of ca'rdJ-cl¿.te suppor't, either Milræ or Dawes would. have receíveil the benefÍt of the 201+ secorrd. votes frø Towr¡send.r s p}:npers a¡rd. the overal-l restrLt rculèt have been unchangecl. 0n the othe¡ haJrd., the resrrlt in West To¡rens i¡¡

1868 'l'es e. T. EEAIù J!8 votes, 1! plunpers H.B.T.SlzulNgrilÂYS J26 votes, 48 p}-unpers J. Pickeri::g J2la votes, Jl+ pluq>ers tr. Sagar 2fj votes, l+ p1u¡nl¡ers

In th-is case, w'ith only two votes separating the successfr¿l Strangrvqlrs frø the d.efeated Pickeringr f\lIL use of the fÞarchise by those wtro plulrped nay have ctrarrgecl the rus.,ltsrS' ard it is interesting to note ttrat Strangrrays becane o¡:e of the most vocal clefed.ers of pl-r-upi4g follcming th5-s eleotion.

P1unpi4g naE an integral and importar:: aspect of alJ- general elections in coloniaf Sottth 4.ustra1ia, ht it featr:red only marginaJ-Iy in the by- electio¡'¡s fon the Hcuse of Ass.mb1y. 0f the 111+ | casuall vacansieg in the Assembþ between Jß57 añ, 1901, or¡e thj¡cl occu¡red in the fj¡st decade ancl hrenty five i¡r the first five years of respor¡sible govemerrt. ilost were brorght abot¡t by the d.eath of the incunbent on by reslgnation for rprivate reaso¡rsl, but there rÍere sor€r r¡¡n¡sr¡a.I causes. '!T. Irenrron ras r¡nseatecl in 1861 on beÍag ileclared insolvent, G. T. Bea¡r was unseatect iù¡e to his failure to atterd the Parlia.nent in 1870, Charles WÍl-cox rnas cleola¡ecl by a cor:rt of Dísprted Retr¡ms to rhave been iacapable of being lq+ elected,f furo months after nr. eLcrvùj-on in 1395, axrd Horace .i)ea¡r was elected, unseated, re-elesbeil ancl again unseatecl ín the shont space of, three months in t857.3L lhe Cc¡¡¡rcil appeared. to be i;kre more stable Hanse, for only forty fq¡r casuol vaca¡rcies ocorrred,, but as its menbership nas half on, fru L875, less than half of that of the Assenb1y, the rate of mertber rturnc¡verr Eas gj-Ellar. Most vacancies ïvere èue to cleath, resig- nation or retirenent, but it is notable that 6rômn (1859), TinìÍ¡re (1865) anil Evera¡cl (1878) ryere unsieated clue to fsi}:re to attend.

0f the 1O9 by-elections to fill the I casua-lr vaca¡rsj_es in the Âssembly, nineteen were uncontesteil a¡rtt all but three were for a single vcrcarLcy'.35 .â,lmost all were eharacterÍzed. by electora- apatlSr. Tu¡nout exoeed.ed. fifby percent of enrolments Ln less than one-tbi¡d of the contests, n'ith the lmest interest i¡l Encounter Bay in 1858 when onJ.y fift¡r nine of thre 939 enrolled. voters tr¡rneil o¡t to elect Strangnays by a n¿mow nargino The LegisLative Co.¡¡rcil by-electiorrs also fou¡d the enfra¡rchisecl oomparatively d.islnterested. the forty four vaca¡¡aies were filleil at onl¡r twenty six by-elections, for lcasualr vacancies were often postponecÌ r¡ntíI arr ensuir¡g Assenb\r e1ectionn a¡d the mear, turnout at these was 29.4 t-n the single prorince systeu, ùú, 49.X6 after 1æ2.

Mod.ern elections in Âustra-lia are characterizeâ. by a hj.gh prqrortion of seats which are safe for one æ other of the me"jor parties. For most of the colonial periocl, hcmever, most Sot¡th .Àustralian eleotions were forgþt atcunrl personalities rather than policies, arourd nen rather tt¡a¡ neas¡ures. The aclva¡rtages of ino.rnbencry in a Eafe party seat were virtual-ly non-eristent, and the first examples otr rparbyl seats were evicter¡t in the tni¡reties.56 But this cliil not resr¡lt in a narkect uoher nr. I turnoverÌ, a¡rd at most gen<;'a-L elections to 1B9O a higþ ¡;-oportÍ-on of sitting menbers were returned. lab1e 521\, Re-electior¡ of sitting membens, 1857-1890. @ ï-esislå.tive Cor¡oil Sittiag Me¡nbers rho Sitting lÍenbæs stood. for re-election who stood fon ræ election Eleotion Total ElectecL fi Election Total Electecl f" r.860 26 19 75 186r 5 tæ L862 t3 2l+ 7t L%5 4 41oo l.865 27 2l+ B9 ],869 , 5 1oo 1868 2t 1B 78 L873 4 2n 1870 29 15 52 1897 t t 100 L87t 30 16 5t .i33; 5 2Jp L875 25 22 88 4 I+ 100 1879 3z 29 85 1888 3 267 1881 32 27 8L 1884 t{o t2 80 L887 l+5 35 75 18g0 49 37 76 'l 1882 was the year of eleotion of six gg teEÊ¡lative Council members under the reclistrÍ ,ion Acú.

As a cor¡sequence, there was a core of menbers in both Houses who se¡¡recl for long period.s. the record. was held. by Her:r¡r Ayers who was a member of the leglslative Co¡nsil from the inception of responsible gwerment r¡ntil 1.895, a¡r u¡rbroken term of 57 yee.rs, but the Assembly also shcmeil considerable overall stability. Taking both general a¡rd bJr- electíons for the Asserrbly into account, there were 792 vaca¡sles whe¡r nery menbers corl-d be elected.. These were fillecl by 2)i men - a mean of, nearly 4 rposition..r each. St¡ch a length of se¡¡rice wouJ.il. not be wortb a ccr-ent in node¡'n politics where i:erty support a-d traclitional- patterns of votíng provid.e a safe return fon marSr members for as long as they wistr to sta¡¡il undff that party label, but t¡¡d.er the more personal ard. specifically local oontests of the last centr:r¡r this stability is notabLe. [he record lengttr IQø of u¡ebroken servi-ce iri-ti,e Jrss'--lr-Lf was th¿-t cf lù. Towns.end- who:'ras first eleoted by a by-election in Orrkaparinga in 1857 and was returned frm that ùistrict until 1870, when he moved. his canrlidatr:re to the district of Sturt which conti-nued to return Ìrim ur¡ti1 Ìris death in 1882.37

There were cand.idates who became the I other sid-e of the ccint , who stood for election again arrd. again, but unsuccessfdly, a¡rd the ccflonia-l record. was held. by J" Z" Se1lar, a retaj-1 grocer who stood âs Ð-r ind.eper dent, an J-ndepend.ent líberal', â tministerialistl and once as a rfriencl of the working nanl at six successive general electior:s and one by-election until 189O, withct¡t He was fina1ly rewarced with a seat as "rr..""".J8 a î,abor ca¡rôidate in Ad.e1¿riC.e in 1905 but enjoyed. his position fo¡r only a short tj:ne until his death in i)06.

There were opporturrities for d.efeated. candid.ates to have a secor:d on even a thid. chance at the one series of general elections. The 1857 elections were conducted on the same day, but from 1860 io 1B!0, wj-th the one exception of the 1871 election, the districts were arralged- in rbatchesr, and the whole series of elections took up -bo a ¡aonth i;o complete. The Advertiseg opposed this.

If al-l the el-ections took place on one ard. the sarne cL4¡r, candid-ates would. be induced. to acquaint themselves more thoroughly with the political sentiments of the constituencies they chose to se:sre, a¡d worrlC. not, on accourrt of the second. cha¡rce in ¡ese:s¡e" th::rrst thesF selves upon reluctant and. d.issatisfied. electors in the first insta¡rce o.. v¡e are bour¡l to express 'rn.rr opinion tt¡at it is not for the interests of the color¡r o." political fTEfity is heavily discour:ted.; the ma.¡r ruho nrns about frcrn constituency to constituency sta¡rd.s the best char¡ge; the nan who d.evotes hj-mself punished. to one d.istriot is - for the stead.iness of his attachment. 39 But the üor€ cons¡en¡ative Reqister , wh-ile it welconeil the advent of the

IIIiP into elections in 1893, sor-¡¡rd.ed. warrrings about the consr:rîent tq7 i:nplenentaticin of a-iI elections vrr orre då¡r,

.;.rr.less the electors are careful it may l-ead. to results ',¡hic- wiLL be all ín the favour of canôid.at,:;s backed. by the bloc vote of political- organisati_ons. If there were two or three batohes of elections corìspist,-rus successes by the noninees of such associatior¡s in the earLier Iot would. stimulate ind.ividuat el-ectors to a keener sense of thei-r d.uþ i:r the remainÌ-ng con-bcs.,). 4c

The short-livecl Sati-rist ra-ised. a fi:rther aspect of the systera when it criticized the

poJ-itical !-egerd.emaiïr ¡¡e [of] electio¡s in three batches n ¿ o so as to give ad.vantage to one class of :r',ndidates over a¡other, a¡.d. encourage minj_sters to p1a¡ the politica1 blaak-leg, as a gembler who cheats at ca¡ds or ôice. TJ'hy not rri-nisters take their chance of re-elec-;ion with al-l othel canrj.ii_ate,:, afrd. not fix the el-ectj-ons .co that whÍ1e they al.low them- selves three chances of being retr:rned., they a11ow t f, onJ-y one cha¡rce to their most to be feared. opponents.+r

Certainly, the decision by the 18!2 Dcnrner government to end. this syste.ra was â ?sel:f-sacrificer prior to that, most ,Q ^", ¡nirristers had. faoed. thei¡r electors in the first tbatctr,.4J B. I. tr*inrriss, in 1860, was the onJ-y ulnister who took ad-rantage of this. Iïe -¡,¡as d.efeateC in Ad.elaid.e in the first rbatchr, but was elected. by Mount Bai.ker in the second.

The colonia-I elections of South ¡lustralia placed an emrnasis on voluntary aspects of both voting a¡rd. ca¡ôiitatuz'e. Vcters cou1d. choose to vofe or not to voten they could. choose how rL,:::.. cal:,i.id.ates, wittrin certai-r¡ limi-ts, they wished. to support, arrd. d.efeated. cqndidates eorfd. choose to trXr again at most of the general elections for rhe Assembly. Given these factors, glven the relativeþ sma]-lness of the cc-.1_on}¡ ¿r¡cl the consequent possibilit¡r for the t notablest to erçect to be elected., a¡rd. finally, given the electoral geønetry outlir:ed in tlre previous chapter, it wor¡1d be erçecteil that the legislatrrres wouLd contai¡r a relatively hig,h proponti-on t?î of la¡rd-ed. pz'cprietors. Th-is -¡¡as not the case in Sor:th Australia" rhe co19¡' ig].,tggg:glfg&*g

In the rcíd.-r sixties, the 4dgglliegr began a critiqu, of rthe unrepresentative r:atuer of Parliament w'ith the ccrnnen-c that

cut of d.oors the rich are the mj-nority, and. the poor a:rcl nid.dle classes are the majo-rity, but the reverse of tlris atta-irc; in the f-egislative Cor:ncil where public opj.ni-on has sent six rich men to one poor man. 44

In fact, in a situation where legislative senrice was urrpaid. for the fj-rst three decades- i't'v'¡as to be e4pected that onl¿v the rich corlil afford. to stand. as canùid.ates and serve as represeni,atives. 3ul" unlike the earþ situation j:r the other colonies the major:f.iy of the South A.ustral-ia¡r representatives were drawn frcrn essentj-alIy urben interests, and. at no time was the squatter numericalþ d.oninerrt.

'Jhe f ol-lor¡vi-ng analysis of the I social contentr of the Srn¡th Australia¡r oolonial legislatures is partly descriptive a¡rd. partly explanatoqr, On the one hand, i.t has been undertaken to esr,abllsh the ,,ifecl;s of the el -.stora-r. systøns a¡rd. the elections outlir,c..¡. above, a¡¡1 to establish the extent to whlch the legislatt¡res were rrepresen jaii'.;e ì of -,,ne society at larger that is, the extent to wh-ich the representatives ûrixrored. the sociaL composition :-ìren of the electorate which produced. ":rd. the extent to which the theoretical tenet of n:ra-l over-representation, embodied. in the electoral systemsr was carried. into legislative practice. 0n the other hand, the d.isputes between the Assembly and. the C',ruric:l] ¡ the begirurirrgs of which rvere a.nalysed. in Chapter IrI, can be at least partly e:çlained. by the d.iffering social bases of the menbership of the üro houses. As weJJ, the data provid.e means of comparison with the other colonies. tq7 As a first s.tep, the analysis required a series of tabula--Lons of the characte.cistics of the representatives and, as with the electoral d-ate, there were shortcomings. BiograpÌ::ical d.etails of over J50 nenbers of the colonial Partlanents vari-ed widely in availabilit¡r a¡d .;a1uer45 .od tt" tabulations were narred. by suoh problems as impreoÍse d.esci-i-ptions of ocarpations, lack of information on birthd.ates, places of birth, ti-ne of a¡rivaL in the colorgr, arrd religions. Sme me¡¡br.,rs preserved. an al¡orost cornplete alorgrmit¡r. In the tables beIcm, suctr reissj'rtg data hind.ers but does not mâke imFossible the id.entification of trend.s in the patterrrs of representation, and. most data have been presented in percentages to enable ccmparisons to be matle.

As would. be expected. in a colorgr settled. primarrly from Britain, ar:d. settlecl in 18f6, the great najority of members of the first parliament were

British-born. It is notable, hoirever, that by the close of the centr:rXr, over forty years after the inaugr:ration of respor:.iribie goverrment, more than halJ of the members of each house were stil-L British-born.

Table 521j. Bi-rth place of merobers, Housr: of Assembly a¡rct Legislative ColrrciJ-, at House of .å.sse¡¡rb1y eJ-ec-L.i_:ns, 18!/-ICg9. Hcuse of .A.ssernbly Leg' slative Cor¡¡rsil- Britain Other s.A,bo¡rr unid.. Brita:i¡r other s.A.born untd.. 1857 83.2 5 .6 11 .1 89.0 5"6 5.6 r860 83.2 16,7 Pg.o 5.6 5.6 ].862 86.0 13.9 94,, t:, ].B65 g117 9.3 100 1868 Bg.0 11.1 1870 66.7 9.3 8.3 16.7 100 r87t 75.O 9.3 5.6 11 .1 100 1,B75 69.6 6.5 10.9 13.o 100 : 187e 63.o 10.9 13.O 13.o 100 1881 67.1+ 10.9 10.9 10 "g 100 188r+ 59.7 11.5 23.1 5.8 100 1887 61.5 17 21.2 "3 100 1890 55.5 9.3 31.5 3.7 87'6 [,, 8.1+ r893 63.o 9,5 25.9 1. 9 83.l+ 4.2 12.5 r896 6,1*. B 11 .1 22.2 1. 9 79.2 l+.2 16.7 ].89g 57.5 11.1 29.6 1 a 9 75.O ì+.2 20.9 ?þo The members in the Hou: - of .ô-ssembly who were born in ol;her tha¡ Britai¡r j¡r or South -{ustraf-ia were drawn pred.mi-r:arrtly frcur the Gern'¿¡r settlers the

Barossa roile-v a¡rd. the .6de1aid.e hill-s o"u."r6 but the predorrinarrt inttern throughout the coloníal period., a]ld' especialLy i]1 the LegS-slative corxrcil, was of representatíves d¡awn flom British stock.

There was a solid. core in the mernbership of both houses who cor¡ld- j:r olaim to be early settiers, or d.escend.a¡rts of the earliest arrívals South .Àustralia. îable 5:16 provid.es crxnrlative daa,;., gildng at each rpioneerl d-ecade the period. of arrival in the color¡y. The labe1 ha's been given to arry mernber who had. arrived- i¡r the colorSr earLier tharr Dece:¡ber tOld- 1B4O: cr to a descerrd-ant of such a rpioneert. color¡istst are classified. as those who had. arrived, or who were descenda::ts of those w?ro hail arrived. between 1841 a¡d. the passage of the üoirstitution Act iJr 1855.

Table 5216. Period. of arrival j-n South Australia of members of parlia.ments, by percentages of total menbersltip. House of Àssemb\r Leeislative Cor:¡rciJ. Pioneers Pioneers a¡d. o1d. * a¡rd oI,L t Pioneers Colonists Unid., Pioneers Cotonists Uuid.. t8i7 55.6 91.7 9.3 72.^ 100 1860 58.l+ 83.3 13.9 72.2 94J+ ).b 1870 30,6 69.5 16.6 6i.1 91,'.-¡ 1881 26.1 67.1+ +.4 U+.)+ ð3.1 18g0 29.6 59.2 7.5 16.7 87.5 1899 20,3 50.0 7.5 25.o 51+.2 Uni

There was a sIc¡w erosion of the pioneer a¡d. o. i colonist membership of the

Ho¿se of Asserrbly as the color¡y grer in popula.tion, but it was not until the election of Unitecl L,abor Party representatj.ves in the Inineties that this aspect of the Cor¡nci1 mernbership was sigzrificarrtly altered.. Pa¡t of the reason for thís is ind.icated. by the ages of menbers of the Council. 21 1.

itþ],e 5217 Àges of metnbers of 1reÌ'liatilerrts, by percet:tages of tctal membership. House of Assani:'l--f Leeislative Council 21-39 )4D-59 60 + Ul.r.id.. 3a-t9 1$-59 6o+ Url-id. l.857 ,U. Þ 55.6 5 5 8.3 11 .'l 50.0 35.3 5.6 186rJ 25.O 58.3 5 5 11 61 .2 35.3 ,.6 r_^ ô "1 27. z_ r-870 5c.5 )¿.o 2 o 13.9 5.6 i5.5 )) c) ct 1..381 19.6 60.9 I 7 l+ 5.6 65.6 31.3 )+.1 5C.o I+r.9 r.i10 16.7 74.Ç 5 -;2 7 'r !ì1'3 11.1 | ¿.¿ 1(,.7 66.7 ))c)

v¡ere leasi O:i.e ':l-ircl rrr nùrc of tlie rnc-lrber: of tl:e Le¡;isl:tive Ccuncil- at lllslJnbers cix-i-i. j¡e:-r,s oí age ¿:nC. tl:!s: ccul-r].s6-';:ith the fact tlirt narÌ.rr ïere r,e-e-l-ected. e-t l-eact once, meiirt;il:eû tl-:e irfluenCe cf pioueers r:rl'l' o1d

ccrl-c-i.,,i.sts i-rr tl^e Upper hc,use;. I'ler:e lacLors a-l'so rne-int=-i-¡ted tl'e ir:flueri' of ilro¡e.r,vlto Ì,r.d bsetr ¡.t tr'e fcz'ef-'ront of th:e ccnsei'v:rtive pressures in tlle ;.ea¡s çf constitution malin¿i aiiil, as Chapter lII hls shovrn ald the fofl-c¡r¿:i¡¡i chrapter r,¡ill clevelop, tÌ::s influente vtes nr"int¡i.n---'d tl:rougìrout

t''e col<¡r:ie-I perio<1 .

jr,s ncted above, one of i;i.e i:rinciples of any electoraf redistribution

in iÌ:e colony v¡as that tho¡;e r'¡ith a t stake in the countryr , those '¡¡ho held cr -,¡orked the lanå, shoulcl have a greater say in the etection of the manber

of r'¿¡rl-iament wi o would replesent 'r,hetn. The lesults of tÌ,is pririciple in tcrins ,¡f ihe overweighting of the rural elector¿rtes iras been c¡utfined in Chapter IV. Irr social terns, tlie population of the colony w¿.s d.on:i¡rate b], ì;ire ,r:stçz.alists. 1it ii:e t'pcx of 'uire social laCderstood- the Governor, and irune.Jiately belc^i¡ hin',;ere 'i.,e large larrd ovners, tite l'.'ea-l-thier fazmers

e.nc1 1,l :e corint:itcial aid iriclustri-rJ etrtrepreneurs, bttt the creal¡i of social 2A2. l-ii'e were tire pastor¡:}ists. Ther;e generalry had the three crite:'j_a wl¡-l cÌr delíneeted. the r..ryper level-s of tb.e social hierar<;k5r - r,r.eal-th: lanrl

¿ilìd arì earl¡r ar¡'ival- irr the ccrlony. But whil-e these Ol-cj Col-ordst fa,'¡:l-ies fron tÏ-re pastoral i-rr},rstr;r domirr¿:ted. tÌ.e social life of coforúal-

South -'.usilalia; they l;ere f¿r-r from Corr[nant in tiie paf.lia.rrent-s'. 11 hir; sturl;' c,f Li'e llew Sc.¡uth lïal-cs c.-lorrjal- i,aJ':l-i¿LÌnelits, A. i.¡. ìrialtin co.¡:cluCecL that

ti:e nost strikj-n¡; ¿etrct'al- irrpr.ession conveyed... is th¿lt tire .1Lsser,l¡1.y,l,as oven¡lie1¡úl.Sfy. rrnld.cLie cl-ai'sft in its conryosition 'oefc¡re 1891 . 4l aixl iili s trerrd v¡¡,s even rnore evident in South lus'Lla.lia. îi,e n:ost slliking implessí<-:n of 'che Soutb åi.,stla.l-ian colcrúaI parlia¡rrents, Ilclrse oÍ Àr'ser-rb1y and. Legislative Cc.uncil : is that of a clo¡¡:ruition by urbarr rather tilarr by ¡'ural ecortc'mic irrterests, i-rrd csi;ecially by the corrrrierciÐl- arrd. iüdt:.striaf rne¡i of .lrdelaide. Á,nd tilís rel)reselrtaticn _ìlg the nicldle cl_ass

'.'r;s a reì;i'e:;entation g{ a scrciet; rviich .?ïas, itself , b:rsically micr,jie cl_as

Barr:artrs atta-lysis of -uhe ¡'i-icd1e cla,ss in .ê,ustrafiu.J'8 i-l1-ustratcs the tericenc;i of rria.igr historiars tc ¿ene::al.i-se f,:rr Australia c¡L ü:s b.sis oi.oï cr t',r, colorúes. His concfusions ¡¡¿r_y be sourrcl for ti e cc¡ÌorÉes cf ]Ìew Srlr:tÌ-r ''.'al"es arld Victoria, to wÌúch he gives nrost errrljh.asis, but ¿re;r i.o nc>t h¡-,ld tc, ti:e salle <1 egree for Scui;i: Âustr¿:lia.

Balcan recognises the ciiff:'erent cl-evelopme¡it i-n-';olitical r,e[,rescrìta,ti ii-:, .-;.e centl'af cclor5'lvÌ;en Ìie ""rirües that tSouth Austr¡.lia beca¡re ;he rrost cl<'r;rocr¡Lt-ì c c-:f tJre sevel'ì cel-orr_j_.i.j.. L: -,rj-i..L i,-..¡e v,,:¡¡ ir_ .r.iij-ca.l r-ef orn tÌrou,ghout the njneteenih cs;,i;i 1:,;r ,L:'i1 ::-:rrl l.e ¡sç¡r.:,Ìd:;ed- tii¿lt 2(\3.

it ças in SoutÌ:,A.ustÏai-ia, ai that tirne the b::ee-dbaskct of .A'rstralia, :,"a';' tr'e ;;restest success ir:;:sta.blish5nç )u a slraf l-f¿.rlrìcÌ' , ega.1 ì tal'i a.n c'l-emocracy \ïals ecÌ-\-i er"ed'. lie r,otes, c:ttJ. accepts tl',e cçncl-i''eicil ihat

tiLe yecuneÌrrJ/ .. . u¡:o 2!e ta.', o¡ice tillers of the soil ¡lnd ei,il'fòyers c' l-a.rour, a;'e, ¡,:ore tÌ:¿rn aq'r other class, the reaf borie e.¡rl si-i'leu of ':l:.e colory. 51

;ut Ìic d.is,iilses tco easil;r tl:c ,fi-Í'ferelrt sr¡cia.I structule cf SoutLr.f^ustl'a-l ril;icl: flcl¡ecl frcr:i tÌ-is. The balance of lir:i. t-i,e 1:o1i',,ica1 effects ''ecuilier the ct,y:stitutj-orr of 18,552 âr:(i tl:.e 1.ec,i1i;lrlT liLerai Cevelcprnen.'c t,f ;l,oliti< :'el--:'e;:e¡rtation, cali be at 1e¡st pLriìL¡'exçl-a.ined by tlie exi-'te¡rce in the sccj-a1 ¡t¡uc1;ure of, ar,c1 t}e i-l..i,ii;tatic,n <¡f the pclitlcal- lifc cf tl:e colorq 'l:Ì:e b;., r strt:ig l.¡id.clle c1ass. If ¡cJ-i-;icaJ. liber¿:Ii.:ri rlcperrrls urr presetr( irf c, ¡lriCclle cla.ss 1;:^ sr;c-ietL t', err Scuilr.",irstral-ial. l-ibe:'sl-j-sri¡ l¡ià a secrjf'(

iLl'ci:.lir s r ftu,clai,ler:ta.I ¡,l.(1,icoì tioril is, t--:,'c f cr tl-'e e'?-i'.] J cclorrirl r'c:riod., tl-lc,re i,as l-ittle,- evi-Cei,c¿ ç;f eltJ:er ât'ì.lrbe:r ,¡1'a rLLreLl- l'iCc1e cfa.: -:n jilstlel-'j-¡r. iier Icoultry s'i,.le;r:'s l:eirù.r pa-stor¿-1 ::atlisr tTran a.;rici¡l-'i,tl: of iiìcn, b*t oí' lh-us, rthe gra-zicr precìorr':rn ... sir:-rse i-r'c1.ific "1,..,*¡r'.52 ai-',f 1,1:: fS.rilii:rl' liîs rL-L'r¡¡nblecrl . T:.ri e ,rjilâ.zi.cl:s lic;arcì-ed the ûìerchä.nis r;j-tl . s,:¡Lie conterrçtr r a.r',cÌ the u'vbE¡r ¡;¡dclle cfasses ¡-lC ltot el(o¿rlld as rapidl:

irr-':: cclul.il the¿¡ ble''ì" tll-- earl¡t C¡ti ¿!x:e r¿1 the sc;,.a.t'r¿rs.5i 'fhuS, to

-larca.:i. tì.e rri<1rlle cl¡rssr:F l'la.â'r,i, stru¡;:;le to be bur¡r. îÌLe,:iig.¿1=rs a-rÈ

.j::rl::-i;gers ','¡ere tht sirea.rÌìes.d a,.-i-iitl;t tìre ecc¡rc¡rnic e.ircl .,:'c,Ii-ti.ca1 cj.clinir:aticn oÍ tre s.-tuatt.irs ir: tlLe tsizti.cs, b;--t it lvas riot until I'blre crisis of

1ûi{,-9lr tÌrat ti,e t.'i1lrr i.,l's o'-.elr fc:: tiie edvance cf t}ie iniustï'j.al- bc;ur¿eois 2ui+.

T¡'.le ir.e corlclusiot! oir irljicÌr -;¿:rcarrr õ alr,lu¡lent for .j.r,-rst:iLJ-ii.. hin¡r;es;

witl-c'ut tire j-¡fhrx c.:f 5ol-C;^ì-ii.crs it is .foul¡tÍrJ v¡iielirer ti.e midCie cl¿ìsses of' tc¡¡,¡ir :.-lcl countrw (the -o=e¡r farnlers and rlcl'cirants) vrculd l.ave stfong .ncigl to irni:ose polítice.1 denocrac¡' on the sc¡l;a.tters . ,? f ,-¡ tl:js reå.son, -barcart af¡..ues ,úiLat

tiu't>u¿'hout Austl'¿l i ail l--isto::;- the nrirjclle cl-ass has b::en u.rnl¡l-e to taÌ'c ilrc lca.iÌ. i:iith tl:e pariíal ezceptio¡r of the ycars inn:r:diato1.y b,;f t_r.r, e a_¡:,ö. after iì'ec1er-s_tion tiri s s(,cial cla.ss lie-s nr-rt bce¡r aþle to imi;ress its ir:f'l-ucnce eithsr on .colitics or c;l_t.,re. 5b j:i:t rn'itli crlc lieeds tc-, acld - 1;i-e c:lce¡,-,tion of colonial Sou-il: l\ustr¿,.-]-iar. I iccl;e'ut rloscribcci Ài¿str.ali¿¡_ as a count?,;,- rnarÌe by tire worlirrg cLasses .nd

;ctrlr:li:C- b;,' ïi,e wclkirrg classes i¡r ;lte inter.ests of tl-e 1,.'tir-kil;g c-ìrs""s,.-57 i.ior cc,l-t:r--i-al Sc.rutl¡ ArrstyuLi-a-, e_ ltcì-e a_,_,t descrii:,tion is tl at of a c,_lon¡- irierit b;i ir-'j-c.1,:l1e tÌ e classes arrC gcv:.;i'rrecl b¡r tìte midCle c1¿rsses in ilre inter.ests cf 'ul.e:iicìdl-e .¡orki_rr.g aiicl'¿l:e cl_¿Ìsses. .iri;i ü:rese ¡¡ridCle cla_ss 1e:aclers lrer.e

:i¡iiri¡rant iri botl. the ci_runtr-v Llrcì_ ttle cit;¡.

'"'l'c co¡istiiuteci the nrirldle cl-asses of Sc¡uth A;stra1ia., a*d to .v¡]¿_t e;rter, ; ci'o '¿lrey i.ir',1i';J-ca.l 1¡r dulriinnt? !'irstly, arrcl in gerlera-l ter:ris, the i,tl-cnrr:r:rt ¡',: <.rf ti-e cclony b;r fr,:e ,-::td_ ir.Ldeilendent peoi):l,e provideo, the c<;re of 'el'e n:i.dle cl¡tsses ¡iicL of their ¿-i;tj-tur.l-es to political rep,r.esent¡tion r,,hich r¿c ìl're follor,v. \'¡Ð.s îhere Ð- la:i.le,l ¿-r'istocracy, r,;iúeì,. hel-rj si';a;, i¡r scci_¿1I 1,-Í'"r58 Jrui'¿irj,s ..r':-"t".J"y.Ji.C n6t liolCL its positiorr,ulrou¿h bj-r:th t-r¡c i-rìcesJur:r', Lr-'t uc.s I o¡renr tc' tìie e;:tent that mar¡y settl-ers r,¡Ìro sta:.,r;e:c out e-s iiii;-l'c; ¿;lrts :']lc- n-,ral etrtreprenelu's scon developed an econcrrjli_c ir;terest in ¡r'azing. Secc-ucl-7, tl:ele r.'Ír s lìLì ,r:'eet ¡nass of und-er-1::.ivile¡;ecì iniusi;rj-a.1 2r.

1'rork-ers at tbe botton of the sccial scale. The society v;ss mobile, both j-lr- terrns of the rapid inn;¿.rd migrctì-cn, end in tenns cf tlie ¡'el,a.tivelJ¡ easy

access frrm one colony to ¿lnothe;r, eõ1.1€cial1y at ti-rres nf financi¡rl crisi;;.

Firrnì-ly, tle South iustralia.n socíety vra-s i)r'obably more economice.J-1y irrt.,rdepenclent from the begimrirg th¿rn those of the eest. A rural

cor,Lnunity essentiafly based on grazing yr¿ìs relativel-y self sufficient

corn¡--ared. tc ti.',e f'arniir'g conmuni-t;'r in South Australia. Fa¡:ners need. farrn

fe.i¡our. The¡' ¡s6¿ millers, tra-nsport, arr.d have a .;reater Cependence on

second.ary ind-ustry. The closer settlement of the rural areas promoted. the grorvth of a nl¡nrber cf ¡narl

inCustt¡i'adclecl irnpetus t'' an economic, if'nci a popule'.tion decentralisatio?

lsf'çrïe explaining the rcle -ihese núdcÌle classes played. in the politica

life of' the colony, àrrd. ho'n' 'uhey gr-ided. the theory and ¡re.ctices cf poli'uic represeni;ation outlinecl above, the generalisations itr i.lte preceding pe-ragra rreed to be quantified. The ¡nanbersi:ip of'the micidl.e classes in the South

Austlal-ial1 societj. and- in 'r,:ìe pârliernenis needs to be identified.

AttenLpts to establish the ex-istence of a middle class in modern

societies, and to establish its occupe,-tionai- boun

¡_¡eriesis and political effects, face serious problems. To isolate the

¡nicdle class of a socj ety a centiiry a-go is doubly difficult. The same

cuestions rvhich plague modern sociologists are present, such â-s the problen

of decidirlèf wtìj-ch occupational grou;:.s will be irrcluded in wl-rich class, arrd

the l:-i-stc;ri.ân ca¡r, of use suclr rnodern technio,ues as cuestioru¿.ires to

esiabl.ish -i,lie ::'el-a-tive status of tÌle vs.rious occupati-ons. Tl.re idea of

social status in colonial South .A,ustralia, the prestige of various 206 occÌi.pîtiollsr the social estimaticrr given to a specific occupation or occup.tic¡naI stratum cannot be tested. by the sun¡ey of the subjective

;¡u

¡.elationship irr the colonial soclety of 1870, and. wc,ul-d have been giverr a sinilar status. The com¡ronents whici-l make up the nriddle class are not as solid ncr as 1:ernarnent rror âs horitogene,ous as ttrose'r,r'hich a-re considered tt comprise the worHng class, ¡:,nd- ,l:e proirlem of tlre distincti¡n between man¡1al i,,ric1 ncm-manual occupations j-n the riineteenth century is but one example.

A recent proposal by Ra;inor n".,ì ,nut the occupatior.al bcundaries of the moCern mj-cid1e class c<,rrçrise

lliEh"" n*lrajg@. Doctors, senior ¿;overrirnent off icials, architects, eirgíncers with plofessi or,al cual-ifica-tiol company directors, fer;ners with over five ¡undred acres, self- ern¡:loyed builders r''¡itir ten or more arrployees 2A

l,,yr" *"r*¡"fr"t--" adilinistrativ-e. Farrners v;ith CinC hundre;d. 1 five hurd.r'ed acres, fani rne-rÌa¿.jers ... sÌìcp pro¡r¡is¿.rs with fou¡ tr-¡ nine employees, se.irior m¡inagers v¡itl, over trrenty five subor- d.ina-tes, qualifì-ed. nurses ar:d. pliarrrracists, ccrnpany seci.etaries vithout prr:fessior¡al cr¡aliiications. Skíl-led or supenrisor-)/ uon-manual-. I'arnrers v¡ith tlrirty tc thirty nine acres, t;'pists or secretari es r'¿itir at legst o¡ie subordinate, civil ser-vice executive offj.cers, cor,,inercial travel-1ers, shoBkeepers r'¡ith i,hrce or fess elq>loyees, cira.ughtsme ba¡rk clerks. 60

Ra;;iLor sjuil[riarises t]rese into t]ree brç,ad ¿r'ou!)s, business, i;rofessional- ,ar tvirjte collar, disti,rrguisheri f't'crn ti;e i."orkirrg class by clear d.iffcrences it tÌteir vsork situation, tireir market si tuation a:rd ti-eir' social status.

Such rleiailecl sub-gr"oups are sirnul)'not possible in ¿:-r: analysis of tÌ colonja.l situe,tion. The iclentiÍ'icati-on of occu;,atio¡:s c|el;ends en,'irely the cerisus tiel;a.i-l-s r"¡hich were puÌ-ll .shecl , and both tì-re na¡'ket siiu¿tj-on - ti'e incone, secr.ríty, etc., of t¡e ¡netrrbe::s in il',at occupation, ard tiie vuc;r sj-tu¿.ticrr - tÌ:e tasks pcrfcnted by the irroivicìuals r',,il;hin the occul-ration¡ straia c,.r'or¿rrrisati-ons - lrrere not cletailed suf'ficier:t1y, if at a.l-l . Cet cl.ata on occupatio.[s,ìere esr.ecial]y.s erse in tiie eer.rl;, cclonial ner.ioc:, e vari ¿ltio¡is betv¡een ¡he c.lifÍ'r:rent cens';,s d.ata frc,rn deca.de to cìeca.ce aCCed. 1 tÌre i-,r'cble-tns of arra.lysis.

The l-Ei5 censL^s subd.ivicied occupations in the color;v inio a mere t;:ir five categ';ries, lvith no distincti-orrs betv,'eeir ¡na.le and I'emal-e, e.riÞtoyer ar. el:çloyee, er1ult arr(i inirÌc)r', ând iio analysis b.y are¿ìs srn;,l1eT'than the irrovi ars o- Ì;: ole. The l-8,61 censlLs errlar.¡ecl tr:e anal¡/sis te f ifiy five cate.ror.i but stifl_ i¿rck-ed tire rletailed suÌ:.rroupings. îi,e f'oll_orrì_ng census repor,t i¡r i'c¡ve'-ì rapidly ín tirís regard: lEi/1 retained LL-.e oc;cLllratior:al categor of iire previous census, 1876 incl-urj.ed 18J occupations, ].¿81 iricluue¿ 1!j, 208.

1891 included JBJ arrd 1901 analysed. tTre occupations of the Ï¡ork force in any terrns of 5t+2 categories. ldot until L891, ho'rvever, was there division between self employecl, employer and. empJ-oyee within these categories' Fr

;1876, the reports were d.ivided into rclassesr of occupations rvhich, a-tthougl

ü.-ey were not internally the sane, al-Iowed. some comparisons to be made. Tl 'the I classesr r,,'ere broad categories of the sccio-econornic relation-s of va-rious occupations, and folloning represent the nature of the subdivisior:s Frofessional (") persons engaged in gerreral or 1ocal goverrunent (¡) persons erit¿aFj,ed in the learned professions, literatu- a¡ts ¡.nd. sciences Dcmesti-c (") persons en-,aged in unspecified. cLornestic duties (b) persons engaged in entertaining or performing pel'son offices fr-r man Corn¡nercial (u) persolis ivho bqy, se1l , kee¡t or lend noney or: houses and. guocls (u) persons en¿;aged in the conveyance of men, arúmals, good-s and messages Ag1'icultr;ra1 - including pasioral, farrning and horticultural occripations I¡rd.ustrial - including manufa-cturing and secondary inclustries Inr-lefirri te . f1 tire later censlÌs reports, these classes and orclers ì{'ere fleshed out by a

ana-Ì¡:.si5 r¡f the occupations r,r'l.rioh made up eacÌt lar¿1e cütegory, and arl apalysís of the lvork situatíon lvithin eech individ.ual occupation. 'Ihus, f

1891 r,rrd. 1!01 , r\¡e can identify the proportion of tl:e t'ork force in each employee category ,., rrd each occupation rvi.c¡ l'v*ere ernployers, self ernployecì arrd

The clifficutty remains of establ-ishing the rel-ative status of these

occupationa-f strata in the cofoniaf society, anC here sorrie impresrionistic catr:¡rorizatioris must be carried out. At tìre top of tile status p¡rrarnid- .lrere ihe pastoralists of the colony. There v,'ere tlie cream of the societ¡

although they vrere not the pc;Iitical po,:rer i-n the colony. l3e1cu¡ these w¿

a l:irge a.nd d.if'fuse sociaf strata, containirrg the urban mercl:a-nts, 209 o manufacturers and. industrialists, i--nd the large faftn ov¡ners, a-rld ihese cons¡ituted. the core of the mid.d.le cfass. Using the categories of the

1891 census, the fo1loi',-ing occupations a-re takeri as representative of the coloniaf- midcLle class. Professior:a-l- - officers of government departments med.ico, lanvyer, engineer, university professor Domestic hotel ctvmer Ccrr¡nercial banker, bank melragÊr, share broker accor¡ntant, auctioneer importer, exporter, retail trad.er, clealer Indrrstria]- - ovrner of ind-ustry, manufacturer, brevrer, miLler l+.',..ri cuJ-tural farmer, fruitgrwrer, wirregror/¡,rer, station n¿lnager liining mine ow'ner, qrìerry owner, mining engi-neer

Sr¡ne of tlre difficulties in establisLr-ing the crj-teria rvere posed. by such questions as the relative s'¡atus of such occupations as school teachers in the colonial- sccietv, (private sci,.ocl te¿rchers were includeo in ti:e midil-e

cfass r,vhere these lvere identiffed), and the leck of distinction beü'ueen manu

and non-ma.nual in the industrie-1 group. For these, arad. associeted reasons, t;he inCices which have beerr establ-ished for tl:e colord-al ¡nicldle

cl-ass nust be consicrered as appz'oxinra-te to varying degf'ees, clepending on'uh

a;iiourrt of detailed Cata tvhi-ch t'es ma.de available in Lhe ceirsus. The nost

i¡.ccurate indices are therefore of the 1!01 situation, at tlie cl-ose of 'uire

col-o¡r-ia-l pericrl , and the nost in¡rrcssionistic are frcm the oata of 1Ê;55 ard 1861 . Â]1 indices are calculated on -tÌ:e basis of tlie tr:tal ma.le r'¡c¡rk f.¡rc

In tire light <.¡f the nature of r;i:e colonial- society, tÌie occul;ations cf tire males have bc:en takerr as most letrresentative of tlre class e,¡io status of the

farrii.l¡¡, a¡rd. unless otherv¡ise stated, tlie i¡rdices are in ttre forin of e, p:.r'cerltage of tne tc¡tal male work, force in the respective categories"

South Australia 1i/âs a rz-pi-dT tr ;pc,r.,-j-ng society' in t..e ninetcenth centi;r

and frcrn 1E55 o¡r it v¡as domin:¡-tcd, in terms of total population, by the 214

embrJ¡ortic metropolitan area of ¡tdcl-aicle, and its hinterlarÉ"

Tatle 5:18 Populati on Grcn¿th. 1855-1 901 Census 1855 1961 r871 t876 1BB1 189t 1901 Total population 96982 126810 185126 225617 2E(,321+ 325766 36t+795 Percerrtage increase l+7.7 l+6.o 21"9 31.2 1\.5 13.2 (5t*.7 from 1871) Poirula.tlon of C ount.y Aclefaide I\rA 674Ð 85593 91å08 122966 15052+ 18C823 Percer:tap,e j-ncrease 26"9 6 1)+.5 22.1+ 20.1 "7 (13.7 from 1t71) æC r:ulrt ¡ Âclelaide Iloi;al- % 53.2 46.2 ),D.r 42.9 46"2 \9.6

Tlie cc-¡unty of ê,cielaicle coverecl an a.rea f'rc.¡rn Gavuler in i,ie north to Ttlillunga in t¡e south, and errcompassed ';i:e hil1s a-s far as l\it. Pleasant and liit. Barke

Thus, tìiroughout the coIor.ial i;eric,c1 , be'',v¿een two fifths ¿-¡:d one half of the poirulation live<1 ín this rel¡rtively sr'a.11 gecgraphic area' and just under h¿llf cf these uere resid,ents of 'che City of Ad.elaide and. its suburba¡r rnurnici-pal-ities. In terrns of nurjor cccupe-tional groups, the county of

.A.Ce-"Ì-eicì e contained a relatively high proportiorr of t. e conrnercial , inoi.C,riaJ

an:.l n¡rnufacturing v¡ork force of 'uhe ccloqy.

m-È-]^LAVLV j.tr,.40 t) ount.;, Aiel-ai de 1861 18B1

1861 1861 /l total- o¡ total Clarrs of' occupation No. ín Colony I'io. in Colc

C o¡nmercial- -Tr¡¿d.e-Ìularruf a cturlng 91O1 65.5 ¿0 1lo 62.1 ifon-agri cultural labourers 2092 63.3 40e9 47.2 l¡earlrêd professions 919 69.6 2t+2O 58.3 Oi Í'icers of general ancl local govern- ment 594 72.3 1076 57.5

A co¡nmon chalacterization of the Sotrth Austral-ian colorrial society Ïras

be;en an emphasis on a ruraÌ, smal1-fazrner domir'atj.on. fn ecc.rrtomic terms, 211. and especially in regard to the values of exports of primary prod.uce, this u¡as so. In 1855, thri:e quarters c¡f the iotai value of e>lports was mad.e uF of rvheat, wheai clerivatives .md woo1, and. by 18!1 this liad. been lnaintained. or exceeded in alrnost every f inancial year. But tliis pri.rnary incÌustry donination of export earnings was ncit paraÌleled by a rural rnajority in the population, nor by a majority of the workforce in tiie rural- j-ndustries.

OnIy in the first cLecarfe of responsii:Ie govenlmerrt was South Australia a colon¡' with a majorlt-v of its wortforce in the primary sector. The farmer of South Aiistralia constituted. tÌæ largest single occupation group throughc the colorrial periocl, but tne total- v¡orlcf orce in primary iricÌustry was rapidl ovelcorne by a corn'nercial ancÌ inciustrial-, and essential-Iy urban, occupationa structure " Ta'b1e 5:20 Perceritage of the rnal-e wol'k force in the six classes of occupati ons, census__.1t355_ Þs-.!ZIl . Cla¡;s 1855* 1861 1871 r876 1881 1891 19ot Professional 4.-, 5.3 4.1 l+.3 l+.7 4.5 Doroestic '.-, l+.9 2.O 2.1+ 2.9 2"9 Conunercial 11 .1 1 0.1 10.3 12.5 12.1+ 1+.3 1l+.1+ T r ai-'sp ort/C oinmuni c at i on 6.8 10.0 10.6 5.0 ) 41.9*+ Industrial- )2o.7 Jte'g 2+"5 ) 36.1 11.9 2g"g Pril'iary Frod.uction: T ota-1 5l*-1 65.j 50.1 39.5 JB.O 16.3 35.9 Â.¿ricultural 38.7 31.3 29 '1 29,2 Pastoral 5.3 l+'1 l+.0 5.3 ìiining 6.1 2.6 3.2 1.1¡ ¡l Approxi.mate oniy tÈ* fnclutr-ing a category of tlabourers, unspecified.r, toialling 12.7r;/o o¡ the worlcf orce.

-,.'o further refine these categories and to establish the numerical strength of tire col-onial rni,':dlc cl-ass, it is necessary to use clata ¿rs late the perioo as 1811 . This r'¿as the first occasion that occupirtions vrere anal5rs,s¿ in deiail in terms of ernployers and employees, affl tiius tlre sti'uct 212. of tl1e col-orrial worlforce must be extrapolated from this late period.

Except for the primary 1>roclucers the remaincier of the male worlcforce of the co1o4y v.'ere overwhelmingly enolor¡ees rather than employers or self- employed..

îa]ol-e 5:21 Tiork situation of rnale v¡ork force 18 classes of total male wor orce nea G Employer of Receiving lotal male worklng on Serlary or work force own account '[fages Professionaf t+619 87l+ 18.9 371u5 81.1 Do¡restic 28j0 7Y+ 28.1 2036 71.9 C orraercial 2Lt58g 56o9 ¿¿.o 18g8o 77.2 Inclustriaf 3O5)+1 u65 1l+.6 26076 85.t+ Priri:-r,r.y Pr od ucti on 35Ø7 1 4311 tñ.2 21326 59.8 Total 98216 26053 26.5 72163 7)+.5 t\'lost c¡f those in the fi-r'st category - ernployers or ihose vrorking c¡n thëir

orvar accorlnt - constituted. the bulk of the middle class of the colony. The lergest employer occupational groups j-n each class consisted of: I'rofessional - larvyers (16Ð. medi-cos (16J+), ple.rinacists (114) Donestic - hotel keepers (6ZO) Curriercial - shop-keepers (Szo), butchers (¿/rS), merchants (5BB) ragents (5J inilustrial - blacksniths ( |6Ð , shoerna-kers (L51), coniractors (¿*tt), bakers (241) primary prod.ucti-on - farmers and market gardeners (lZ rSØ) , so¡sa.tters/ graziers (SE+)

In the final analysis, to obtilin an inrlex of the mrdd.l-e class in 1891, each

of the JBJ ocøtpations vr¿ìs analysed, as far as possible, irr terrns of both rvork situation and market situation. Each of tlae rnajor c-'l-asse.s in the

census r'¡as subCÍvided to produce eight occupational groups, and. each of

these lvas anal.ysed in te¡r¡s of rvorl< si-'r,uation. 21 3

Iable 5222 Occupational categories, 1891 Employer, or vrorking on Tr-tal- otvn account Ernployee

::)¡ l\ o" 7, No. /a Professional 1805 6zl* 3)+.!+ 1194* 65.( Clerical 6)+92 182Û 2.8 63to 97 "2 C otruirercial 1 1OJO 561o', 50.g 5ì+2O 1+9.1 Industrial 30618 4591* 15.0 26027 85.o Irrc]'-,stria1 lvork f orce 6816 t+37+ 6.4 6Ì+39 93"6 Lrining JI31 261t u")Oz 287A 91"7 ÃÁa Flinar.T Incìustry 32185 1üÐ2Af, t-3 "2 r8465 Shipping 4765 168* ) o) 4600 g6.5 Other, u¡specifíeC. 1A11 A63x 16.1 B4B g3.g T otal-s 98216 26053 26.5 12163 73.5 * lii drlfe Class + Drivers and dr4y-ow*ners - e;clucied fron nriddle class.

As ihe descrlption of the work and marliet situation in ee,.ch case was

ina-der¿uate, the ana-lysi-s has 1,r:nd.ed. to und-errepresent the micldle-cla.ss as,

in oases of d,oubt, occupational categorj-es have been placerL in the I em¡-,loy Frr¡in tl.ese figures, it is possible to establish ari urban middle-cl-ass of

llrofessional- mett, officers of general and local governrnent, men irrvolvecl i clr:rica.-l- occupa-tions, shoplceepers and retail- se11ers, nanufacturers, nrerchants, hotel o!'i¡ners, stocltbrokez's etc., ivhich, espec'ialIy in the cleri

cíj."egory, probably understates tjre actual content. Âs .r¡e11, the 1åOZO

arployers or self-ernployed. nren in pri-mr.r¡. industry Lreve been regarded. as t

ÏuraÌ sector of the micidl-e-cl-a,ss. On ihis basis, one fifth of ',-,he males

'i n 1,he nc-.,r:-primary inclustries, l;3.4'¿ of the men in prima:xr incrustry, and

27.1,'í, of' the total- male r,vork force i'¡ere miC-d.le cl-asis in 1891 . such detailed. ;\lthou¡¡h "nalyses ïrrere not possible earlier tha¡l 1891 , i-s not urrreí,'sonable to a.;su]ne t]rat the proporti ons of employces ancl er:rploy 214 withr-i-n each categorJ¡ r¡ere sinrilar in 1871 or 1861 . on the basis of this

assumption, the male work force for. these years was anal_ysed, an

It is eviiient tirat the colony of South Australia contained a strong nridcile-cl-ass sector fron the be¡;ínn-ing of pla:l..ing for responsibl-e govexnme 2 1

and tÌús sector became increa_singly r;rban in content. To the extent tha a strong midole class te'ds to support a liberal system of political

representation, .,.,.as then South Austr.alia v¿ell_ served. tsut the political inffuence of this middle-åla'ss r'¡as greater than this analysis ind.icates.

The tables belovr¡ shoul-d. be read. v,¡ith some oualifications in mind.. lhere ue¡'e dir'ficulties in establ-ish-ing occupations of sorae me¡nbers ar¡d., es thele wes "''elf, a difficulty in establishing what occupati-on would. be consiclered r¡nainr as the one. As pointed out above, many of the colonie ì-egi-slators lrere men of mixed. inie::esis, ofteri cornbining an aJ¡sentee -i't:iest in the 1and, especiarry in pastorar runs, with ccr¡¡nercial enterprises in the city. For this ï'eåson it v¡as necessary to include a collective rrural category, entrepreneurr. Ispecial_ly in the Legislative Council l''iie1e some ¡nembers occupiecl tl.eir seats for a nr¡nber of terms, ilre involvement of a mernber in oth.:r fo¡rns of econcrnic activity other tha¡ tha Inainr v¡irich was his oi:e a-t the ti:ne of his election brought further problems, especial-ly as so man}¡ h¡rd so¡ne involvernent in tìre prì_rnary in- lÉ t.: f5- rG 2 89t,o tl I .f; l2 4s.,7 t 1 irr n]¡;l' PAttoe¡'-,t-. Lftr"-,1+:;']rr . l);' r c .J'rx ;J'':r J;"a .' Í. '¿ . !;¡ ¡ l-Ë - f l** î lor',lz*',\n%:l'* Ol Êl:- (ia L..r rt i4 !-15: lJnz |lnxalæ-bì:,x @ -r I f\ I rfl 'ì ì I ¡ I ,l ,ì /l @ I f 4.i:-:"F/.c1, RÊ¡. r t I I ,l rl 3¿sw¿¡- I l i 7 5 lt Él t+ Ll 3 I 5l 7 7 .Ft ó I I 3 l':r-<:..¡.rll I .3 I o I I z z i I I z I Ê S'r-:ci:,t eor:.1R. z I z I \,-o I r/ f I I otl i7" \¿ o (Er-¡.t:-' I I ,) (-, Là'.'r''Ls ¿:^L ¡ìA'-..r.- 41I Lfi, þ:; lßí"' I I.^o fls"i, ß'i lJlb I*s I I I I Ac'¡'r¡':- I i I o LA¡.b i I I I I 3 t,I ..1 Aerurr I ?thee I I ai +t I t I I I (ú Al:crio¡r È €-R. I -l f tl,l I I I 3 I -tu, (v¡¡l t,¡rllsPeE¡¡¿v( _t ..{ I I ) ) I) l) lt ¿J cn ) ) ) o Oriie< J -l t rl zi I I ,J -l I tÍt lAEvtco ,l ì-¡ I z z I ! 11 S:-t¿rror, 2l I I 'l ll) I / , i.^u -o ,4, ,/" I flL \1,o,'t, l¡' :'; l:ç'. E fì:oFi 1,5'c,v A L tj'::--,¡ J l',+:. /t fo Il tî l.o l4t ' o BL lo irrr I tl ')*14 tl I E I I íÞrt"¿'orv.J€-¿ ,f I I ì ,l I q- Jauu-., orn-, I o l J ) J J ,) z) ) o C'r¡ek- t) tr o .r{ +t ,,Q11a.At'¿ !it¡,;c¿< ',f% '\'* ',Jr'. o o OrAEi< 3 o o (,"/, L1:"t ê/"t4'¿t 4i: fv\É*HS lLT"rL"LlLlt t o ArkF-* ?RNA1-i- '!ÒC rcfroo 21,lroo'* o5 2';' :i+ i1i :/; ,O.) :f ,;j t.i oo 8,t oc s,i ßf roo tltoo ß,lloo tt,lroo T -16-¡rAl- tfrcc B./oo 'og rf) o Fl It o l- ¡ëà 7 lÒøo tott¿. ;cr? ";- -; /'ta< c; [-/tcnoN ;" // lL € 'r /t;ì /é /')tt: ,i¡¡t¡:T 234€i:7 slz"z so^5zrt oì Á.;;-ra-,:t--:Ur:g Ê4".'oaR¿-,g.r 3 tloz + 1\nr" o\ j,, ï),1 ilnr" lJzr 1]'u : þ+z l)ui" :jtt ;jn't !\ar,, ct A6 n¡cçl !rr.l cÁctsf 3)',t ,3 :;1", t\! , Ll, ìvn¡ G Mr¡¡e Clw,veß @ .ì 'l I I I I I I I I MÂNu;; cr'.r¿È,{ ¿ì I I ni ¡i I I , ¡ ,ti F{ |4,r: g p-.,/ Lalev! t r\ I I I -7 -o It I 7 ) ì oi + E (t t+ n b 4 I I M e tc.¡t x:- I o i 2 I tl I a ¿ 3 I z I z Slcc, - r,co<ÉÉl I I I a I I I I 1ì¿.eue¿ I z L lya'ï (Þ RÈr¡rr 1 I I lsr/" I ¿/ l40I tr 4 c' L.)i'.i/,(\Ciiì - LArq¡, A.eg¡:-r I I z lst l+:, lt'r" I I I a z i ¡ s 7 1 @ ¡ z 3 I g, Ol*er A¿a,'¡r I I I I z I ,l 2 t 5 3 I I Allcrio* €ÊR I c o ¡l z 3 3 tL I I - Rurv"l Ë¡v;l:r.Pi.e^i Ê.u<, I i ,l ¿l'Jrc,:.Ê;. iiAi:.Èi- 3 a q f{ I 3J ,) 3 z o Qnie<. I L) -oe ì o i: !1É.rrco I I t,l'ì I (Þ ''t (. L cì ?i + 1 f f + o Slrr,c;to*- l+ '"i t: ErJai¡rlle':- | I I a¡) ) c ,l,rr r'ir, à0.. o Su¿'"'ev¡¡- f A*a'tex ¿ lo 'l¡u, ) i:; ..{ .1"rE.t:lcnre I l/o t+I W +) Ar-'-cu¡J;a'q{ I o /i t CL ,i.li Irrr,¡{ - Oi:r.JC À J zl õ È o ior¡ruÂ.,*-* =) =J I -l o I z, o Otrtrr¿. :l rií. î 14^rou r.cl !&)tLE

would. suggest, the influence of the agrictrltura-lists of the colorgr, ar:d.

especially of the pastoralists, was greater in the upper tlra¡r in the lowen

house. But even there, the proporbion of the members who were pastora-lists never exceeded. one thírd. of the tota-l mernbershíp of the Cor:noi1. In the

House of Assernbly, the combined. representation fro¡r those in argr fo¡m of

agricultural pursuit reached. its higþest point in J-BBJ+ when just over a quarter of the membership of the hotrse were pastoralists, fa.raers or orcharòists. the m."i n gFoup in the parlianents througþout the color¡l¡-l

period were the cornrnersial men of, the color¡y and., as wiLL be shc¡wrr below, they d.orÉr¡ated. the lead.ership cas we]J as.the rnenbershlþ of, the parlìa¡nei$s.

lab1e 5:20 compares the occqpation of members of the Assernblíes i¡r

three colorries in the tfifties a¡rd. the reigþtíes,

Tab1e 5zú. Occupatior,:s of members of Assemblies i¡r three colonies. Jê(

Period. 0cctrpatiora-l Percentage of total mernbership. Group 8. Eg. 185Ot s Pastor:aL a¡d. 3îÃi.Ís¡z Agricultural 17 t5 1+5 Yía. LB56 Ccrsr¡ersial N.S.W.1856 tp 35 26 P¡pfessiona]. 31 3t 15 Mini¡r.g Other a:rd. 11 1 15 UnidentifieËt 1880t s Pastoral a¡rd. s.a.1891 agricuJ-tural 2l+ 2l+ 2'l Vio 1881 Ccmmerøial 5l+ 36 36 N.S.W. 1882 Professiona]. n to 31 Minir¡g 7 1 Other a¡ld Uniilentified. 2 2 11 2,?

Ihe euphasis on the representation of cornmercj¿.I me-n in Sotrth Ausüralia ís evid.ent. It should. al-so be noted. that while the t pastora-l arrd. agrio-rltr:rall members j-n the Eastern colonies mere nair:ly squatters, in South Ausiralia they were rnain].y sra11 fa:mers or oncher ur=Í!P men of the English yecmen cIass, fierceþ irdepend.ent in econorric mstters and, as Part III of this stud,y will shor, equally ind.epend.errt in political natters as wel1, at least up r:rrtil the energenoe of the Unitect lrabor Pe.:rW on the legislatirr" "."rí?t

In te:ms of the evidence frøn anaþses of the other colonies, the rmidd.J.e c.Lassl natr:re of the House of .â.ssembJ-y i¡r South .¿\ustralia is not sr:rprising, Ho¡vever, as the tables above suggest, ard. as chapter EII wiJ-J- emphasise, this rmid.ô1e cJ-assr natr:re of the parlianents vas an irnportarrt explanation for the peculi.ar political. histor¡r of the colorry. It was i:r the Legislative Counoil where the influence of the rníd.d.J-e cJ-assesr is, at first, sr:rprising. This chamber , as was pointed. out abor¡e, was d.esigned. specifiçally as a house to be representative of property, ard. througþ this representation, to be the guarèia¡r of propert¡r, and especially of n:ra1 properby. The pu4rose of the Cor¿¡rcil. was fulty realised, as the d.isqrssion .[¡l of the rel-at5.ons of the houses in chapter will show, but this was accourplishecl by a membershÍp which was not essentiall¡r of ru:ral properüy.

This is not to say that there was no pastorãl influence in votes i¡, the Legisl¡.tive Cor.¡nci1 for, as chapter lJ( wilJ- shor, 3-and legislation, arÉ. proposals for n:ral taxation were enascr:-1ated. by the upper house. It was certainly not the case, as one contemporary c.Laimed., that I there is ¡ro òistinction between the classes of members of the tro houses, ald neither house ca¡r be said, to be nepresentative of a clas"t ft as a co!trparison of the occtrpational patterns of the two houses shows.. 22Q.

Table 5227 orO ti-onal- in the South Australian Farliaments at times Ilouse Ass ons Year Occup,:f,iena1 categories as percentages of total manbership Agricultr:ral Conrnercial a¡d (Pastoral on-ly) --ofessionel Council Council Assembly r857 )rD (J1) åï"T'¿T 61 71 1860 L4 Ø9) 25 'l 55 5B L862 fi (28) 17 Ò 6t 72 1865 3e 25 1 1 )o 70 o3) o ]-B68 3e (fi) 1g (J 55 7o 1B7o fi 03) 1g B 6t 72 1B7t fi ç1) 19 6 6t 75 l.B75 22 (17) U+ c 78 74 1878 22 (17) 17 l/_ 80 li-iE1 22 (17) 24 7 71 7+ :198J+ 17 ?3) 27 80 6g lijBT 1g o 75 7) 18g0 26 El+ 7l+ r89t 22 71 60 r896 1g 2 7t 61 1899 22 ¿ 7t 61

llhe n.atule of the I agriculiuralr rci:z'erentati-on in the Cor¡rcil r,'¿rs differe fcr the pastoral inf'luence i'¡as rri:üncrically much stron¡4er in the Coturcil t:lan in the Assanbly, anrl these Lrasiora1lsts, conserv;{tives a-l-tnost to a rnan, he1cl their seats fcr long p.:riocls cf timer65 und. as will be sho',rn (,^ be_]-owr-- they exertecl a c¡nsirLerabl-e ir.fluence on legislation. The foll-oring tabl-e indicates ìhe extent to r-,'hdch tire middle-clesses of the

colony rryere I over-represented.r in the parliaments. 22

Iabl-e 5:28 tions of ìTorltforce ¿jnd slative menbers idclle 1¿i61- classes ¿-s tot census House of Assembl.v elections

1861 census IB71 census 1891 census r:B96 Category l-862 etection IB71 election 18!O election el-ecti Ur:'l¡a:'r midole class ryorkforce - 7.)+ 14"4 1 2.1+ - Assembly 72.3 75.9 Ooulcil 7)+.O 61 .1 - 61.c 6t.o 84.0 70.9 iìura-l- ¡riridl_e class*# - rvc;rll'r:rce 21"3 19.8 1)+.9 Assernbly - e.3 13.9 22.J 11 .1 - Counsi 1 5.6 12"4 12.5 1ot¡rl nírl'lle class 'ç-¡crkf - orce 3O.7 AssemblY+ 3U..2 2_7 .3 - BQ.6 89.8 92 72.2 - C ouncÍl- 66.6 "3 61 .O 96 . l+. 83.4 * Urtidentified - 11.1,ii I?,61 , 5.6ii t}7,t *û .llxcluiìirrg pastor,irlists

The urban midrlle-eIasses ,che constil,uted nearly tlrreequarters of me.¡rrbershi_I of the liouse of .lissernbly an'J ozer tlri;e fifths of tÌu¿t of the council to l-ô90 and, with fanner representa-tj-vcs J-nc1uded., helcì the great majority of

tLe seats. Even at the apex c-rf ULP representation the micìdle-c1a.ss

reiri'ciìc-;lltatives retained a cl.c'r;iinatlng ruunerical_ ¿:.dvantage.

The leadership of the J-egisl-atures lãås a-Iso clearly dor,rinate.J by In:j-cld1c the classesr . L>)-

Table 5221. South Australia¡r ùlinisters , LB57-I991, T-- occupaticrrs. Categor¡r lfr:m't¡er of Ministers Percentage Cor:nci1 Assenbþ Council Assernbþ o1\ O\ Âgricultura-L 6 8) 12 (Pastoral) 7 3t 11 ',; 3o it IÍining I Corrlrnercial 9 32 39 35 Professior:a-l 6 37 26 l+1 Mænrfacturi:eg 6 6 $rtisa¡r 1 ! 1 P:rivate Means 5 3 Unidentified. 2 2

Tota-l 23 91 100 100

At the same ti¡re it v¡as notabl-e that the raiuisters in the Ccn.¡nci1 were èisproportionately drawn flrom the pas'coralists. In these tems, the

South Australia¡r I sguattersr held. scme political- pcrlrer in the legislatures but, as later chapters wiIL shc¡w, the clea-rest ímFression was that of parlia.rrents d.cmir:atecl by the r:rba¡r rrnid.d.le classest.

A rel¿tively high proportion of the roernbers of the Council served. art

I apprenticesh:ipl te¡m in the Hor.rse of Assembly. In the eyes of one nffispaper corresponlent, this was only rigþ'b, as the members of the lower

house represented. the workilg, cormrercial a.rtd. agricultura-l interests ald.,

in d.oing so, rvere

toiling their rvqJr ulrwarcls to the status of the Other House ... Let men, anbitious of sitting in the Upper House, consider_that the Lc¡wer one is a r¡atu¡a-l steppùng stone to it. 6,

To alother oorrespond.ent, the rnernbers of the Council were >>3

of'ben cf a hígþer social position and. wid.er cultr;re tha¡r the members of the House of Assembly, whose best men not i:rfrequently- transfer themselves to j -l when iirey oesi"" æ "ási.

Orreral-l, forty two of the rri¡rety five members of the Cor:nci.- to 1901 who couId. have se:tred. such an apprenticeship had d.one so, a::d. of these, just over half had. been d.efeated. at an {,ssernbly election before seekilrg their rpronotiont to the upper house.

Conclusion

The results of the elections to the House of 3.ssembIy and. the f,egisl-a.tivc Coi¡nci1 ca¡ried. to fnrition one of the basic ai-ms of the oo¡:,stitutiæ. makers of South Austra-lia - th€.t the legíslatr:res should. represent the t great interestst of the color¡y. Members of the rworking olassest were effeotively barred. fYon ca¡rùidatr:re by the absence of argr pa¡rmenb for representatives until the last decade of the centur¡r, and. througþout the colonial periocl the great majority of the menbership of both houses were

¡oen of tstrbstance ard. standiqgr, Un-Like the eastern states, the rsquattersr of South Australia did. not achieve pol5-tical- d.oninance, and. the effects of this were to become evid.ent in legistation on la.nd *ttr"".69 Both houses drew their membership pred.ouilarrtly frorn the wealthier mid.clle classes of the colorgr, fbom the cournercial, nanufacturing e¡rd. professional groups, and. especialþ those fron Adelaide. But, d.espite the generally similar patterns of membersh-ip Í-n the Assembly and. the Cor:nciJ-, thene was a cr¡nent of opinion wb-ich he1d. that the upper house dlot4q be constituted different\r a¡d. shorrlcL play a ilifferent roJ-e frcrn thât of the Assæbþ. As one comesponrLent grt it in 1857 ¡ 22¿+.

r holcl tiiat the upper iiouse essentially repres,-nts the acquirerl and settled p'operty - th; inåependent leisure ancl superior ed.ucation of tÌre color¡y-. 7O

wh.ile a oouncil member, thirty yea-r's rater was s,re tÌ:.at j-t 'lvas distinctly und.erstood in the Constitution that the Legislative CouncÍl should represent property as well_ e_s l_iÍ'e or libert! ... The Council v'¡as set apart ..o sltpposing tkrat as-older ;rerÌ perhaps they ha.c1 a little moi.e ca.ution.. .. 71

such views liel'e ex1:,:'essed continurl 1¡r, anrl the m

Fart III of this stud.y wi'll- return to these rno;rlbers c¡f the South Austral-ian Fa¡liarnents with ihe express purpose of establishing the extent t'¡';rhr-ich sr-ich principles of legislatir,'e behaviour l1'ere carriecl i¡rto liract.ice in the Legislative Cc¡uncil , a:d to the wicler ouestion of theories rfunctionalt and' i:ractices of lei:resentetion in the ccrlorúa1 legislatures. iiefore this emphasis orl legisla.tive bchavj-our ho.vever, the f'ollowir.rg two clopters exaltrj-rte aspects of ,he fr-rnctior:s ¿rnd. practices of the South Aus- trafian parìianents vrhi-ch, to a major extent, r'rere a direct resul-t of the clections, clectoral s.ystems, ".ricl pr.irrciples of political representation hicjr Ìrave been outlinecÌ above. chapter IrJr exe;nini:s rl,e èIerreral i;mtability of ministerial oi'i'ice iir tne colony in the ye.?-rs prior to rg)J, a-nc1 lYe turn nc'lv to an analysis of i;ile rel-ations of the trvo hguses, of the conflicts bet*-een the House of :isce¡rbl,r, a¡rd the Legislaiive Council_ v¿hich

¿'! cionlinant "'o'-'e as¡ect of colorrieJ pulitical life, arri. r'¡l::ich flolvecl from tl;e ilifferirr,'r rproceduralt concelrts antì pra-ctices clf representation vrlrich have bee¡r c¡utlinecr- i-n tiiis ¿¡¡r,1 ti:e precedin¿ che.pter. 225 Sootnotes tc Cl -r-er V.

1 H. l/I. B. Disney, T'he 18 Elections for ti-Le Sout}r l.u-si::a1i¡:¡r House of (9.A. t J ol.) carf e, The lrabour .Â. Thesis, Ad.elaid.e, 1!68 are the onJ-y specific eiector^al A. Priest1ey, The 'l1th Parliament , (B.A. lhesis, .âde1aide, Lg64), and D. R. Beer, South Politics in the 1880r s (4.¿. Thesis, Adelaid.e inciud.e a marginaJ- d.iscr.¡.ssion of elections in i:he reighties. 2. See Appendices f , Iï, ïII, ff.

2 _Ch¡onicl-e, April 1l+, 1860. I+. ReS ster , March 22, IBB7. E rbj.d. 6. Æ, 1865, 7. See Cbapter IX.

B. See K" R" Bowes, The 1890 Ltaritiroe Sirike in South .&ustralia , (M.Ji. Thesis, Ad-elaide, L95n, B. R. Ohapnan , Austra-'l i a - the Late Nineteenth Centr:qy , d erl967) , A. li[. Þiestleyr ep:_9i!.

o See Chapter lClI.

10. H. M. B. Disneyr !p:_eit.t g;.78.

11. E" J. Tfadham, ,, (¡.¿. Thesis, 12. rbia.

13. Male and. Fernale Turrao:t at Cor.l¡.ci1 and. Assen,-:Ì.;' electj-ons, 1896-1900, as percentages of totals on ro'l'l . Voter îr:rnout* House of Assembly Legislative CounciJ- Male Fema].e Ma]-e Fernale t8g6 66.3 66.6 rsgT 52.7 ¿0.6 ISgg 67 .1+ 57 .3 ]-goo 55.3 3g.7 * exclud.ing Northern lerritory where iletaiJ-s were not kept for L896. See also the analyses of Labor support in Chapter XII. It *tor:-ld. be noteil that the franchise emphasis on property cr¿nership kept fernale the propontion of the total enro'lment lc¡w in the -Cor:¡rcil. Er:rolments Fe¡nale enrolment Ereotion Ma-le Femal-e as percentage of tota-l l.BgT 37620 8223 17.9 l-goo 38691 rc160 2O.g 22L

1 ¿+. S€9' 1871, No. 1J7" 15. Not the least of rhm cas Cathe¡{.ne Helen Spenoe who , from L861 whea her first panph-let on the subject apparetl until her ileath in 1910 ca¡rieil on an i:ltense a¡d. aLrnost single-*rand.ed. battle for prcrportional repnesentatio¡¡ i¡r South Austratia. See R. B. IValker rCatherine Helen Spence a¡d Sor¡th Âr¡strali¿n Politícsl t The J of Politics a¡d Ëulggg, (VoI. 1!, No. 1, r PP' a 16. Percentage of District Electio¡r Electetl. fomal votes Victoria 1860 G.C.HÁW.T(ER, 66.'l North ÂdelaícLe r875 .û.. BI¡4U{ 72.5 Norbh .å,clelai

'17. Peroentage of Iotal Distric+ Elesbion ElectecL foruaL votes Candidates Sturt r875 w. TcmNsÐ{D 5O.1 5 East Aclelaicle 1878 G.S-trCffilm, 50.6 3 Northern Te:rritoqr 1890 v,L.soltffot[ 51.6 3 18. Cmbi¡reil mean liñrmber of Corrtests N¡nber of CaniLidates support of contesti.ng the dist. zuccessful canclÍclates 3 5 å9.5 l+ 6 ì$.4 5 7 lß,1 1 I I+5'8 4 9 4t.1 2 10 t$.3 , 11 ¿2.9 1 æ 51.8 2>7 19. In fact, if suppour* for the nost po¡nrlar ca¡diclates at each elestior¡ ís expresse¿l as a percent of, total er:roLment, then fem ccnrliL clqírû to represent an absolute majority in thei¡r oonstituenq¡. Cmbinecl supporb Voters as Ccnbinecl su¡pozt for most po¡u1ar penoentage as a percentage Dístrict ca¡rÀiclates of enroLmerrt of enrol¡nent 1857 .â.tlela.rèe 92.5 52.8 43.6 t86o Yata:"a 79.5 35.7 28.4 1862 orkapari¡ga 85.1 ,l+.7 29.5 1865 East .â.ctelaicle 91.8 25.9 23.8 1868 tataLa. 81.O 3r.o þ.1+ 1870 Tatal¿. æ.1 56.5 l+5.1+ 1871 TataLa 9l+.6 57,3 35.5 1875 O¡kaparj¡þ 80.2 68.8 55.2 1878 East lorens 91.5 63.5 59.r+ 1881 Noarlungp. 92.5 37.o fr.5 188h Sturt Ð.3 ?+.o 21.7 1887 Ameraclia 92.3 51.3 ,¿.2 1B9O Northern Territory 9l+.'l tp.8 38.1+ 189, Mt. Barlcer g2.g 75.0 62.2 1896 West Aclelqìde 87.6 lß.2 lQ"2 1899 Nercastle 84.7 \2.1+ 35.9 Ð. Votens were requireê to give a preference for all oa¡cliclates Ín single mmber ctistricts. In nrrlti+snber clistricts they rere requírecl to use at least two more preferences tha¡r there çere menbers to be elected, jJ the list of ca¡ldictates allcned. this. 21. $EE' 1871, No. 157. 22. Ibid. 23. S@, 1870, p. 1510, 2l+. IÞ¡g', P' 1312' Æ. .IIiÊ'¡ P' '131Q' 26. IÞ!$. t p. 1511. 27. the South Australia¡r Ser¡tine1 ras publisheð fron October .2, J:886 to No¡¡øber 6, 1889. 28. IÞig,, April 9, 1887. 29. See Apperd.ix fV. 2>l baLlot papêrÉ n. ForDaI rpmet' = 7O5. Voti:rg = 705 x 3 = 2115. p}qlers = É- r- t Eplitr votere = 512 f¡et N be the l¡¡nbffiho votecl for tro canitidtates. Therefore 163 + 2 N + 5 (5¿¿-N) = 2115 N=226

31. ar¡ailable i¡r ^ê.cl.eJ-aicte (tA57, 1860, , e (lB@, thnee nembers) a¡it Flird.ens hese rere exclr¡iled..

52. Scme of the higþst levels rerel I857t Tcrnsenl, 71ft æ total votea; Lú5, Stw, 8S¡ 1868, Dunn, 7fr¡ L896, lú;otùdeq l$. See A¡rpenclix fif. 5t. Era4ùes of other si.Eilar oaaes were: Eleotion Distnict Phm¡rers fon nargtn of totel Successft¡.l clefeatecl votes sepalatir¡g ca¡tòiclate canÀiclate successful f¡m cl.efeatecl 187r &rcornter Bay 28 10 I 1881 ûight 85 72 l+ r887 Burra 195 7l+ tl L893 Victoría 'l09 66 5 r896 Stanley 5U+ 219 ,13 1899 Burra 6tt 7B 2'

51+' S"" !gg!E!.g, ltarch,-tTt¡ne 1857, for the histor¡r of rhat becane blow¡¡ as tbe lBarossa questiont.

15. See Appenclix II. 36. See belcm, Chapters J(f , XII. t7. Othe¡r long-s er Ê.- S. Ki-r¡gst al I857-188Oj A. H. Ia¡dseen (8), f87Þ18 f were re-eieoteit at six o electims: J,C. Brqy 18fl-L892, A. Catt 1881-1906, W 1881, W, Gllbert 1881-1906, C. C. Kingston 1881-1900, E. T. tuith, LB71-L893, E. Ifa¡d 1870-l.Bæ, e, C. Harker, first eleotecl ia 1818, resigned for the third a¡d. fínal ti-ne tur L895. 58. Eleobion Districù Votes S tonat 1881 lfest lomens t1 1.8 1881 Onkaparinga, 56 5'2 188h trest Actelaícle 5 o.2 1887 Sest Tærens 35 1.3 18Ð Sast å.d.elaide n.2 ].89t East Âdelai¿te 'H567 15.2 ]:896 latala 5t6 1l+.9 By-election 1882, Onkapar5ngÈ I o.g 229.

39. Advertiser, APril 4, 1860.

ÀO. Register, March 15, a893. 1868. newsPaPer g+t . The S Sat , April 18, This was J t to AprÍI 18, 1868. It2.'æ' Reqister, March 15, 1893. I+S. Ministers facing re-eIectionr 186O-18t0' by which trbatchrr of distrÍcts cor¡tested' Electior¡ Batch 1 Batch 2 Batctr t 1860 2 1 L862 3 : ]-.865 J+ 1868 4 1870 3 1 r875 2 2 I 1878 4 1 1881 3 ? 1881+ 3 1887 ,+ 1 1890 1 1

44. Advertiser , May 1l+r 186,l+. tho South 1+5. I a¡r indebtecl to the Librarian ard the Library staff of .0,ustralian Parliament for consiclerable assistance in tracing some detaíleci inf ormati on. e LB57- h6. T. A. Harmsd.orf , L¡ i-- l-n th ustra IW1 , (9.1. Thesis, e' 4959 rThe 47 A. W. Martin, Legislative AssembÌY of New South ITales , r856- 1g0ol Aus Jour of Po and. I t (VoI. 2, re56) , PP.

¿{8. A. Barca¡r, rThe Develognent of. the Australian x[idd].e classr, B:!-gIÉ Il"o.rt, (uo. a, November !95ù ¡ PP. 6l+-77. )+9. rbid., Þ. 7o. 50. Ibid. 51. rbi-d.

ç.o )L. Ibid 53. IÞiL, P' 68' 2n.

5l+. IÞig'r PP' 70-1' 55. gÞig. , P. 69. 56. &ig' t þ' 75' 57. stral-ian politicsr. Sideliglrts on English - :The , (Ì,to. 143, Jarntary Igg9F, p. 127. ' rOur 58. greatest nabobs, the men of leisure and fi.ne houses and fine carriages t sre a]most invariably squattersr. cited. ín p. cook, -S:-gl!.-r_ p.22. For the social l_ives of some of these rr:abobÁr, see the Harvker private d.iaries, SAÂ. 59. $ee beLow.

60. J. R4ynor, Ehe Midille Class (Longnans, Lond.on, 1(þg), ;o. 10. 61. Sources of data include ,The composition of the litffi#;¿ E3gÞ, (Vor. 2, No. ), pp. zi-lg 62, canparison of menbers by agricultural pursuits, south .û,ustralia a¡rr N¿lv south Tlales Lo¡;er Ho'sás, 1856-1899, by percentages South Lustral-ia Nen' South ùfales Election Agricultr:ral Election AgricL¡1tural ].857 16.7 r856 I+4.0 (t¿.6) 1860 25 .0 1860 27.8'(26.+) t862 16.7 1865 25.0 LB65 26.4 (25.o) 1868 19.4 t87o 19.1+ 1B7o 27.8 rBTt 19.1+ r87z 26 IB75 J+ 23.9 ( I a -I ) r875 26.1+ 1878 17.1+ ¿ .2 r877 19.1+ 198t 23.9 o .)tr 1882 20.7 188J+ 26.9 3 .8 198¡ 14.0 1887 tr 19.2 ). I 1BB7 14.t 18go 25.9 3. 7 rBg't TB93 z 7.'l 22.2 7 ]..Bg¿+ r896 [J.g 19.5 1. rB95 11 LB99 .2 .-¿.¿ 1. 9 189a 11 .2 ( ) = pastoralj-sts. 23t

ts). See esPeciallY ChaPter IX' 21' (W. K. Thonas, 'r!1elaid'e, 1880) P' 6l+. J outh tr , ' lt}57-72; C' Everarl' 1857-69t 65. Fcn exa.urPle; J. Baker, 1"869-88' c. MorphLffi, r851'-fi; L'B' Muirav' artd Í' 66. See especi'alIy Chapters IX

67. JanuarY 28, J.857 '

& Tf . L' Guttsman-( eds .) , 69. C. H. Pearson .1 iùäiui;; oo¿ r"", London' 1967) P 69. See ChaPter Ï.K. 28t ]:857' 70. Register. JanuarY 7t. @!g!g, APril 14' 1887' Chapte:r Ul the Rel-ations of the lioi:-'-es

Ttre members of the first LegisJ.a.tíve CounsiJ. were fon the most part among the wealthiest of, the oolo¡rists, and. hacl been J.argely engagd in specrrlative a¡d. commereia-l ¡nrrsuits. 0n the inauguration of a Parliament cmposed. of two elective chambers, they hacl., so as to sa¡', taken ---fuge i . ti e Upper Hr-:rsê¡ where they felt secure in a long oonti:m¡anoe of poret, anil safe in thei¡r ability to resist a¡lr encroachment on properby whicli rni.gbt be origÍr:atecl j-n a large.r a¡rd. more Demeazraff.c assembþ. B. [. Finrriss 232

Irrbrocluction

According to one contanporarSr, the pessage of the 1855 Constitutiorr harl solved., for all time, the issue of Imperial--colonial rel.ations.

the power of tlie irarlíanent in the colony is as nearly ¿s possible absofute. It is true that the Governor represents Lhe fmperial ,lr-ltlcority ... but the Inper.ial porver dise-11-ç¡",r¿gtce of is very rarely exercised .. " l,Te ha.ve successf\-r.11;. 11ot'¡*d out tlie experiment of a wliolesoine d-ernocracy - 1;he governrrent of' '¿iie people by tlre people - as rrcerl-¡ a-s possible to,its ultjmate issues. trVe hold tilat tiie people câ-n govern tiremsel-ves, without a'rly f oreign irrterve:'Lrüion whatever . 1

.lìut, as shcrv¡n above, not onl-y were there at-uenpts by tl:e IrnperÍ-al- l'c;;resentative in Gcrverrrcr iüa.cDorurel-I to ir,fluence i,he ner¡¡ rcsporrsibie lrrinístrii:s, but ihe I atlsolute po,rerr cf tlie coiorúal- perli-¿ment was g-testioned by the judiciary. A fuf1 account of a f'ascj-natj-ng aspect of

Sotiih Alrstra.liar s political hi-siory, of the lega1 anci politica-l questions surroundirrg the anotion (rernoval- fro;a office) of Justice Benjamin Boothby is 1;rovid-ed- by A. J. llaruran! a-rid'ui,re fotlor'rirg brief sijiilnâ.ïy is l¡r'geJ-y fronr 'Lh¿l-t source.

In 1861 both Lrouses of 'lhe Í]outh ¡\r-rstrali¿¿n Pa;r'liarlent, facecl wil;ii .r3oothbyr s rulirigs tl:.iat certair, Acts ',';ere inva.Ìici, set up Corrrni-tiees 9f

Itnluir¡' into Ìiis three le¿-sorÌs for j-nva]idity; Ultr.a vlrej, repu¿ri¿r.ncy to ihe lnw of'In¿la-nd, failu::'e of Gor,.r:rrror to reseï"ve.4.cì;s foi- royal assetri br:t.ijooth-o¿z refused tç; s,--pf¿i1hj-s actions. Thus ti:e critic:a_1 tone cf thr ríliiorts of tì:e ConurritteetrJ und't;ì.ie ei.Lsu-ing ad.dress to inglanC for a.i¡lotion, The inrpcrial, ßovernnient leplierd..';ith a caution tlrat a Oolonial Judge ris not on1-y at liberty but j-s bcunclr to question the valictity of col-or:ia.1 la.rv¡ 2j3

a:'r

Tire resultant confusion and- uncertainty was not resc¡lv.ed until. the

passage of the Oolonial Lav¡s Va.fidity J.ct in 1865, vrhich provid.ed. th,at a col-oiúal 1av¡ should be reÍ:ugnant 'ot unless it was contrar;,r tc e_n nn¿Jisr, 1a"w exterdii-:.g to t;he colorqr. j}_ii, thj-s imperial .Á.ct had" no effect on ir-istj-ce Booihby cf the SouiÌr Aiir:ti-':L.l.ian Su1;reme Court. Ásl5ryan prrt it,

he r'¡¿ts cærba.tj.r¡: a:rcL e.g;:c;:sive to a iúgi.i Ce¿r<,:e, la-ckirç in tact, ar,iì- poisessecl oÍ an e;:tra-or,J.i_rrlir¡r stl,bhc¡rnness aitcl intriinsj-ge¡rce tha.t leci l;im to ,cersist ir-: rrroiig opirri-ons lorrrg aí{er the.y kraci Ì¡ecome untenabfe.4 rreridcr IIe co¡rtin:ted to hin:se-"I-f obno:rious tr¡ Parlienent, the iiress end the 6 ¡-ru'bli-cr ,' arL,. a ¡;econcl *Ìd.clr,r:¡;s ic ¡ic G;ueen in 1867 ,-¡a.s courileci in str,:r1g< te1],is rlrci, nore irr:1;orta-ntly_. ci-i¡i:or'cec-L by u.ru1ssaileþle evidelce.

He per':.i-st;:.t]¡ rc,í'Llse:i to ¡:.1-ri;úster, laws dul;r enactecÌ ... Cec-l-iires tc¡ gi.,rc e"ÍÍ'eci to the ïnperii,r_l rr,¡a-l-ici¡.tj-n:.t IrLc"'Tlì as tkre .Jrct't; is accir.ctcl:rcr1",rát*." tc iinp¡i¡;n .¡eli-Cì-t¡r the r-.f tt:e l-oç,1_'ì_ Cc¡u:,t of A1-rirea,1 s: ref;;ses t'., c'-ri'Lform his juclgcrirei:.i;rr t¿ ';i;e cecisioirs of ,cj-..e su;rrrei,:e Corrrt: c-:bstruc'l;; the colrls:e of justice by ;rcrwcrsit;rr ."" aT) hrs de:l-ivr:r.sc' ;.,tc1¿,;a-ients rrot in acci-ri.¡la.¡ice -;;ith -r -,., b r^'¡,i:.::. t:--e rn:perjal llcr,-e::i.jÌji..j1:rù .li:cj.:---reiJ nclt to act, alc., it i;,rs leÍ,u ic, Solth .liustraLj-a lil iilLt i+;s 1e3ai Ìrolise in crd_er ?,.!-:<). ¿¿¡,7.,¡ iìoothb.i.r s a¡ioiic

Ii tooh ¿r decade, i;l;eii, tc fl:.i--ç,r.1-J¡ resc-ì-vc il:e c_,uestion of cl;loirial_ eiiic;rr:'n¡,r. a cluestion-u',,Ìrj.ch ra-s :Lt ';.le fc.r=ef-ront of the delr,¿ir:cìs of the decade ta l-8j5, :r,rrcl t1iiclr h¡d--b^:cir .¡i,o¿r_å.iht tc, be sr:1y6i. ìry tire Cor,u,uitllti.c ïll-;.s colcnial autcr).cü])r -¡,;'¿,s i.;ot cr.l;-;rlete, fo.r ti:e ¡;cr,.re:.s of the i,c-r1íariient tc eile¡Ld- 'L;Ìre original ccnsti'ci-itio¡r wa.s subjeci to iile" provisc i;ha.t a_i-.,,v .u¡a.s sucl:. bil_l to be reserved fc¡::, ,;ìte l.oya_l asserl.t. 231

But r :,','rin tbis legis.lative auior¡orrÐr -biere was the vexed question of which of' the tnro houses wculcL be paramourrt. As Cirapter IjT ;hovcd, the

first Ei1l brought into the Legislatíve Cou¡rcil was the catalyst for a aonstitutior¡al crisis which occupied. a tns.jor part of the debatir¡g tine of

the first session. the purpose of this chapter is to outlí¡e hw ard. wtgr this cor:stitt¡tional iss¡.re reroained. contentious througþout the colonial

period., a¡rd. to a::alyse the role of the Legislative touncil in the workings of bi-casreral represent¿¿bíve Goverr:ment i¡r South Àustraría.

Before foer.:s,.1* on the South Austral:.an situation a.- -s necessa.rl¡ to note the baclcgro:rd. to the ir¡au..:rati-on o." bica:neralim in the AustralÍa¡ -.Jisons oolonies, a-nd. to make some cc, be't-.r: =en the various systems whicl¡ were introduced,. The relatior¡s of the houses rlas a vexed question in b/ eaotr of the six colorries, a-ncl ilespíte unique features in the constitulonal stmctr¡res of eactr, the overrj-èi4g causes of the constitutior¡a-l cor¡fIict were si.nilå.r irr each case. English parlia.mentary trad.ition was based b/ on a bica¡oeral st¡rrcture, one of the axioms of raicl-Victoria¡¡ constítuio'¡aa 13aþ5"otd tàtoq3!' €¿co¡d C|*w,;locrs ) theory was ancl the Bi itish Colonia]' Office pressed. the necessity for bicaneralism. ¿ ù was to be e:çectecl, then,

that the Australia¡r colon-ies wot¡ld. accept a¡rd j¡rcorporate thie principle. Despite the c1a5m by the ådvertiser in 1860 that

there ca¡ be no cloubt that iJ South iiustralia had been left entirely free anl unshaclclecl i¡1 1¡anring a::,1 actoptir¡g a Constitution, the clecisiori of the people wor¡lcl have been for a responsibre governnent^j¡r corraectiæ, rith one elesteil House of Representati-ves, ö the ciefeat of Governor MacDonnel.lt s pro¡osal f on rrnicameral system epitúnú.zed. the ove¡whef-Birtg najority viem in the Australian colonies. And. there was wi¿le agreenent on the I ¡rpose a¡d. role of the upper chamber. îhe ,3s for¡¡¡:lers feared a lpure a¡rd. uncbecked.t denocracry, a¡al the wicle franchise gfarrted. j¡r the Assemblies was to be bala¡rcecl by lregisla.tive Counoils rr}rictt were controlled. a¡rtL staffed by those trith a stake in the countty. 1o acccroplish this, the Cor.¡noi1s in aJ-J. the aolonies were plarrnecl to be constitutionally powerfr:l, politioai-ly conse¡¡¡ative ard beyord the oontrol of the people at large. It was pnrdent a¡d lxeoessar1r to safegua¡d. the rigbts of property, and especia$r of n:ral property, against the possible inct¡¡sions of those who had Iittle. The ctiggers, the Chartists, the enbryonic comercial end. in¿Iustrial worldorce anô the rural labo¡rers were econonically essentiaL, ht politioally dorbtf\rl elenents in the new societies, a¡d while d.eniocracy nay have its head. i-n the lcrwer houses, it was to nr¡r the gauntlet of the settled men of property in the upper.

ftris necessa¡5r cheok was planned. to be achieved by two means, by the fomation of the Corr¡rcils frcn a regtricteil electorate a¡d by strong constil¡utional pc'wers. The first was i.nclud.ed in the constitutions of the þolonies, the second. was acÌ:.ieved more by what was omittecl tlran by what vas includ,ecl in the d.oq.ments.

To acoøplish therra:ims, the constitt¡tior¡al planners of New Souúh Wales ard Queensland. opted. for noni¡ree Cor.msils" Merobers seatecl by the Governor, it was assumecl, wor¡J.d. offer a solicl defernsive phalanx. South Australia,

Tasrnarria arrcl Victoria in the 185Or s incorporatecl flr1ly elective Cor.urciJs, a¡d' I[estern Australia follorned. suit in the Inineties. But these fot¡¡ colonies includ.ecl two eLectoral mea¡rs of control over the rad.ical elements, meana which have already been d.issussed. for So¡th Australia: - a fra¡rchise restriotecl to the rigþt sort of people, the prcpertiecl, - a¡r electora-l sJrstg:tr heaviþ weighted. in favor.¡r of n¡ral property. 236

These provisions clealt effectir¡ely rrith the vs¿ers, but a third' d'efen'oe was thcught to be necessarTr - a defence agai.nst the lcmer house itself. The Cor¡nqils were given co-equal constitutj-or¡al pcffiers w'itb the Assernblies, with only one minor lìmitation - money biIls were to originate in the lourer houses. 0n1y in Victori-a rvas there ar¡r specific reference to subsequent

povyers; the Ccn¡ncil was given the power to reject, but not to alter money bi11s. None of the constitutions nacle any provision for settli4g ttis-

agreeurents and. deaôlocks, and. none set out argr nrles of d.issolutior¡.

Bitter stnrggles between the houses were not long in coraing.9 Eactl

color¡y debatecl loud. e¡d. long the vexed questions of the exact status of the

tro houses, and. i-t beca¡ne patently clear ea.rly in the piece that, by acoident or design, there hacl been no adeguate provision for d.eaillocks.

The Asse¡nblies clsi¡ned. rrlti.ate pcmer over leglslation on the gror.urd.s that

they were representative of the people, a¡td. the Councils clenied then thi" !g they were, and. the conflLicts were of the greatest intensit¡r in the four colonies ïfiich had. incorporated. elective Cor:ncils, as tt eþ cor¡ld. and did cl+im that they represented òirectly the willanct the good. of the

soci.et¡r as a who1e. Most bistoriars woulcl agpee w:ith A. B. Keith that

Ithe most perfect instance c,f such friction is unquestionably that shown

by the history of Víctori.t rl0 but, as this chapter will shcrw, So¡.¡th Australia had strong claj-ms to d.epose its sister co1orgr frcn tlris position of pre-erninence.

By 19Ot, at the close of the coloniaJ. era, only South .Australia hacl inoorporated fomal deadlock provisions into the constitutior:aI

relatior¡ships of the two houses. In Victoria, the L,egislative Cor.¡nciL

had. eurerged. fron the eises of the I sixties and. I seventies with its powers 237 an¿ priviJ-eges intact, despite atteupts by the Asseuibly tc incorporate ilead.lock provisions. The las¡r¡arrian Cot¡ncil also sr::¡rived' the oolonia-l- period. with no èimi:¿rtion of its fo¡mal powers. The two nourinee Co:ncils, on the other hgJrd, were soon for¡¡d. to be subject to sranping and- to this extent, were controllable. AIL upper houses retained. a constitutional a¡¡. politioal d.orni-r¡ance, but orrly South Australia had fomalJy aclcoowledged this, j:r a¡r ragreementt in 1857 a¡rd a cor:stitutional amend¡oent in 1881, ard. it is to ttris cornstitutional relationship that we tr¡rn first.

The C Relatíonshi

lo one contemporar¡r obsenrer, the differences between the houses in L857, sparkecl off by the Tonnage Duties Repeal Bi-11, were

hushed. by the good sense of the comrnunity which was not incli¡red to destroy because of temporar¡r friction the ccmponent parts of a cor¡stitution in which both Houses weré electéa Uy the people themselves. 11

In fact, the confliot was rhushedr by the pol:itical impotence'. of mmbers of the House of Àsserrbly, arrd. the tlro houses renained totally opposed. on the prinoiples. The irnportant aspect is that the crisis was hushed., not solvecl. There was stiIl no provision for a solution to d.eaèLooks, arrd ilespite the fact that by 1882 South ¡\ustralia was the orrly colorSr to incorporate fomal deadlock provisions even these, as wilJ. be shcryn below, proposed. no Sgfglg.

There is no d.oubt that the constitution-planners in South Australia, as those in the other colonies, envisaged. the Council as a d.efence against the tnø denocracyr. In electoral tems, as preceding Chapters have shown, this defence rested on the fimìf,sfl franchise and. the rrura1 over- representation. In cor¡stitutional terms this was achieved explicitly by 238 Section 10 of the 1855 Act, whereby tthe Legislative Council shal.l have equat pcrwer with the House of ,frssembly in respect of all- Bi1lsr, ard. implicitly by the failure to set d.own mea¡rs to resolve èisagreemente ard. cleacLlocks. This was recognisect by one merober at least dr.æing the 1855 ilebates. He told the tlryrbridf Cor:ncil that

between the Houses they proposed to establish, frequent co1]-i-sions were i-nevitable. The fi.rnctions of neither House were defined i.n the 8i11. For ar¡ything that appeared. to the contrar¡r the Upper Hotrse was i-nter¡led. to govern the country, arrd- the l¡ovse¡r House was onl¡r interrd.ed to have a noninal eä.stence, 12 a¡rd. this view was soon proved. corresb.

The South ¡iustralian Constitution lrct of 1855 oontaj¡red. no prwision to meet a fi:tr¡re deadlock. the tgoverrmerrtstt reasons in 1855, rtas stated. by Firuaiss, were based. on ttre sin:5J-arity of the franchÍse for both houses in the original 8i11.

The Goverrment, looking upon the Members of the Legislative Cou¡rcj.l as reasonable beÍ:rgs who wot¡ld exercise ord-irury forbearance in their prooeedings, hacl no reason to expect a d.eað1ock. Besides, the 0onstitt¡tion of the Upper House is such that by a frequent infusion of nem bloocl its members will irrvariably be assinilated. in opinion with thå.t of the public. 13

There was no fr,rther debate, d.espite the cher¡ges in the fbanchise prorr5-sions, for, as shcmn above, most members were more concerneil with the franchise question a¡rd. with the questions of norrineeisn, property rights an1 apportiorunent. Thus the original dead.lock arose out of vague arrd. ind.efinite provisions. The two houses, ì3? Ihe Legislative Cor:¡rciJ. and House of Âsee'mbly, sha-lI have a-nd exercise alf the Powere a¡rd. fr:nctions of the existir¡g Legislative Councili hovidecl that "11 bi1ls for appropriating ary part of the revenue of the saicl Þovince, or for imposir¡g, alterir¡g or repealing any rate, tarc, duty, or i-rrpost, shal-I oniginate in the House of .A.ssernbþ. 1+

Urrd.er these te¡rns, there is no d.oubt that the Cor:ncil had. fì:l1 l-egal ald- constitutiona-l authority to a.ner¡d the Torrr:age Duties A¡rendment 8i11. The

Assemb\r was forced. to argue f on its rights on grourrds other tha¡r the Constitution, on ana-1ory, a¡rd. this was consi-clered. by most contemporar¡r obsosrers, as

untenable ,., The Hor¡se of f..,ords ... [h"d t"rt"r] ad¡nitted. the claj¡ns of the Con¡nor¡s exoept as to the origir:ation of money bi1-1-s. Moreorrer, the assr:mect right of the Corooons was grcrr.rnd.ed. on their representative character, and in South Australía both Houses evere elected. 1'

Ho'rever, to lodd.,

A claj-m on the part of a coJ-onial upper chamber to the possession of equal rights with the .Àssenbly to anend. a money bill- wor¡J.d. be ínoonsistent with the ancient a¡d. u¡rd.eniable control which is exercised. by the Ir¡rerial House of Cor¡mons over all financiq.'l measures. 15

But E. C. NcmeIL ðisagreed.. He d.eniecl argr inconsistency existed.

as the pri-vileges of the Houses in Eng1a:rd are ty prescription, while those in the Colonies are by statute. Both houses in the colonies are, in fact, houses of ccrrnons, only that.the one is not ernpmered to originate money votes " 1 (

In fact, as mernbers of the Assembly were guick to point out, the restrictive francl:.ise for the Council weakened such arguments but, eqtnJJ¡r, the acceptalce of the 181/ corprmise was arr adnission that arguments based on tprinclplesr arrcl a¡lalory corrld. not refr:te the constitution¿l statement.

At no tiJne did. argr Assenrbly spokesman c1afun that the acti-ons of the Counci1 2/.o were uncons¡titt¡tional or iì-lege-l.

By the close of the first session, trrever, the arguments centreð on the subqrissions of the .Àssembþ were of acad.eûi.o interest onJ¡r. The members of the lcrwer house hacl been forced. to accept the cmpronise wh;ich left the Cor¡nail with what was essentially a fi¡ral pcmer of veto.

As ôiscussed. above, this was in agreeurent with flhig theory, aJd' w'ith conternporary practice i:r Engla¡d. Certain1y it mirrored the attitud.e of Earl Grey who, as Colorrial Secreta:ry, had. played. a major role Ín the first debates on the colonial constitutions. Defendíng the House of

Lrord.s, he wrote

It has been able to exercise a ver1¡ substantia-l poner, and. to serr¡e as a real check upon the popular bra¡lch of the L,egislatt:re, when it has been d.ísposed to act rrith u¡rrise precipitation, 18 arrl the South ¡ì,ustralian ccnselvatives in the Cor-¡¡rcil saw thei-r role in

¿ simiJ¿¡' light, To G.eorge Ha]-l, for example,

When he_d.ecid.ecl upoE beconing a cand.iilate for a seat Ín ... [trr. Cor¡ncif] instea¿l. of takir:g his c]:ange with a 1oce1 constÍtuency, he tlicl not consid.er that he was to l.ose the power of asserting the rights of his constituents. He consid.ered that he wou1d. have flrlJ- power to legisJ-ate with the me¡nbers of the other House-. 19

B. 1. Firuriss, then Pre-ier, resj-stecL this strorigly, for it twould. have left peltanent power with the Upper Houset.ð The reply from the Council was far frcsr co¡:ciliator¡r. the Finniss ministr1r Ìyas ri:reptt, the tmal,agernent of the legislative business of the colony, with tro Houses of Parlia¡nent, seenetl to be beyord. the grasp of their nãrror capacítyf . 21

But Finrriss understood. the position onJ-y too we'ì'l . Wl:en there .was no reco¡irse remaining br¡t to accept the compronisg.fe told. the Assenbly, 2v/ I d.eqy to the Upper House that they are virbr:al.\r representatj-ves of the pecple. I iler¡y that that House d.oes represent the people. (Hear, Hear.) In the first place they are elected. by a li'nitecL constituency - they represent onJ.y a class - they represent a monied. class - the moni-ecl class of South Australia - a speci.a-l. interest - (Hear, Hear frcrn aIL sídes of the House) - a¡rd in that respect, Sjr, they are not autalagous to the House of Cc¡rmons, a-nd. they are a¡al-ogous to the Hsuse of f¡ord.s. I der¡y their right to represent ttre people, anl for this very good reason; they ?re 4at ôireøtly responsible to the people (crreås) , 22

The Tonnage Duties Bill was laid asíd.e. The conflict vras u¡resoh¡ed. Bhe bicaneral systern of responsi-b1e government was to work und.er the comprcmi se a¡rangement for a quarter of a centr:r¡r, rith the Assembly under the political d.curìr¡ation of the C,runsil. There was no means of resolvir:g d.eacllocks, æd a rejeotion by the CorrncÍI of argr BilJ' constitutect a fina-l veto.

l\ro attempts were nad.e to nodS-fy the electoaral system for the Co¡noil so that Finníssr 1855 ideal coulil be tested, so that the Cor¡ncil cor.rld be mad.e I more anenable to publíc opÍ-nionl and thus d.eaÈLl-ocks averteci a¡¡1 èiscotraged, rather tha¡r solved.. In 1865 a BiJ-l was introduced. to foru seven Council electoral divisions¡ and provid.e for the retireuent of a quartet of the members of, that House at every Assernbly dissolution. This failed to win a consti-tr¡tional najorÍty and. lapseä. A simila¡: proposal in 1878 passed the Âssembly but was rejected by the Cor:nqil.

The more important efforts at refo:¡n prion to 1881 were centred. oa the provision of fo¡ma1 machinery to resolve deadlocks, with the most strongì,y-fought but unsuccessful atterrpt in 1879. ¿i, Bill to authorize the d.issolution of the Cor:ncil at the follomrlng Asserobly eleotion after a second rejection of a measure by the Cor¡¡rcil, passed. the .â,ssenbly with t4 strong support.-- But opposition in the Cor¡ncíI was r:nequivocal. Joscak 2*>..

Fisher saw I no need f or refcmr ar¡1 threatened. to resi gL if the BiIL was pa"="d.r4R" C. Baker was convincecl that the Council had. alvays correctþ interpretecl the views of the public, and called. for a strengtheniag rather tha¡¡ rttris weakeningr of the pctners of the Council. Thcrnas Hogarth

regard.eËI the bill as perfectly useless a¡rd. vrrong in principle. He was sure that arry nenber who dicL not feel that he represented. the views of Ìuts constituents would. glaety resi-gn ... the Constitution wcrked verTr ^- well ard. they neecl not in the least fea¡ a deaillock. z) lLs a consequence, the Bill was withdrawn, as, in the view of the chief

Secretar¡r, there was no hope of it passing. Later in the same session,

A]-exa¡cLer l{aJr introcluced. a private memberr s Bi]-l into the Council which fannecl the fla¡res again" He proposed. that in the case of a second. rejection of a governrnent proposal, the nrinistry should. have the power to nonrinate new Council members up to a third. of its existir¡g rumber. But, to the consqs¡atives, the evid.ence of the results of t sira.u¡rirrgr in New South F''fales was sufficient to ensure the d.efeat of the proposal. The Bill was I a retrograde stept , a crtrd.e schene which shoulcl be I ignorriniously thrcmn otrtl, and a degrad.ation to the Cor¡ncil.26 Phi-líp Sarrto, in fact, rejected. ar¡y right of argr goverrnment to modj-fy the pcnrers a¡xl priwileges and election of the Counci.I, as these were d.efinetl i:r the Constitution. Hence argr attempt to modify theur was, by definition, tlawle"u,.27 But chief

SecretarXr a¡rd. hemier Morgan ciefendeil the 8i11, He was tfinnly opposed. to nor¡-ineej-smr but he was even more opposed. to the cor:ncil- as it was constituted', for it rwas more utterþ irresponsible than argr responsible Hcuse in argr other part of the won1dr.28 Th,is vienv recej.ved. littl-e s¡mpatily frø his oolJ-eagues, ancl the Bill was defeated. 1o-j.29 e.*3 lbo years Iater, the CounciJ- agreecl to refo:¡:n itself, a¡lô as the

constitutional a¡nendnents which emerged frcm the debates were unique to the Àustralia¡r colonies, and have governeil the relations of the two houses to the present da¡r, the process lead.íng to the refonns merit a fuJ-l ar:alysis.

The Bill- was introduced. j-nto the Cor.¡nci1 by Çonmi ssiener of Þ:b1ic Works, J. G. Rarnsay, with the optimistic ccrrment that the proposal rwotrld.

work wel1, a¡rd. would. d.o away with d.eadlocks without appeal to the cor:ntryr.æ

In emphasising this, Ramsay rvas expressing a¡r essentially Br.¡rkea¡r concept of the representative as a tnrstee, a concept to which we wiIL retltrn in Part III of this stucl¡r. But his proposal misj-nterpreteiL the ovenvhelmi¡g

najoríty vlem ín the Cor:nsi1. .ås the d.ebates were to show, whi1e the msnbers of the Councj.L recognised. that reforms could be ilelayed. no longer

following oonstitarency pressures, a series of d.efeated. BiILs and. a strong carnpaÍgn by the press, ar¡¡r refo:ms hacl to guararrtee what were considered. to be essential principles. ft was clear that argr suggestion that the Cor¡noil

shorld. be strbord.inate to the Assembly, or arС proposal that nenbers shoÈld. be

clirectly ancl iruned.iateþ responsible to the electorate was simply not acceptable. The concepts c.l representative goverrunent which lay at the base of the bica¡oeral system incorporatecl in the 1855 constitution, and. which were elq)resseil as reasrrns for the 1857 cønpromi se were eql¡a.lly strongþ held. in 1881 . The House of .A.ssembly was seen as the house of initiative,

the house where the various j.nterests of the colorgr cor¡J-d. express thej¡ d.øranils, a¡d. the house which wor¡ld. direct\r represent the people. rhe Legislative Cou:rcil was seen as a house of revieç, of order, of stability, where the legislation initiated by a:nil frcm the people coulil be 'itested. against the rgoodr of the color¡y as a whole. å.nd. on this tenet, the Goverrmentr s proposal was sor:nd.ly d.efeated. 2v'l The Bill had. two seotions, one to en1arge the oenbershìF of ttre Cou¡rcil to twenty for:r ard to d.ivide the single Pror¡:lnce systsn into eJ.ectoral d.ivisior¡s, the other to provid.e a neans of overcoming deaùLocks. the first point has been discussecl above, a¡:d was relatively quiclcly d.ea1t with by the

Council, but the secord proposal was more ccrrtroversial .

the govern¡nentrs proposal, which Rarrsay referred. to as the tNonwegiarr p1ant, provided. that

if a BiIL had. tçvice passecl the hssernbly, ald. twice been rejected. by the Cor.mcS-l, the Governor mlght call parlia- ment together to sit as one chanber. then the Bill wouId. beccme 1aw if passed with a roajority of lwo-thirrls of the whole n¡utber of members of parlia.ment. 51

Ra.msqy was careful to poÍnt out that while I it m41r be thought that that was u¡favourable to the Corlncilr, it was onJ-y right that aay measure which had. tw'ice had. the support of the Asserrbly and. could. carry a majority of two ttrird.s of all me.mbers should- be ca.ried. into Iaw. But a rn¡¡nber of menbers hacl caríed. out their cnnr aritluetic ealculations and. they agreed with Baker that the proposal was

cnrd.e ard ill-d.igestecl .., They had. heard. a great d.eaI about making the Cou¡rcil a¡ne¡:able to public opirrion ... but this Bill sJmpþ tendecl to make the Cor¡nciJ- amenable to the House of Assenbly. (Hear, Hear.) The Cor¡¡:.oi1 would. siu¡ply be-placed neck a¡rd. foot under the heels of, the AssenËly. 32

With twent¡r for:r mernbers proposed for the er¡larged Cor.urcil a¡rcl fifty ùro i¡r the Assenb1y, the two-third.s majority couLd be obtained. frqn the Assemb\r me¡nbers alone. The clause ïras clearly unacceptable, and the way was open for the ind.ividual mernbers to propose thej¡ own method.s. Scme, of coruse, did. not consider any change necessar3r. A. B. Mu:ray rhad never feared. that d.eadlocks would. arisel , arrd. was certain that vrhen the Co:nci1 thad. stood out, it hacl generally been proved. that it was in the n-g*r .33 Pearce agreed, 2v{ f No serious deaùIocks had arisen' ,3\ and John Dunn had ocme to the conclusion I that there was litt1e need. of reform in the Cor¡ncil at aIlt , especia]J¡r a

ref o¡m wh:ioh mea¡rt thåt I it coul-d. be tol-d by corrnting noses bef orehancL how

the thing would. go' .35 The governmentt s proposal TÍas one I not to refo:m the Cor:ncil but to abolish al'l its power t' ,36 and for the I goverrment to bring ín this nistake, th-is excrescence, th-is absurd.ity, this abortíon... was preposterous. It woulil be entirely un-English' .57 There were voioes

in support, suc?r as that of Sa¡rd.over:

It was too rmrch to expect that the representatives of property would be altogether free from persoluLl bias ... the porrer of property had. not always been exercised. for the public weal ... It was high time to consid.er whether the Cor.lncil should. not give wa.y in deference to the representatives of the people in another place. 58

But these vie,ws were cond.e¡¡ned. as heresy.

Morgart, whose ornr proposals had. been defeated. two years earlier, moved

to incorporate a d.issolution clause. If a BilJ- had- passed. the Assendbly in two separate sessions and had. been rejected. by the Co¡ncil on both occasions,

theri at the next general elections for the Assernbly, a fulJ. d.otrble

d.issolution shot¡ld. o.*.39 This was attacked. on a nr¡nber of grounds. To

Pearce, t it worrld put the Legislative Cor:ncil into the hands of argr rninistrytrþ to Spene,e it wotrl-d. tnot provid.e a finalityr whictr joint sitting would accomplish. lÎhe effeot of a dissolutíon nright be that the men

opposed. to the measure would. again be retu¡ned, arrd the resrrlt wotrld be that

the deaòlock rou].d. conti:m.re', h1 J\nd Bakelwas opposett to both proposals

on Burkea¡r ground.s, as

they were beíng asked to thrc¡w to the winds the e4perience of cenû:ries, arrd to errbark on an u¡larorrrr sea without n¡d.d.er or coûtpass, and. rithout io:owi-ng where they were going ...-thejr ougtrt not to try e¡æerinents.P e*[ Fr¡rther proposals ad.d.ed. fuel to the argtments. Pearce sugeested a deacllock shotild. be rresolvedt by the appoinünent of ë-gf{ågÐ mernbers, augnentS-:eg the Cor¡¡rci1, who woulcl retajn their seats for the no:mal period., and that no electiorrs be held. u¡rti1 the n¡mbers in the Cor¡nci1 hait dropped belcm

twent¡r fo,o.45 Dr:nn rejected. eù] proposals as they

would be worse tha¡r the charge of the tígbt Brigaile at Balalclava. They wot¡J-d. have ¡ainisters to the right of thør, me,mbers to the J-eft of thern, me,mbers aJ-l around. thern anil they would. come back butchered. as far as their i-nterests'were concerned. 44

Scott then proposetl. that in a d.eadloak sitr.¡atíon, the joint sitting shoulct

be replaced. w'ith the election of two more mmbe'rs of the Ccu¡rcíI for eaclr d.istrict, fo1.lcming the faih.rre of a general election for the House of Asseurb\r to resolve the questionr45 Baker for:nd. sonething of value in "* this. Beoause of the lapse of ti¡re invol.ved. in the proposed provisions

I there wor:ld. never be a dissolutiont , a¡rd. it was ttris answering to the people that he opposedl *o"t.6

the final sohene was a.n amalgam of the various proposals a¡rd. was considerecL to be I sufficient to d.eal w-ith d.eacllocks for the next ha]f- centuryr.¿+7 fn fact, the 1881 schene has remained in force fon ninety yeafs a:rd. has never been carriecl. througþ. The reasons for the accepta¡ce by the Cor-mci1, ancl fon it riever being useil are cl-ear fbcn the provisi-ons

of, the rMorgarr-cr,æBa}cer bantling'.æ The scheme guaranteed. that the Counoil would. not be subject to the q\¡srvþelming nunrbers in the Asserrbly, that argr govosment on Assembly wor-rJ.cl be inhibited. from carr¡ring it through due to its corplexity a¡rd the time necessarlr, that the Council arrd. not the people should be the final arbj-ters on a4)r d.eaôLock, in effect, that the

I ccropromiser of 1857 shorrld. be retained and fo:malised.. Above all, it 2+7

rejected. argr concept of a referendr:n arc. left the fir¡a]- veto in the hand.s of the Counqll.

Tùhenever (") utry bill has been passed by the House of Assembly d.r:rirg argr session of parliarnent; and (U) tfre same bi1-l or a sirnilar bilJ- with sub- starrtially the same objects a-nc1 hauing the same title has been passed. by the House of Assembly d.r:ring the next ensuing parliarnent; arld (") genera-l election cf the Horse of Asserrbly has" taken place between the two parlianents; and (a) the secord arrd third. reaòLngs of the bill vrere passed. in the second insta¡rce by a¡r absolute rnajority of the whole nr¡nber of merobers of the Hotrse of Asserrbly; and (e) both such bills have been re¡eciéa by the Legislative Cor¡ncil or failed. to become law in consequence of any anrendments mad.e therein by the Legislative Cor:ncjJ.; it shal1 be larvful for, but not oblígator¡r upon the Governor - (l) to d.issolve the irgi-"t"tive Coùncif House of, Assembly and. thereupon a1l nembers of"¡¿ both Houses of Parliament shall_ vacate their seats, and. members shalL be erectecl to supply the vaca¡cies so created.; or(i:-) to issue 'writs for the èlection of onê or mone tha¡r two nm ¡nerobers for each d.i_strict of 'otthe Legislati-ve CsunciJ-: Þovided always that no vacancy, whether by d.eath, resignation or argr other cause, shall be fillecl up wtrile the total r¡¡mber of msnbers sha1I be 2l+ or moreo rl't first, the Assembly refused. to accept this proposal r:nLess the cLause requiring a¡r interven5:rg Assembly election was renoved. But, faced. with the tota-l withdrawal of the 8i11, ít aocepted. the d.ead.lock prorrisions ras a tuselessr te.nporar¡r t""*u'L9 for, although they were consj-dered. r5O it oru." the only way to se@lre the end. of the singlelxo'r¡:ince electora1 system ard. the substitt¡tion of for:r divisíor¡s, a char¡ge which the ¿lssembly had. r:rged. for some ti¡ne.

this Bill did. not ctrange the existing situation whereby the Cor:nci1 retained. a veto ponrer, it merely fo:mal.ised the 1857 cffrprc&ise. Despite the majority vierw in the Âsserrbly, that I constituents a¡¡d. not the CounciJ- 2+l should. settle d.eaòLockst r5l Cr:rr"iJ- nembers stood. fj-¡rr on Whig 1lrincípIes. They acceptecl that they should be amenable to publíc opirrion, but they were d.etermine¿t that at no time should. this public opinion be bind.ing on then and, above aIl, as Mongan put it,

everTr honor:¡able menber wouId. see that the electors were his masters and had a right to say whether they approved. of his conduct on not ... but he did. not say that he would be a¡nenable to the Pr¡blic Q>inion of the House of Assenbly. 52 lhe constitutional anendment ensured that this wouLd. not occur. Before the d.ecision of the Cor¡noiJ- to reject a Bill cqrld. be tested, the Assembþ members were forced. to face a general eJ-ection, arrd pass the Bill again, with an absolute majority. ff it was again rejected., the ministry hact three choices. It could. aba¡rdon the BiIL. 0r it could. request the Governor to instigate one of the two Council- election prooed.ures, either a d.ouble dissolution, or the election of a ft¡rther forr or eight Cou¡rcillors. Given the restrictions on the franchise, the extent of the rr¡ral over-representation foll-ouring ttre creation of eLectoral ôivisions ancl the conti¡uation of, past votíng patterns, neither of these prooedr:res would. be likely to brir¡g significant cha.nges i¡l the d.onrina¡t attitucte in the Upper House. Consequentþ, a thi-rd rejection of the Bill would be like1y. And here the ¡rocess ended.. There was no fl¡rther action available to the Âssenrbly. It is not sr:rprisirig that the proposal was considered. useless, a¡td. not surprising that the prowisions were never initiatecl in the colonial period, a¡è have never been ca¡ried. throqgh,

kior to this constitutional amerrdment, the nomalJ.y conserwative Register had caI1ed. for å*7 the refo¡¡r of the Upper House [whicfr] has been elevated. into a burning questi-on as muctr by the consciousness that shr:ulcl a severe stnrggle take place between the two chambers there is no way of practicalþ rnorning its members j-n the direction of concession or compronrise as by the results cf past experience. More than once the Council has doggedly set itself in the way of legislation ap¡roved. by the Assembþ; more than once it has thrcnrn oul-tæcation bills which had nothing extravagant or exceptional in thei¡ character, although end.onsed. by J-arge najorities in the more popular chamber" )J

Follouring the 1882 Àct, Walker noted. ra compa.rative absence of ðisputesl which was nainly due to rthe d.emocratisation of the Cou¡rcil, which brougþt it into close touch with the feeling of the assøTblyr.5l+ But, not only were clisputes betlreen the Hotrses constant and bitter, both before a.red after the refozu, but there was litt1e evid.ence of a rsi'nifarify of feelirrgr between the council and the Assembly. Such comnents as that by Gord.on, that f &isputes between the Houses are ur¡lmcwnt are patently i-ncorru"t.55 To establish this, we w-ill look first at the general influence of the Upper

House on the Iegíslation i¡r the color5r, and. then exa¡uine scnne case studies of conflict in more deta:il.

.ê,n Obstructj-ve LeFislative Cor¡nsi].?

The Cor:¡rci1 was conceived., a¡d. continually defend.eil as a mea¡s of I checking hasty a¡ril iIl-conceived. legislationt by 'an intelligent al1 ind'ependent votet, and. especialJy as means of defeating ar¡y proposals whích twor¡ld enabl-e a uinistr¡r ... to cornplete1y over-ricle at wilL the vi.ews of the representatives of propertyt.56 And it gave notice, in the first session, of its intention to carry out these fi:nction^s. of the forby publíc bíIls introduaed. into the Asser¡btyr57 trenty five passeil all stages and were sent to the cor.r¡rojL. The deadlock crisj_s, a¡d the rapiil ministeria-l cha:rges limited. the time for d.ebate on public business, arrd. it ís ¿s noteleorthy that as marJr ï¡ere passed.. of these twent¡r five only one, a

simple a¡rd basically rmachineryr T'Iate¡works Bill was passed. without amer¡dnent by the Legislative Cor:nciL. Four, includ.i-ng the Îo¡rnage Duties BiIL,

lapsecl; two concerned. with public works arrd e4pend.iture on R^ailways ïrere d.efeated outright ard the remaining eighteen were heavi1-y anended. In the sessions 'which follcnred, this pattern was continued., and accr¿sations of

I obstrrrctivenessr against the Cor.¡ncil became more and. more striclent. ¿¡fter

almost a decad.e of bicameral goverrunent, the Register found. it necessarXr to reraind. its readers that the constitution indicated.

pJ.ainly enough that the Cor:ncil was rrever intended to be a mere cha¡nber of reoord. to the Jrsserrbly ... ft is id.le, then, to say that the Cor:¡rcil must always work with the Assembly ... the charge of obstructiveness is not proved., and tlnat, so far from it being u¡rconstitu- tional for the Cot¡ncil to reject measures, there is a¡r absolute necessity for such rejection when the members believe these measures to be injurious or ineq>eòient, 58

This was a correct interpretf{ot of the constitution a¡rd of the ai¡rs of the rfounrling fathersr, but it ignorect what the critics consid.ered. the d.efeøt, tthat in the event of their beÍng pertir:aciously obstructivê ... there was no means of bringing public opinion to beart.59

There is little dc,ubt that the South Australian legislative Cor¡nciL was well in the vanguard. of the colonial second. cha:nbers, charaaterized. by rhave Rowe to persenreririgly and. persistently thrc¡crn out, blockeil on mutilatecl the most important measì¡res passed. by the Ircnrer Houses, .6O By 188j Stc¡w, for one, fould that the accusati-on of obstruction was proved. rþ the sirrple faot that ... it had. throrn outn in dj-fferent yea-rs, every measure subnitted. to it for taxing property'.61 Designed. as a conseryative bodI, the South Australi-a¡1. Council certair:ly ca:=.ieil cut its rerriewir:g a¡d. retarttlng fr:nctíon, and. orrly rarely, a¡rd. then after first rejecting them, 2îl did. the Cor:¡rcil pass measures w.}ri-ch could be classecL as progre.ssive or d.emocratic. The criticism that they rwere careful to protect property arrd ... held. their citatLel to the last extrenity against taxatj-on of, 6' propertyt *^", to the majority of Cor:nciJ-J-ors, not a criticism but evid.ence of a job well d.one, for, w"ith

the ter¡lency-to a¡bitrariness ar:d. class legislation in Victoria Lit wasj ... u¡d.esirable that the snall anount of Conse:¡rative ir¡fluence in the Council should be entirely d.estroyed.. 6leæsrat:-ve

To what extent was the Legislative Cor:ncil obstructive, arrd. to what extent was this of a conserrrative, selective natr:re? 0f 21080 Bi1ls introduceil into the South .ê'ustralian coJ-onial Parliaments, less than three fifths passed al]- stages a¡rd becane 1aw. 0f the 874 Bi11s which did not becøte 1aw, over one ttÉrd. failecl to pass the Legislative CounciJ-, almost one quarterwere fo:rna1ly defeated, and the Council mad.e use of j-ts pgvrers in each of the sixteen parliaments to 1901.

Table 6:1. Sr:nmary of passage of Pub1ic BíIls, I857-I9O1. A. OJreral1 Sumlarl¡ Nr:mber Percentage of Total publ-ic Bi1ls

Passed all stages 1206 58.0 lost 559 25.9 J.apsed 275 13.2 rithdrawn 55 2.6 otherw'j.se not passed. 5 o.,

Total 20æ 1 00 B. Sumarar, by House of Origj¡r #Assenblv Orisin Council Orisiå Percentase of ïtfumber sfrÏ9f81*"1î*Þr= total-Bills

Passed JÐ29 59.8 1 77 l+9.3 Irost in Assembly 291+ 17.1 30 8.4 Lapseil in Assanbly 179 1O.J+ 7.o n Withdralrn ín 31 1.8 ? lota1 504 29.3 55 15.1+ Lost in Cor:¡rcil 1 51+ 8.9 61 17.O Iapsed in Council 23 1,3 rÉ 13,¿+ Withd¡awn in Cor:¡rciL 10 o.6 1l+ lotal 1 87 10.8 1 lotal not passed. 6 14O.2 e7 1 ft ú3 2lv C. Sunroar:¡ of BíI].s not Passed. lftrmber Percentage cf, Percentage of total a-11 Bil-Ls Bi11s not passed

Lost in Asserobþ 321+ 15.6 37.1 Lapsed in Assembly 20l+ 9'8 23.3 Tfithdravrn in Assembþ 51 1.5 5.5 Tota]-s 559 26.9 63'l+ lost in Corr¡rcil 215 10.3 21+'6 Lapsed. in Cor:ncúl- 71 3.1+ 9.1 lTithdrawn in Cor¡nci1 2l+ 1.2 2.7 Totals 310 14.9 55.1+

TatJe 622 Sr:mar1y -of passage of publi-c bills, by Parliaments. Bil-]-s fo¡marded to Legisl-ative Total bills Cct¡ncjl_ pe]¡- introduced. Bil1s passed lúmber centage Elec- Parlia- into House a-11 stages not not percent tion ment .S,-Asserobfg in Àssernbly Iürnber r¡assed. nassed. lost No. Percen- *tase (") (¡) (") (a) (.) (r) (e) ],857 1 92 71 77.2 71 11 15.5 12.7 1860 2 85 63 7l+.1 63 7 11.1 11.1 l.862 3 79 51 6l+.6 51 5 9.8 7.8 ]'865 )+ 125 97 77.6 62 7 11.3 9.7 1868 5 57 ¿+1 71.9 )+1 10 2l+.1+ 22.O 1B7o 6 57 Ào 70.2 ¿o 14 35.o 7.5 ffi7r 7 131+ 92 69.7 92 14 15.? 10.9 L875 8 122 88 ß.1 88 9 10.2 6.9 1878 9 1t/+ 114 79.2 111+ 16 14,0 15.2 1881 10 1l+5 115 79.3 115 1l+ 12.2 7.8 1884 11 118 88 7h-6 8B 11 12.5 11.[ 1887 12 125 92 73,6 92 n 21.7 19.6 18go 1t 129 86 66.7 86 21 24.1+ 2l+.1+ 1893 11+ 110 71 61+.5 71 9 12.7 '12.7 L896 15 111 66 59.5 66 10 15.2 15.2 r899 16 87 51 58.6 51 13 25.5 15.7

MEAN PERCEITTÂ@S 70.8 16.g 13.O

In most parliarnents, the Assernbly passeil al¡rost three quarters of all Bil1s introduoecl into it, and we will retu¡rr in later chapters to the lcmer rrrineties. acceptarrce rate in the the Cor:noil exercisecl its veto on 1TÁ r.s3 of the BiILs it receivecL frcrn the Assembly, and. d.eaJ-t very severely w-itlt certbain categories of legislation.

TabJ-e 6:J. .Anal.ysis of tirrelve categories of Bi11s, 1857-19O1. BiLLs faileit to pass Council Total Bills Tota] Bi]ls introduced. Pen- introduced. in Cor:nci.]- ceD- Pen- iJ¡ Passed or forward.ed. tage centage Cateqon¡ .!ÉÊ¿ Àssæblv Assenbl¡¡ frcm Assenbly Ift:¡nber total ]-ost Probate 22 19 1)+ 17 5 29.1+ 29.1+ Constituticn Amend¡nent1o626l+66.6 53.3 Counoil Fra¡rchise1O 5 2 7 6 85.7 71"1+ Tfcmenr s Suffrageíl+13266.6 66,6 Electora]- 51 JO 26 57 9 24.3 2.7 Iroa¡,s fof Pr.¡b1íc l[o*s79 79 68 68 9 13.2 g.g Pa¡rment of Merobers 7 6 6 I 5 71.1+ 71.1+ Par].iamen- tarry Sa1- aries55555100 100 Properby lP 31 18 29 7 %.1 13.8 Rrblicwks. 8 I 6 6 I+ 66.6 66.6 la¡cation 23 23 19 19 6 31.6 31.6 worloerr 16 11 9 1l+ I 57.1 29.6 I¡a¡rd.s 1l+5 131 gg 112 13 11.6 7.1 lotals tPL 36A 27/* 31a 83 49.9 w.g

The Council refused to pass al¡ost hal.f of the 33O BilJ-s whioh were in some

waJr connectecl with property, property rigþts, taxation or the powers atd. privileges of the Upper House, and defeated 8U/. of these outright. In fact, such figures r¡r¡derestimate the role of the Council- as they are limited. to Bil1s which were defeated. or forced. to lapse or be withd¡awn. fbo other

mes-ns were available fon the Cor:nci1 to press its d.ema:rd.s; amendments or

I suggestior:sr which carried. the threat of the d.efeat of the measure as

a whole r.mless acoepted., a¡:d. conferences between lHouse Managerst. the

first series of cor¡ferences were helcL over the Tonnage Duties Bill in 1857 t ¿s* and. on1y six were he1d. 5-n the thirty years to 1887. But in the d,ecad.e of the rn:ineties, for reasons which wiIL be analysed. in later chapters, forþ conferences r¡¡ere heId., and in most, the Cor:¡rcil rmanagersr were abJ-e to sesure agreernent on at least some of the substa¡rtive anend-ments proposed.

Despite the viewpoint of one contenporarTr that ra spirit of concilia- tion [has] ... been sufficient to prevent differences reaching an extreme pointt, and. thå.t, in case of a crisís, ¡there ca¡r be no doubt that sooner or later the Legislative Council would. have to give wayr ,64 th"ru was J-ittle evidence of a conciliatory approach among Council members, or of the Cor:ncil being forced. to I give wayr . Especially on issues conce¡ned. witfr prftrerty taxation and the franchise and powers of the Council, members of the South Australian Upper House were obdurate. lo indicate the extent of this, we turn to a more detailed. arralysis of three contentious issues:

(") The Stamp e¡:d Sucoession Duties B1LL, I875t (¡) The Ðroperty Tax 8i11, 188J-4, (.) The Council Fra¡rcürise Bills of the 18!0ts.

All three justify Hansonr s conoern w:ith the actions of members of the Counsil in 1875.

While they ma¡r properly i-nterpose d.elay and. demand. a cal¡n reconsid.eration of the subject by the people a¡rd. their representatives, there should., I thinlc, be scrne 1imit to their pcrwer. It is contrarXr to the spirit of ct¡nstitutional government that the representatÍves of the ninority shor-r1d. have the pswer of preventing at their will- for an ird.efini-te period. the passage of measures whích the people clesire a4d. which their representatives have sanctioned.. 65

The Sta¡np Duties 8i11. 1875

îhe keystone of henrier J. P. Boucautts poricy at the opening of the

1875 Session was his proposal to borrc¡w €J mill-ion for public works a¡rd. to 2ss- mJre prowision for the pa¡rment of interest on these loa¡s by the

imposition of starrp, probate a¡ll succession duties. l\ House of Asseøb\r

Se1ect Cc¡rooittee reported. favor.:rably 166 u^ a Bill was introduced. into the Assernbly on 2\ -Àugust, 1875. îreasr:rer colton emphasiseä that the goverrnent intend.ecl to spreacl the br¡rclen of the new taxation across a1l_ sections of the cormr:nity. They had ensr:red. that the proposal_s would not be oppressive to ar¡¡r particular class, althougþ

the mercha¡rts no d.oubt would have to bear consi-d.erabIe portion a anil the labor-rri4g classes wor.¡ld. not have to pay arr¡r portion scarcely ... he endorse¿r the fact that the rhãuring classes of the c-oIor¡f were pa,ying an r:ndue proportion of the taxes, bgt these dutíes wôurã ue altogeihei rorne uy the mercantile e¡rrJ. traòing conmr:¡ity-qrñ, äso Uy the squatters ald. propertied classes. - 67

lhere r¡as some opposition, especialþ fronr merchants E. T. smÍthr who called' I the Bill obnoxioust to the tracling corønr:rrity, and A. H. La¡rd.seer rtoo who considerecl it great a br:rden on the cørnerci-al comrunityr.6S But

the proposal passed' the secor¡l read.ing without d.ivision, hact a smooth passage

in comnittee a¡rd. received a clea¡ najority, 2]'4, at the third read.Í:eg.69

The majorÍtry of the Legislative Cou¡rciJ- saw the proposal in a very òifferent Iight. The Chief Secretary, in movirrg the secord. reaðing ophasi'sed' the clear support for the Bill fu the Assembly a¡cl pointed to the results of ùhe reoent election as irrlicative of the strong pub1.ic supporf for the nery ta:ratj-on, He therefore consídered the government was justified. in expecting the measuru to p"u".70 His views for:nd. some support. J. crozler, for exampre, d.ecrared. his suppor.t as

' in ¡natters of taxation the counoit could not claim to be the representatives of the people. Another place which was, had passed tfris ñeaËure by a verîr large majority, a¡rd. the d.ecision ought to Le respäctea.71 ¿sz But tlris was clear.Ly a minority opinÍs¡. Most members of the Ccyr:¡,cil 'w'ere, at the Ieast, antagonistic. Storrie attempted. tc¡ d.efeat the Bill im'neòiately by moving a six monthst delay, Everard. was strongÌy opposed. to the tax t on one crassr, wltile to Snglish, the BiL[ was inequÍtable, tand. as they could not alter it, they rmrst thrcm it out,. 72 Hogarth, on the other hard, suggested that the Cor.¡ncil shoul-d support the measure, aIlow it to pass, ar¡d. the people woulit later realíze the value of the

Cou¡rcil by feeling the unjust imposition of the tax; the would d.o evjJ- that good- might "o^' .73

But the defeat of the prcposal was certain. After a¡¡ adverse 9-1+ vote, Ch-ief SecretarSr Morgan was emphatic that while he supported the pri-vileges of the Council and thought it should exercise a rproper ir:fluencet, the mernbers should. not have d.efeatect the Bill in such a way. A better course of actionworrld have been to foll-c¡w the 1857 rcompactl a¡rd. make suggestions to the goverrnoent which, he was sure, wou3.d. bave been ta.i

Ttas it thought that the Cou¡rciJ- cou.l_d be coerced into a coLlrse which their jud.ge,ment told. then to be wro4g? The press .., aight say the Counclil was ignorarrt, obstructive a¡d_ igesponsible, the Cor:nqil was open to reason, but it could. not be bullied. into a course which it di¿t not th-ink right, nor 1ike1y to se:n¡e the interests of the co1or5r. 75

Âlexander ITa¡r echoed. these senti-ments. tHe woul-d. on-ly be a member of the Council as long as he was able to carz¡r out what he consid.ered. was for the welfa¡e of the countryì , 76 The proposal tu¡fairly penaliseilr the propertied. classes, It therefore unfai.rly penalisecl the corun¡nity as a whole ancl the Corrncil, as representative of the coml:nity as a whole, had. no recourse but to thrc¡w it out. 87 In the .A.ssembly, Boucaut e-ùnitted. the constitutional r1ght of the cot¡¡rcil to reject the 8i11, as Finrriss had. been forced. tc in 1857. But, unlike Finniss, Boucaut was detenniræd. to carry the fight fr.rtther.77 wcal'lnlo Parria¡nent !r¡ recessi for five weeks a¡rd. the publid was given every

opportunity to &iscuss the j-ssue. Public meetings rrere almost unanrimous in their support for che Soucaut poricür includi4g both the taxation

measures and. the e4pansioni-st poJ-icy basecl on them. on November 1o

Parlianent reassembled. a¡rd. the Bill was reintroduced in a sligþtly mod.i:fied.

foIfû. ït facecl a nrinimr:m of opposition for, as one me¡nber put it, the BiIt had clearly received. the approval and support of the electonates.TS

The new Bill rapidly passed all stages in tlæ Assembly, the second. and. third. reaðings wíthc'ut a d.ivision, arrd. eight d.a,ys after its introduction was read for a first ti¡oe in the Cor:nci1, It was clearly a test cf the polrers, priwileges and. toms of South Lustralian bicameralism.

Sand.over led- the Cowrcil opposition. He was by no means convinced. by

the expressj-ons of public approval d.r.uing the recess, aJrd. the large r¡¡nber

of favot-¡¡abIe petitions the Cor:ncil had. received hacL not proved. a¡ything. rR¡i¡lic expressíons of opinion were not aIw4ys right - a¡r intelligent 79 minority might be rightr . santo agreed., ar¡d. secopd.ed. sald.overr s proposal that the netv measure should. be d.efeat"d.& Thornas Eld.er, rvtro had sttpportecl the goverrxx¡srt on the previous proposal d.eplorecl the fact that the Council had' assumed such an attitud.e of u¡reasoned. antagonisn to a

BiIl which was clearly in line with the w"ishes of the .o,-tryr81 ¡.,t Everard. òisagreed.. tHe believed. the members ¡.¡ were in a better position for saying what was for the t:rre interest of the cor.mtryt r82 tb"r, were the menbers cf the .hsserrbly. He resenteci the Àssanrbly stirring up public 83 opl-IîJ-ono - :s8

th. oppositi.¡¡ wore :-gain, bi." ihis time by a slìm roajori-by vote of

6-5. The press was bi-btol. îhe Advertíser asked.

by whcrn is this important prowince to be governed? r r ¡ â poJ-icy whj.oh vrould. have liftecL up the colorSr ¡.o wâs checked. by the votes of Sir Henr¡r $rers, Messrs. Duffield, Parkin, SantorEve=aiù, Sandover and Storz-i-e. 8l+

Correspond.ence betvreen the goverrm,ent and. the gorr""rr*85 establíshes the extent to which Boucaut ï¡as fimited. in further action. As this outlines the position in al-l such conflicts to 1881, the correspordence is quoted. in some d.etai1.

fn Decenrber, IïJJ, Boucaut wrote a confid.ential memo to Gove¡::or

Musgr are.

The L.C" has - which is r:rparalIelecl - twice rejected. a BilJ- passed. by strong majorities in the H of A and. generally appro-ved by i,he peopIe.... either the IS must give wqy or ihere will be a¡r absolute d.eadlocL ... the Governor nay ultimately have to decid,e. It is quite impossible for the Government to withd¡aw from thei-r position. To waver would. be - contrary to their repeated. ald. emphatic declaratj-ons, - to subord.inate the H of A to the IX on a taxation Bil_l ... - to est¿rblish a¡ importarrt precedent in favor¡r of the ïf contrary to the opinion of all sound. statennents and wr"iters, - to give a great victory to the 16 in the stnrggle wtrich South .å.ustralia¡r Statesnen have 1or:g foreseen, ald' wtrich will consolidate in that boðy a p@er to enable it to set the other parts of the Constitution and. the people at absolute d.efiance. The question involved between the two Houses is of more importance th¿¡r the Governmentr s Pub1ic Tfonks Policy. Tiæ latter is temporarSr - the fomer, for al1 time goes to the root of responsible governnent. zsl Governor Musgrave replied.

I fuJ-ly recognise the grav:ity of the poJ-j-tical- situati-on ... r look for the recognitíon of po¡uJ-ar feeling by the Legislative Counqll, tha¡ to argr argìrment or compromiss¡¡.. Though I ttdnk they have ¡nistaken their duty in this case, ad overestimated. the a¡nou¡rt of control which, by r:rrrritten larv and constitutior:a_l usâge properly belongs to their f\.rnctions in firuncial matters ... /et f shouJ.d. w¡affected.ly regret ar¡ythir:¡; in their own corrduct cn in the actions taken by ninisters wb-ich shorld. have the effect of di¡d-nishing the respect d.ue to thm ... irl their honest r¡aintena¡rce of their opinions or the exercise of their legitimate f\,:¡rctions,

This equivocal support convinced. Boucaut that to ttiltt at the Cor:¡rcj.l would serue no fl¡rther pnrpose; it would., in fact, t dve a wrench to the Constitution, operate to destroy fair bala¡rc€ ..r r:nduly strengthen the I¡l , and.r as lavoid.ance of su-ch stnrggles is pmd.ent ..r ârld cøprolise

is or¡r geniusr, the matter should. be al-1cwed. to rest. Boucaut advised.

the ¡tssenbly that the tær Bill ard. the developrnent progra¡me had. been d'ischarged. rlt ís a mon*strous thing that such an importa¡rt Bill- ... should. be rejected. by men, the whole of whose brains apparently world not 86 fill a nutshellr. The Register was equalJ-y aru:oyed.. The blane was

attributed. to a single me,mber of the cor.rncil, Tf . parkin, who

cavities of that honourable gentlemarrrs brain. ca¡r we wond.er that such power entmsted. to such bands is liable to terrible and. izretrievable misuse.o/

The majority in the council had, in each case, irwoked. a perfectly constítutional power of veto, but its use of this, agai-nst twhat the lr{inistry trroposed, rThat the.Â,ssenbly confi:med., arld. what the cor-rrtry endorsed.tr88 *"

an important step in the prccess tc¡ward.s the reform of the Uppur House in 1881-2. 2bo The Property Tarr ll

0n 17 October, 188J, a sel-ect cou¡roittee reported. to the assembly that certain duties shoúd. be introduced., includ.ing

one halfpenrgr in the pound. on all la¡rd.

sixpence in the por:nd. on aIl- profits, gains and d.ividend.s

tkrreepence ín the por-rnd. income tu.".89 A Bi]I to impose these taxes net some opposition in the Lssembly, including a move to d.elay it irntil a¡r election al-l-owed. the people to d.ecid.e, but the proposal received. clear majorj-ty s,rpport.rc But in the Cou¡rcil, R. C. Baker epitirnised. the viems of its opponents. There were four basic questions.

Firstly, was fresh taxation necessa:¡Ê Sêcond.ly, if necessar1¡, vras this a fair system? ThÍrd.J.y, if necessa:T¡ and fair, was the bill- a workable one? Fourthly, was it expedient to pass this biJ-l when a general election would. shontly give the constituencies an o'pporü.rniïy of statirg thei-r opinion on the subject? )1 the answer to each was a,n ernphatÍc lnot. The Bill was unfaj_r.

In the first place this Bill was taxation w-ithout representation. The Treaslrrer ... said that aborrt one for:rth of the people of the Col-or¡y held. al1 the property that would be taxed. r¡¡rd.er the tsill. Ncwr, what cou-1d. be more urrfair than that three-fourths of the people of the color¿y should. get off scot free, while the other one for¡rth had to pay nearly aJ-I- the ta;cation? ... It was ... palpably unjust that this quarter of the population shoulcl be taxed. for the benefit of the rest of the people. 92 g. C. Cotton, the first mem'ber of the Counci-l to receive the wholehearted. electoral support of the United. Trades and. Labor:r Council9J objected. to Bakerrs conclusiotLs, for rthiswas onJ.y putting the boot onthe other foot.

The ninority had. for ages taxed. the multitud.er.94 But this was a ninonity view a.nd, in what theBgde!* ca-lled. ra sign of wealcress, or 2bt ind.olence, or bothtr95 th" Coirncil postponed. the Bill for six months. With the d.issolution of parAiament but two months awa¡r, this cc¡nstitutecl d.efeat f,or the proposal. As on so mar¡r other proposals to increase the level of d.irect ta:ration on property, the Upper House, in the worràs of the

.A.dvertiser, had

acted. worthily of its traditior:.s r ¡ o so the capitalists have a¡rother six months before they can be called. upon to contri'bute argrthir:g...', The mernbers of the Utrlper Hor¡se are most arrxious to be talred.; but unfortr:nately no scheme pleases them .rrr Arg plea, argr d.evice, sert¡es to put off what they regard. as the evil day..., They stifled discussion; they grossly abused the privilege of i;he riron harldt, a-nd preemptorily closecl the clebatè .... A more improper, unseemly a¡rd. r:nfair proceeèir¡g it would. be d.Ífficult to imagine. 96

Cor¡¡rcil Fra¡rchise tsilIs. 1893-99

Ùfernbers of the Legislative Cour¡cil considered- the restrictions on the fra¡rch'ise for thei-r chamber as sacrosanct, In the si-x years to j:899 nine public Bi1ls were brought into the Pa-rliament to broad.en the electora]. base of the cor¡¡rciI. .û,11 failed. to pass. One was laid asid.e in the cou.:rcil a¡rd. five were defeated by a crear majority of me¡nbers of the Upper House.

Table 6:4. Fra¡rchise liberalisation atterrpts, LBgS-I899. Proposa]-

1893 ¡idult Suffrage Lost, Assernbly. 189L Household Suffrage Irapsed, Assernbly. 1B9J+ Married. women - leasehold. - €10 Household. Lost, Cor¡¡rqi1 . A895 Household Sr:ffrage lrapsed., Assenb\f L895, €11 Household Suffrage Ïrost, Cor:nci1. 1896 €1! Household. Stffrage Laid. Asicle, Ccruncil. 1898-9 Household Sr:ffrage Lost, Cor:ncil 1899 Household Sr:ffrage Lost, Cor¡ncil L899 €15 Household. suffrage Lost, Cou¡rci1. Ato> three Bills introduced. into the Corrncil- set the stage for the poJ.itical.

crisis of 1898-9. In 1B9i+, L¡al¡or Party member A. A. Kirþatrick introduëed.

a private mernberr s iii11 to carrXr out a I sna1l reductiont in the fraJrcklse,

I not a rad.ical clvnget .97 He was ca¡eful to allay the fears of some 'by cowrtry representatives pointing out that arry resultant increase in

enrolments wou1d. involve the rural rather than the city people. Perhaps for this reason, the proposal was passed. narrcmly, l-8, but by less than the absolute majority necessarXr for constitutional- change. KiJkpatrick

later moved. to revive hi-s 8i11, but the support was again shor-t of a

constitutional maj ority.

Part of the criticåsm of Kirþatrickr s Bill was that it was a private 98 motion, and. C. C. Kingston, norr heni"t arrd. a strong advocate of fra¡chise refo:rt, acted through his Chief Secreta:¡r, J. H. Gord.on. A government BiLL

was introduced. into the Council in 1895, passed. the second reatling 15-10

in a rare fuIl atteoÃ*r."rg9 but was d.efeated. on a rsudden d.eathr motion in comuritt...1o0 A th-ird Bil-I in LBg6, to reduce the property qualificatior¡s

to a I househol-d,r vote on the basis of fi5 leasehold., failed to achieve a

constitutiorial majority, ¿nd. lapsed..

rn 18!8, the Kingston mirristry was determined to apply as much political pressure on the Council as possible, but in doing sorthry ff¡rther

alienated the more conse:¡¡ative members. À Bill to incorporate a rhousehold. franchiser fon Council elections passed. the ¿lssenbly with a clear

majorityr a¡rd. includ-ecl a guarantee of a favor¡rable referend.um before such a franchise cou-l-d. be a-lIc¡wed. But when the Chief Secreta:¡r rose in the Cor.¡¡rcjl_ a::c1 e:çlai:red thå.t I su-rely nothing ca¡r be fairer ... the people thenseLves

were to decid.e, and. they were superior to both Houses of Parlian"rtt rlOl he offended the South Australia¡r Wkrigs who sr¡n¡ari\r d.efeated. the p"opo"*1.1o2 &L3 Kingston adrrised tjre åssanrl¡Iy ttrat tiee goverr¡nent Lrad d.eciited on a frcntal- attack:

the Gcnrer:rment propose that the constitr¡tion of the Jregislative Cor:¡rsil sha]-l be refozmed. by the substitution of aðu1t sufflage ... la¡¡lj also interd. to tal

The Counci.l was horrified.. rNever in the histo4r of the Colorgr had. sr:ch

action been taken by ar¡ir Gcn¡e:ruentr,1ol+ Kingston was cerrsr¡r.ed.r1o5 u.rrt thu

Council ad-journect for the Chrisfuas recess without passing the Âppropriation

BiU.1O6 the cor:sen¡ative mernbers in the Assembly, especiaJJy the mecnbers

of, the National Defence L,"u.gou1o7 took up the attack a¡rd aonvinced. Kíngston

to nod.ify his strong stard.. The new proposal, that the å,ssenbþ

reaffi¡ms its rigþt to d.ireot consultation uith its constituents by means of a referend.tuo, a:rcl the question of Household Suffrage as set forÈh in the BiIL rvhich received. the .ê.pproiral of the House of .{r.ssembly dr.Iríng the present session nq)r properly be the subject of sr¡.ch referendum, 106

sufficiently mollifiecl the rnajority of Council meqbers wleo, when the Parlianent resuned on 17 Jarruar¡r 1899, were satisfiecl to, recorcl only a strong protest before conclu&ing the business of the session.log

At the general elestj-ons of 1899, the voters were asked. to support

the fra¡chise proposals by returning the Kingston ninistr¡r a¡d. votir¡g tyest

to a refererdr.¡m on the issue. Thry carried. out the first request arrd.,

of the thirty fou¡ who had supported. the 1898 franctrise BiIL a¡rd. who hail stood- for re-election orrly two were d.efeated,. But the referend.um resr¡lt was not as satisfactoqy, and. the Register d.escribett it as a clefeat fon the ministry. &6+

They ha.d- represente.l i;hat the people regard.ed. this as a br:rning question, but the people shcmecL ín the most urmistakeable fashion that thei¡ attitud.e in the matter had been misjudged. 11O

But an anaþsís of the results ir:d.ioates that the Register had allcnred its strong oppositi.on to the Ki-ngston ninistry to color-¡r its interpretation of the results"

labIe 6:!. Franchise referer¡år:m, by Assembly disürícts, 18!!.

tYesl ag percent Percen- Percerr- Percen- Per-cen- of Errrol- tage tage tage tage fozual Districú ¡ngnt Vot?d tYesr tl'tot info¡mal votes

East Aclelaicle 7959 49,0 58.1 31.9 10.0 6l+.5 West Ad.elaide 6367 60.B 65.1+ 17.O '17.6 79.3 Nor-bh .ådelaid.e 9119 59.t+ 49.g 36.2 13.9 57.9 Porb Aclel¿.íd.e 1O2BB 6o.5 66.5 22,'l 11.6 75.O East Torrens 14961 57.3 52.8 57.8 9 "I+ 58.t Ilest To:rer¡s 8835 6g.g 6l+.2 23,7 12.1 73.O The Sturt 1153'l 69.1 5l+.4 35,3 10.1 60.6 Metropolita¡r Area 6W& &.7 59.1 30.2 11.7 65.8 Albert 3793 38,8 58.6 37.9 5.5 60.7 Barossa t+932 6t$5 I+5.9 l+1.6 12.5 52.5 Buna I+556 63.3 å8.1 l+o.5 11.4 il+.5 Encounter Bqlr 2taz Bl.4 l+O.5 l+5.7 1J.8 t+7 s Flird.ers 3912 55.8 53.o 34.1+ 12.6 &.6 trt'ome 6?+9 58.1 50.0 ut.t 9.7 54.8 Glaclstone 6Wt+ 62.6 62.l+ 27.1 10.5 69.7 GuuÌeracha l{o07 57.1 3g.g 51.1+ 9.7 4t.1 Lisht n26 7l+.5 29.6 58.2 13.2 32.9 Mt. Barker )p55 73.O )+5.2 I-Ð.' 1l+.5 52.9 Nemcastle 4985 l+1.9 56.7 35.7 7.6 61.1* Noarlur¡ga z6g3 58.0 l+4.9 l+5,1 10.0 Ì+9.9 Onkaparinga 1060 71.9 lß.t+ 1+3.9 7.7 52.4 Stanley 3837 78.7 À4.1 ¿+1 .0 1¿+.9 51 .8 Victoria 5652 69.2 50.4 35,5 1l+.1 58.7 TÍa]l aroo 5770 60.9 62,1 20.8 17.1 7r+'9 ïÍooroora ttß2 6D.E )+2.5 1+5.9 11.6 tÉ,1 Tatala 3',t79 65.9 39.5 51.3 10.2 142.9 ïorke Peninsu.l¿. 3127 68''3 ,+.6 52.O 15.+ ¿P.o N. TerritorSr 900 47.2 71.'l 22.8 6.1 75.7 Cor'lrrtry area 82961 63.O ¿+7.6 t$.7 11.7 53.9 ToT¡tsi 15æ21 9t+16O l+gæ8 33928 110iz4. PWEI\E 61,9 52.3 36.0 11.-7 59.2 ?lo5 Both sid.es courd. find. supporb. the opponents of reform stressed the rturtroutl lov level of o,r the referer¡d.u¡n, ancJ. ignored. the faét that this was orrly margirrally belcrw that f or the elections as a whole. They stregsed. tt:e corn'l¡j-necl tnor a¡rd inforrnal- vote, 47.7 percent of the total, and. d.enied. that Kingston norç had. a clear manda.te" To,f . I-engd.on Farsons, a strong 111tt" opponent of virtua-Ìly any tprogressiver proposêl ¡ optimisn of a twhich ministry can extract even the semblance of a v1ctory for. household. suffrage ... is artazíng ard arusi-ngl . there was no I d.eep seated. dissatisfactionr , arrd. the resuJ-t , in fact, I shcmed that household suffrage is not d.esi:red. by the great majority of elector r, .112 suctr views¡ .w.ere essentially pragmatic, and. reversed. the conserwative attitud.e to the volrrntary natr:re of general elections. In the latter, as shown above, the conserwative mernbers were conce¡ned. with a majority of fo:mal votes. In the former, their argr:rnents used. a d.ifferent numerical basis, the tota-1 enrol¡nents.

The Kíngston ministry took the resuLt as a rnandate. There vras a najority rrest vote i-n twenty of the twenty seven d.j-stricts, a clea.r majority in all metropolita¡r d.istricts except North Ad.elaide, a¡rd. a majorÍty in su,-port overall. Consequently the 1898 Bill was reintrod.uced. into the nerw ¿\ssenbþ, Ðd similar d.ebates a¡rd. si-míIar majoríti-es passed. it to the counci1.11J Chief Secretary OtLog;hlin stressed the Jlssernbly support of

1898 a¡rd. 1899, dvuelt at length on the refererrdr.¡m results and. asked.

Is South lLustralia to be a d.emoeac! ct. or a sort of bastard. plutoæacy, ald. not a plutocracy based. on ever1¡ forrn of wealth, but onJ-y of la¡d. a¡rd. real estate? ... l'fas South.åustralia to be goverr:ed. by the vrhole people or by just so nargr of the.m as happened. to possess a certain value of rea't estate. 114 ?bb

The opposition was stiIl 1.osti1;r115 atø the Bì11 la¡guj-shed. ::: the CorxrcjJ for five months, eventually to be a catalyst of the d.efeat of the Kingston

*ini=try.116 A successive PreuÈer, Holder, allowecl the Bill to be discharged arrcl proposed his o'rn BiAL for a 81j frcnchise. But the clefeat of this was a'l so a foregone conclusiorr. Â decacl.e of, attempts to broad.en the elective franchise of the Lregislative Cor¡¡rcil had. achieved. ,r.othir¡g.117

Concllusi-on

As chapter rr shoved., majority opínion in the thybrictt council d.esigneil a bicameral systern incorponatir¡g a bala¡rce to the d.enocratic House of Assen'rbly and., throughout the colonial period., argr attenpts to limit the pcmers or weaken the fra¡rchise of the Cotrncil were strongly resisted. 1o the more consenrative mernbers, everr the cmpact of 1857 was a betraya-l ofrright principlesr of representative goverrment. The Inr¡rqaav nev:ig d.escribed. the 1857 resolution^s as

acts of r.¡¡:faithfulness to lhe eleclors who placed. the mernbers in their seats. [Cor:nci1] ,.. r*rË""" represent the property of the__Þovince, a:rd. it is property whictr pays taxes. und.er a systen of universal suffrage, the Lwer House is not entitlecl to the exclusive care and control of the purse .., the Cmmons represented. the great ta:q:a¡ning conuurrity - the Ia¡d.ed proprietors ard. the nid.d.Ie classes .,. the whol-e bases of representation are altered. in or syst-n.11ö

Ttris protection of property and. property rights was a core function of the Council, at least in the eyes of the conse:srati-ve møbers of the colonial society a¡il of the great najority of merubers of the corrncil. rhe consen¡atíves re gard.ed. the upper House as a verrr useful check on the ilelegates of the rrrrenployed., and as operating to retard. in sone measìre the evil a¡d. retrograde tendencies of tbe worst prowisions of our pol5.tical. system. 119 2ç1 To their opponents, the effect ^f setting up such a boo¡r was to replaoe the theory cf bj-ca¡reraaism, of ruJ-e by two houses, w:ith nrle by -Li;e wealtt5r through one house which couId., and. often dÍct, der¡y the popular wil1.

the Cor.t¡rcil was d.esigned. with a dual function. It was plaruned. as a House of Revierw, as a house vrhj-ch could. revier¡v aL[ legislation, ctela¡ring or amencling or even defeatirrg legislation wld-ch w'as I hastyr or had no rpopular mandater. It was also plarurecl as a tbrakel on specific þrpes of legislatíon, as a means whereby íncursions into property and. property rights could be tested. and exa¡rinecL by the properby owners themselves" But the practice of the bioameral system changed. the ori-ginaI erçlicit fi¡rrctions. The House of Review, in the first few months of responsible governrnent, becane a House of Veto" The House designed. to test and exalnine legislation seeking to deal with property became a House of absolute protection of property" lhe conflicts betvreen the houses in the half-centurXr of colonial- government ïvere essentialJy conflicts between interests, w'ith the interest of property embod.ied. in the fegi-slative

Cou¡rci]- .

But such a simple picture needs to be qu.a-lified. the House of

Âssernbly was not peopled. only by lprogressive dernocratsl. Ttre Legislative Council was not peopled. only by conse:¡¡ative, even reactionarSr, men of propertJr.'-'. 120 But, in ter¡ns of the relat1ons of the two Houses, in tems of the majority opinion in each house, the general picture is a souncl one, and such a pictr-lre flcmred. both fbon the id.eas of pol5tica1 representation which lay at the base of the bica¡oera-1 system, a¡rd frcrn the constitutional strtrctr:re. The Burkea¡r ideal of the representative as trustee was most clearþ incorporatecl in the principles and practices of the South Austra'lìan 2ß8 upper hcuse. Representative of property hoId.ers, the na.jcritv of ¡:iembers of the Cor:nci1-, j-f not the enti-re mernbership before the advent of Labor representatives in 1891, saw their role as guarôians of the best interests of the co3-or¡y as a whole. They were vehement that they shottld. use tbeir own jud.gernent, their o\f,1x conscienoes, in d.eciiLing what was best for the nation, that they should. deliberate a¡d. decíd.e, unfettered. by selfish or nanow or sectj-onal interests arrd pressrrres from constituents or pressure groups. It folJ-cmed., then, that such men wor¡-ld resist strongly arSr attarpts to limit their pcmers or fr¡nctions, and especially argr attenpt" to bring thern urd.er their¡f,luencerlet alone the 'control of the House of .å,sse¡nbIy or its electorate. The constitution of ]-.855 ïras a natr¡ra1 product of such id.eas and the conFact of 1857 a¡rcl the forna-l amendnents of 1881 were as far as the cor¡ncillors couJ-d. go, given this id.eological tenet. Ànd it was not r:ntil the d.ecad.e of the tnineties that this position and role was seriously questioned, and effectj-ve1y attackecl,, both fbom pressures withi-n the Cor:ncil- a¡d flom pressures or¡.tsj-d.e it. Tl¡e will return to these in

Chapters lC[ a¡rcl )C[I. I

.¡\t this point it shc¡trld be noted that the actÍons of the l,egislative

Council, labelIed. as obstructive and reactior:ar¡i by the more progressive members of the House of Âsseurl¡fy and. the color¡y at Iarge, were solidþ and. legally based on the constitution. There was no argr:ment betlreen the houses j-n torns of constitutional legality of the activities of the CounciJ-. There were arguments about the legitirnacy of such actions, about the politica-l use of constitutional povrers. But the Council was able to effectively resíst such criticisurs, at least r¡ntil the mid-rnineties, and. even then, as will be shcnrn below, the weakening of the fo:merly absolute ¿Ð>.

dcrú3l of encrcachn,errt i-ntc r:i:at irei'e seeil es rights of pi'opc-rty carne

'r;1 Lci;r-h changes irr tl:lc intey:iral- rner¡bersl-ip, ra,ther tlial presiul.es froln

t;tL'tsicìe, or ncdif'lcations to the constil;utional ba-se. In 1557 and in

19-ì1 and, it'r fzct, tn L)J2, the L--gisfa-'cive Council -',¡c-s constitul;ion¿'lfy

-ri:r¿:;rai--l-¡ble arrd virtually j,;:. e.rr. irçregnable politica-1 i;osition, short

r-.f ii-¡'rr:r.¡ention b;r tÌ:e gcìvermiiiint anrl pa-rlianent cf the Ulrited. Kin¡-yJom. 2þ.

F Sr Chapter \i:t tralia (S,,tn¡,son, Lon and Marston, London' L876) 1. Til . Harcus, Soutlt , ' p.37- of Chief Justice Ïtlav. (¿ngus and' Robertson, 2 A. J. Haruan, The Life S¡dney, 1960) , Chapter 4.

3. SAPP., 1861 , No. 1l+1 , 151+' 49' ¿+. A. J. Haxnan, lP:ji!¡ P' 5. E. Tlodderr gglii.' P. tlt' 6. SÁFD. , L866' P. Jl+' 7. SAPI. , 1867, Nos. 22, 23' 1860. 8. I March 5' rÎhe Vi Council, 1856-1950 o See G. Serle, tThe Lggi (vol. 6, No. Lroveda¡r, Studies, Hist Councíl of Nev¡ ìioutn Ñà. +, April tg6Ð; K. Turner, House the D t 10, A. B. Keith' Re Government an (Clarendon Press, ord, r P. p' t+76' 11. G. f. Rusden, op. cj-t., VoI ' 3, 12. I, Noverrber 2+, l.855' 11. Cited it E€. , t912, IIi' ' 132'

a_ L855-6. 1l+. Constitution of South , 15. G. iY. Rusclen, jPfi!. ' P. 323' Coloni 16. A. lodtL' 1i ernnent in the Bri (Longmans, Co., oDr ¡ P' O. C. Ncnell, Hist of the Relati be the 17. E. o t P liamen l_n asmanaa inr €fr , ¡ P' with to 18. Earl GreYt consider Refo:rn, (J ohn , t P. 19. E@. , 1857 ' P. 311' 20. B. T. Finniss, lp:jij.t P.375. 21. S.APD. , 1857, P. 2lP.

272 l+8. R. A.trlton, j¡i$., p. 7{0. tl9. ,E!É', P' 15oo' 50. J. C. Bratr Chief Secretar¡r, iÞj!., 51. &¿g' t P' 716' 52. &i_d. 2 p. 3l+6. 53. lggiglgg, April. 1, 1BB1 . 5l+. II, D R. IÍalker, @, (T. Físher UnrJ.n, Lord.on, 1897 p. 178.

55. D. J. Gor€.on, fhe Centra.L State, (Var"aon a¡d. Þitchard., Âdelaiile, 19O5)r P. 23, 56. E@. , 1879, pp. 652-t.

57. lhree publio Bills were j¡¡troËlucecL into the Ccn¡¿oiL. llrro J.apsect there, a¡d. one passecl the Co¡¡¡roil bl¡t lapsect in the Assenbþ. 58. Sggiglg, Februar¡r 14, 1865. 59. ïÍ. ltra¡ctrs, -9¡:lå!., p. 1). 60. C. Ja Rwe, , (r'ongmals' Green a¡lcl co.' LonÀon' 1885) r p. I ' 6t. J. P. St*.' Sr¡!ÞJ*"t"rn:¡-, (eoverrment ÞÍnter, .å,cte1alde, 188J), w. 62-t. - 62. B. 1. Firu:-iss, lp:li!.r pp, 3lQ-t. 63. A. Forster, -l&_Si!., p. 210. 6l+. lÍ. Ilarsus, !p:_gå!.2 p, 36, 65. R. D. Harson, in Co¡fidentia-l MSS, J;87D (Sn¡.) 66. ¡s., L875, No. 90. 67. SAED., L875r p. 817.

68. .r pp. 9l+3-l+, 9l+6. 69. Êry., L875, p. 22o. rc. !s!,, 1875, p. 1161. 71. Ibi¿l., p. 1170, ¿7s

72. Eig.r PP. 1163' 1171t 1172. 73. IÞ¿9. , p. 1167. 7t+. Iþ4' t P' 1265' 75. IÞig. 76. IÞig. , p. 1267. n. ., P. 1277. 78. 79. IÞig'' P' 'l5t' 80. Ibi¿I.. Þ. 155.

81 . JÞig' t P' 157 ' 82. 4¡!.d., p. 160. 85. ry', P' 1J)'

B¿ù. Atlvertiser, Norenber 26, 1875. 85. @ !P:li!. ú. SAED., L8754, p.1)2. -- 87. Regis ten , Nwember 26, 1875. gg. ActvertiqeE, Novernbec 27, L875. 89. SSIE., 188:þ4, p. NJ. 90. 2541r .IÞi9. t P.. 2%" -' 91'. S@., 188'4, p. 1865. 92. EE.r PP. I(#6-7' gt. See beIcm, Chapter TII.

9l+. S4p., 18814, p. 1958. 95. Sggiglg5' Febnrarry 14r 1884. %. Aclvertiser , Febnrar¡r 2l+, 188L" 97. Sæ., 1891+, p. 1206. He proposecl a rectustj,on ín the leaseholcl. qr:alifioation frcm f25 to €1O, a¡d the right to vote to those rchose rental was belcm the qual.iflring 1eveI Þ-ut wt¡o had oarriecl out imprwenerrts to the value oÉ'€5O0. 27+ 98. See Chapter IIfr 99. .Absenteeis fÞø Ccn¡ncil tivisior¡s ras higlr, a¡d, attenil¿¡ce of one thinfl to one half of the ne¡nbers'was the ndt. No reoorlcl of the daily attenilance of Upper House nenbers ças tabt¡.latecl offioialþ. 100. Aildison, who hact supporfecl. the seconcl reacling, moved, in the cmittee stages I that the chaima¡r clo nc¡r le he o]rairr . This effectivel¡r caused the BiIL to J.apse. Sæ.¡ p. 234. 101 . IÞåg.r 1898, p. t+29. 102. EA]p., 1898, T!. 24i9. 101. .E@r 1898' p. 1159. 104. pig. , L89U9, p. 558. 105. Carried. 1}l5, EiÈ., p. 561+. 106. IÞiÊ't P. 57O. ''O7. See belcr, Chapter )GI. 108. E@., L898-9, p. 372. 109. IÞig' , P' 281' 110. .@þ!9g, ltaJr 10, 1899. 111 . See, for e:r¿¡pfs, his Acldress on the Evolutlon of the hesent Social c , (Vardon ancl kitohard, AclelaicLe, 1894). 112. Eggþlg, May 10, 1899. 113. 3Tn secord reacling, 28-19 thifd reatling. !SE¿, 1899, pp, 111, 111. 11.l+. S@. , L899, p. 12o. 115 ' A ninority caJ.lecl for a second. refererdr¡n, but to be of lregislative Co¡¡rci1 æ¡oLments on\r. SSIE. , 1899, p. 93. 116, See Chapter )CTII. 117. In fact, there has been 1j.tt1e cha¡ge in the tun'tiflioatíons to this ¿l^eJr. the fra¡rchise has been broatleneil to inclucte spouses, but the property basis of the fra¡rchise bas remained..

118. Thr¡rsdav Reviem, October 18, L86O. 119. &19., Septenber 26, 1860, '120. See belcm, Chapters )G' , XII . Chapter IILI

An U¡s:!ÊÞI€_Ð emggracy

Reconsfurratiag ninistries a¡d raiting for rain have been the chief occtrpations of the past month. Eggieþ, 21 May, 1810 Such r¡.merou.s ministerial d.ifficulties are a portion of, the blessings which arise fron giving powet to the multituile.

fhr.¡rsd"qv Review. 1 Norrem.ber 1861. '27t

nsible Goverrrment

The chapters abor¡e have surrnarised the inauguration of representative government in South .0rustralia, the d.ebt which the plalners of the constitr¡- tions cmed to British precedents, and the ways in which the British mod.e1 was modified. to fit the new political enviror¡ment. the system of representative goverrrnent which ercerged. in 1855 and was nod-ifiecl as the situati-on dernarrded, includ.ed. aspects of rproced.r:ralr representatj-on such as the varying eJ.ectoral systems, the elections which flor¡ved. frcn these, the resultant political natures of the two houses and. the constitutional a¡rd. political relations of the /issernbly a¡rd the Council. l\s has been shcrrn, the model- of English practices of procedr-raI representation were varied to appfy to the South Australian situation, but at the same time, the plar:ners arrd. the legislators who followed., imForted. the English concept of responsible goverrrment, and attempted. to apply it TÉth Iittle moòification. In the eyes

of most conternporaries, the experiment was notably unsuccessfirl. In 1851+,

Gover:ror ïoung had. pred.icted. stable responsible goverrment, for I chalges in the colonial rninistry will be very infrequent for sone time to "ot '.1 But the rapid. char¡ges of ministty in the first session, outlined. in Chapter III, were soon shown to be more tha¡r just rteething painsr, ancl a series of 2 what the ter calIed. I snbrogliosl prod.uced. what Reeves describecl as a

t kaleid.oscopic time of u¡rest' .J One Assernbly member was so d.isillusionei!. that he proposed a return to the I old. noninee system rather tha¡r have this tirrpot trunpery which they called responsible government' .L One pr:r¡rose of this chapter is to outline the events which were sufficient to provoke such a reaction. 271 rresporrsible It is nece6sar3r, first, to outJ-ine what was meant by governrnentt a¡rd, to set out what was imported. i¡rto cc¡loniaI South Asstralia. iis Birch points out, there âre tbree d.istinct usages of rpolitical responsibilityr :

to signify that the decision-ma-kers are responsive to public opi:rion; ... to signify that their decisions a¡e pnrdent a¡rd mutually consistent; ... to signify that they are accountable for thej-r actions to a¡lother bodJr, such as parliarnent, a¡rd. there is I no necessârXr link between thern' .5 As we have seen, it was accepted. in South Âustralía that the first of these usages was a necessal¡r aspect of representative gorerrment, at least in the case of the lbuse of Assembly. the members of the Iregisl-ative Cor.¡ncj-I were far less certain that such a conception of responsibílity appliecl to thsn" But there was

I a¡1 overall general agreernent with the Br.¡rkea¡r id.eaI of indeperrdencel a;nong the meurbers of both houses, ancl the colorria.I representatives accepted. that their actions worrld. a¡rd. should. be ulti¡rately juclged. by their electorates. The second and third. of the usages outlinecl lry Birch Ìrere generalþ regard.ed. by the col-onial legislators as interdependent, and. what was consiclered. by a ministry to be pmd.ent a¡rd necessary r¡as put first to the juclgernent of parlianent, and. rrlti-rnately to the jud'genent of the voters.

Conventions of ninisterial responsibility had. becorne tenets of the

.British systern by the ti¡ne of the constitutíona.l d.ebates in Sctlth Australia,

The conventi-on of collective responsibility was fu1ly developed. in Eng1ald., follolring the grow'th of the effective r.rrrity of the cabinet itself, of the control over cabinet by the kime Minister, ancl of, the und.erstald.irig that, if d.efeated on a rnajor issue or on a vote of, confj-d.ence, the Prjme Mirrister wor:J.d. resígn his acùninistration or seek a dissofutiot.6 By 1855, it was >77 elso acceptecl in Englisb practice that the iruliviAud minister was answerable to parliament for his acti-ons and. the actions of his d.epartment, a¡il he rYas requirecl to erplain ard' defend. ttrese to parlianent if requestecl. It was also acceptect that the inùivídual ai:rtster would. resign if serious blt¡¡d.ers of his c'wn, or of his d.epartments were exposed, althougb in fact, as Finer points out, there r¡ere only sixteen cases of such inùividual resignations in Engl-arrd in the centur¡r after t855.7

Both individual and collective responsibilif,y of ministerial office were tenets of English practice which were fu11y imForted into South Lustralia. lhe fail-ure of MacDorrnell to retain a measure of control oven the actions of the Finrriss riinistry ín L857, and. Finnissf recogniti.on of the three aclverse votes whloh were carriecl against hi-m in the Assemblyt sigrrified. the advent of responsible goverr¡ment in the colorgr, ard. the clear establislment of the primq.cy of parli-anent orrer the ninist y,B But the theory ant practíce of responsible govenønent remai:red contentious througftcut the coloni¿.l period., anél the debates over the issues revolved. aror-¡¡rd. the thûd of the usages id.entified. by Birch; rthe accou¡rtability of ¡rinisters, or of the gover:ment as a whole, to a¡r electeil assenbly'.9 The critisis most often J.eveJ-leil at the South Australia¡r practice of, responsible govern- ment was that it allosred. too mrch, rather tha¡r too little acoountabilíty.

Fem of the corventions cf responsible goverrurent were çritten i-nto the Sorth Australian constitution, but they were generally put into practice.

The Goverrror shoul-d. act in the nane of the morurctr on the advice of the ministers of state, who shoul.d. be me¡nbers of parliament, having cbarge of one or ¡nore exesutive d.eparfunents, and. both the ir¡àividual r¿inisters ancl tåe mínistry as a whole should. be ileperrdent on the support of a rnajority in the v77 tpopuJ.arr house - the House of Assembly - and should. be uJ-timately responsible to the parlia¡nent as a whole. The problem was that ministries were called, to accou¡rt on frequent occasions, eld were frequently founcl to be r:¡acceptable to the parLiament, Ìv'ith a resulta¡rt instability of rrinisterial office. By 1865, the 3ggi€ had so lost patience with opposition attacks on the ministry of the da.¡r, and. with consta¡rt ninisteria-l changes, that it concludecl an eclitorial concerned. rrith para11e1 no- confidence debates i-n the .A,ssembly a¡rcl the Council by d.eclaring t a plague on both yor:r hous""t .10 In 186,1¡, a public meeting in Adelaid.e carried a resolution

that, in the opinion of this meeting, the scranble for office by the members of the House of Assembly, regardless of public policy or polltical consistency, has d.eIa,yed. the business of the cor:rrtry a¡rô is calculated. to.bring ínto contempt our present system of goverrunent. 11

By 18/O, the 4dvqrt¿seq uras so concerned. thâ.t ít descrj-bed. the systen of responsible goverrment in South .frustralia as a systern of I fa.rriliarity breed.s contem¡rtl , where the

goverrment have become so fanilia¡ with ilefeat that they begin to treat it with the contemlt it d.esenres .,. they are getting case-hard.ened. The first thrashing is a veritable hl¡millatíon, even the secor¡d. or third. i-s a mortification of the flesh; but after a clozen on a score, what ¡natters it about one or two more. 12

There was justificatj-on for these æiticisms, fon no less thare forty two n'r-i¡ristries were forteil a¡rd. d.efeated. in the forty five years of colonial goverrnnent. 271

Table 7:1. Sr:mary of Ministries, L857-IW1. f.,ead.er lluration Lread.er Duration (oaqs) (oqys) t856 - 57 Fi¡ni-ss n1 1870 -71 Harü 529 1857 Ba-ker 11 1:871 -72 BlJrfh 73 1857 lorrens 29 t87z Áyers tc 1857 -& Hanson 952 Jß72 -73 A¡rers 505 1860 -61 ReynoJ-d.s 376 r873 -75 Blyth 681 1861 Re¡molcls 141 L875 -76 Boucaut 296 1861 Tfaterhorse 9 r876 Boucaut 73 1861 -63 Tfaterhouse 625 L876 -77 Colton 507 1863 Dutton 11 IB77 -78 Boucaut 336 r.863 - 6l+ Ayers 372 1878 -81 Mongan 950 186J+ Ayers I5 1881 _84 Bray 1,o88 186t+ _65 Blyth 2n l-881+ -85 Colton 365 ]-:865 Dutton 182 1885 -87 Ðcm:eer 725 1865 .âgrers 33 1887 -89 P1a¡rford. 7+6 t865 -66 Hart 156 1889 -w Cocklcurn 418 1866 -67 Borcaut Ào1 18æ -92 Playford. 672 1867 -68 áyers 509 r89z Ho]'d.er 116 1868 Hart 19 r8g2 -93 Dcrner u44 1868 Ayers 21 L893 -99 Kingston 2 , 358 1868 -70 Stra,qgways 555 L899 Solmon 7 1870 Strargr'rays 'i8 l.899 - rgol Holder 639

And. this actually u¡rd.erstates the extent of char:ge, and overstates the stability of the colonial per{.ocl. These were the rfomalt changes in the goverrment, which involveå the acceptance by the Gotrernor of the follrra-l resignation of one mìnistry anå the fo:mation of a ntr one. If najæ reconstructio¡:s caused þ political rather tha¡r rnatrrralt that "u""oo"n15 is, other than changes due to the cleath or illness on related. reasor¡sr a¡e included., then there were fonty two separate administrations ar¡l fifteen m¡io:r reoonstrtrctions in the period. of forty five yea.rs. Most of these )*o ministries were shcnb-liveô in com¡urison to moderrr examples, and the longest r.¡ribroken tom was that of the Ki-rrgston ninistry rvtrich provS-d.ed six years of, relative stability in the Inir:eties, a record. which was to stard. r¡ntil the rPlayfcrd. eral ha1:f a centuz¡r 1"ter.14

Such atrparent instability impliecl a sitr¡ation where the opponents of a¡¡r ministry cor¡1d reasonably expect, at al¡rost ar¡¡ ti-me, that they would' have their opportunity to move to the treasr-rr5r benches. Equa[yr the corp sta¡lt ctranges impJ.iect a sihration where a¡r elisting ninistry wo¡rld have insr:fficient tj-me to carry its proposals and policies j¡to effect before it was replaced. by a ne'qr rninistry and., probably, by nm policÍes alÈL proposa-ls.

One would. expect to find., then, a oonsta¡rt f}¡c of, both mernbers of rrinistries and of policies throughout most of the colonial Perid. In fact, there was relative stability of ministers, if not of rrinistry mabership or lninistries, a¡d there was a narked. si:nilarity of the prograûnes rvhich the ninistries brought before the parliaments. But the fact was that there were more rninistry clunges jJr Sqrth Australi-a than irr a:¡r other color5r. Tf?gr were there so mar5/? Diverse reasons were put forward' by the conternporazy conmentators to e:ç1aín the instabi'lity. Scne ercplairæcl it as a result of, the generally cor¡ratible iileologies of the representátives while others took the opposite view, that the incønpatibJ-e politica-L dÍvisions in the early I fiftj-es denied arr¡r possibility of stable ard. long tarr goverrments. Most agreed. that personal ambition, persona-l arrtipathies a¡rd. rplace-br:rrtingt played. a major role. As will be shcnz¡ beIow, each of these factors ôid. play a role in the clefeat of one or more of the ninistries, or in the resignation of one or more of the ministers. But tbe und,erlying cause of the relative ínstability of ministries in the .2gl t}¡ree clecades to the formation of the Kingston adninj.stratíon in L89l-was the absence of potitical parties anil, as wil*L be shovrr in Part llt of this stu{¡r, it was the e.mergence of suc}r parties whic}r lqy at the base of the post-1895 stabilit¡r.

IÍith this ur¡d.erlying cause in rnind, thls Chapter is intendecL to be a prelimÍn+ry exqmination of instability, a¡d. to be a briitge between the stuèy of rprooedr:ralr a¡rd tfirnctionalt aspects of political representation in the color¡¡. It is concerned with the ctata of ninisterial clrangest with the ministries a¡rcl thejr menbers, the d.efeat of the various ministries a¡rcl the inmeòiate reasons¡, a¡rd w-ith the overall- nature of the i-nstabiJ-it¡r rhich was so characteristic of South Australia. The explanation for these changes is inextricably linked. w:ith the worki-ngs of the faction systen Ín the various parliaments and. we will return to tþis in Part AtI.

The Fa]-]- of Ministri-es

the conteroporar¡r press devoted. cor¡siilerable eclitorial space to conjectures about impenùing ministerial charrges a¡rd. anaþses of the personnel arrd politics of the ne,!e mi¡ristries which foIloveil each I crisisr . the reasons for the d.eroise of eactr ninistry, preèicbions of members a¡d policies yrhj-ch couJ-d. be expected, n:motlrs that rleaclirig mernbersr of the Asseribly or the Cor¡¡rcil hacl been tca]-Ledr, hd failecl, or were still tryíng to fom a rri^nistqr, were consta¡rt sources of eilitoria-l co¡ry. Nøspalnr ocments gave more qpace to the erd rather tha¡r to the beginning of ninistrieg

The reasons for the end. of argr mirristry were usualþ errid.ent and. prbJ-ic, while the naking of the new ministries wa.s generally a tbac}roosll aÍTairt involvilg personal a¡rd. factional alliances and. allegla¡rces, and. Part III of

this study wiIL be concernecl w'ith st¡ch ma¡oeverings. Usual-ly onþ rvhen 282 to¡1 oflÍicially, cLid. the colony I'

Oniy five o1' the f orty fi,'¡o nitústries in the t centra-l colonyr surwived r¡ore tl:an two yeaIs tiie leäLaiutjer he.-d 'àIL ave'!a.i,e lit-e of orily 27 fon rtS ^r',rr. d.a;;rs. A:Lld tiiís does not tal

The picture of instal¡j-l-it;r i-s iej.rrforcecr by a prelirrinary afialysis of portfolios. Ta L873, t¡irr rlirris'i;ry',,¡¡:s constituted. as five m"*b"rsr17 ufl¿ fron 1875 to 1901 as six menrL¡ers, but constant reconstructions, to which .lvere r-;e 1¡-ill- return, brought tj;e situatiori i¡i:ez.e on avera.ge tj:lere seven portÍ'oIio-positions in each cf ihe i'orfur trvo ministri-es' tdefeatsr Table 7:2 classifies each of iÌ:e f'ort¡r tv,ro ministry in tertx

of .,1:e manler in'wÌúch each l1ÊIS :lemovecl or lvas f'orced. to resign, or oillerrn¡ise surend-ered. tire control, of tile parliament. er3

Ia,b]-.e 722. Classifi-cation of, the r¡atr:re of ministry rd,efeatsl . Natråre of rdefeatt Ministry Ntubers Resigned following d.efeat on no-confidence 2, 9t 10, 19, 21 t 22' 23 t motion. 28, 32, t3 34' 35 , 37, 38 = 14 ministries Resigned. foIlow:lng d.efeat on goverr:merrt policy or on go\¡ern- 1 , 3 , 4r 5, 14, 17r 18r 26, ment actions. 29 , 36 = 10 mj-nistries Resignecl for lno¡r politicalt reasons 7, 15, 16, 30, 31 - 5 ninistries Resigned follow:ing inter- nal collapse 6, 13, z5 = J ninistries Resigned as coll-ective after successful censure motion agai-nst one or more ninlsters 8. 11, ?)+ - 5 ministries Resigned. f ollowing d.ef eat on sir4ple ailjour:rment motion 39, )þ, l+1 = J ministries Resigneil for other reasc,ns 12, 20, 27, Ip = 4 ministries

As ta.bIe 7:5 shcrns, nearly halJ of these nrinistry char¡ges ocsr¡rred. in the

first twelve years of representative goverrment, whíIe the J-ast tro d.ecad.es were fa¡ more stable.

Tab],e 7¿3. Mir'-istry changes by clrronologica]- period.s, Natr:re of I d.efeatt L857-rc 1870-81 lotal

No-cor¡fid ence rnoti on ¿+ 4 r4 Censrrre of policy 7 2 10 non-political- 3 2 5 internal colJ-apse 2 I 3 colÌective responsibility t ad.jou:=noent motíor¡ : 1 t other 2 1 I+ 20 11 tc eg+

It is notable that ùuent¡r for¡r of the for-ty tro ni:ristries came to a¡r end. following motions otr general no-confíd.ence or general cens¡r¡re moved. aga.inst thern. Fourteen resigned. follovring the fo:mer t¡tpe of motion, usualþ statecl in simi].a¡ te:rns to that movecl against Bray in 188r], when

Colton sought to add to the Aildress in RepJ-y that rwe desire to ex¡rress to your Excellency or¡r cListrrrst of your present advisers and. or¡r wa¡rt of, confid.ence in tLrø'.18 lhe seccnd type of genenal motion was usual-J.y in the fo:m of a general censure against one or more major policy cleci-sions or policy actions of a rrinistry, and. was, in effect, a no-confid.ence motion. the orrly real difference was evident in the d.ebates, for the no-cor¡fid.ence motion was generally follc¡reil by a short d.ebate with recrjminations from a.1l sid.es before a vote on the sa.ne da¡r, while the general cens¡Ì¡re motion usualþ involvecL more than one da¡rr s debates, and. incJ.uiled. the most d.etailed. exami¡:ati-ons of policies. It is also notable that the motion of no-confidence was the usua-l mearls of testing the position of a ministry in the l-ast two d.ecad.es of, colonial govelzment. In the reighties, fon example, four successive min-i-stries were defeated. by such means: the Bray rninlstry in L884 by corton; coltont s ministrSr by J. lV. Doflner in 1885; Dcxwrerrs ¡rinistry byPla¡Éord. in 188/, when Dc¡nrner was absent in tond.on; a¡rd Prayford.r s by cockburn in 1889. At the sa¡ne time, as later chapters will show, the fluid nature of the legislative groupings was changing to more stable lines of oppositio¡ a-nd. support, arrd. in the rrrlneties, vrhen simple ad.jourrment motions accou¡rteil for three rrinistries, political parties had. emerged.. Tfe will return to this decad.e ar¡d. to the rise a¡rd. faII of these ministries in Chapter XfI.

l\ro of the four no-confid.ence motj.ons of the t eighties were noved. i¡¡meèiately follow1ng the general elections of 18BL aût lBB7, a¡¡iL all fo¡r 2r5 were moved. w'ithiJr tla¡rs of the q>ening of a sessiorr of parJ-iament. Dowr¡er a-lso sr:nrived a sj¡nila¡ motion at the opening of the 1886 session. This patterzr of testing the support of a rainistr¡r at the begilrring of a ner

session became established. early i¡r the period, and. was especially evid.ent in the fÌrst two d.ecailes when the patterns cf mini.sterial suppor* were

the most fluid. Not onJ.y were the aligrments in the parli-a.ments sufficienü1¡r fluid. to aLLc¡¡r the possíbiAity of nj:risterial defeat at almost ar¡1r tirne, but the changes of personnel at electj-ons provid.ecl an j-ncreased. possibility.

In fact, thj-rteen of the sixteen nevn parlia¡nents to 1901 voted. on no-

confid.ence motions in the first ferv weeks cf thejr first session, a¡rd. nir:e

of these were carried against the ministr¡r. As will be shc¡nr¡. bdlm, the

rirrd,epend.encer cf the rnajority of members at the election meetir¡gs causeè the positíon of the r¡-inistry to be tenuous until testeil. General

elections ma¡r have shorrn some public reaction to the ministry of the cla¡r, in the senste that menbers of the ninistry were clefeated. or found. their majoriti-es clecreased but, in the absence of par"by aligrurents a¡rd a co¡r,mi tted. party membersÌ::ip, their position i¡r the parliament was not cerbain rl¡rtiI tested.

Three rninistries resigned follcnring inte¡nal d.issention. The Re¡moJds ninistr¡r (lro. 6) of 1861 was embroilecl in the Boothby issue, a¡d its terl¡re was threatened in October by the resignations of two of its msnbers.

Stow, the Attorney General. and. Morphett, the Chief Secretar¡r corrlcl not support the motion for the removal of Boothby and felt that ttris sta¡rd. forced. then to leave the nirristry. Re¡mold.s mad.e every attenpt to replace Morphett in the Council, but could not fir¡d a msnber silling to join hi-u.

His fina-L approach was to lÏaterhouse in the Assønbly who also refusecl., ald. this precipitatecl the resignation of the ministr¡r. The replacæent a8c ninistry of lÍaterhouse r\ras the first of the five classifieil above as d.efeateil for I othen reasorìs¡r . T[aterhouse u¡rdertook the fonnation of a rninistry rrith the express purpose of settling the Boothby question, but to clo so, he was forced. to set a precedent. He was r¡nabIe to obtain support of ar¡1r menbers of the legal profession ín the House a¡ril conseguent\r appointecl Henr¡r Gawl-er, a soli-citor of the La¡d.s litIes Officer as his Attorreey Generaf-. This contingency was coveted. by the Cor¡stitution wtrich provid.ed that a rninister corrld. hold. office for up to three montl:s withcnrt a¡t elective seat. In fact, ttris ltlaterhouse rninistry remai.¡red. in office onJ.y ten days - it resigned. on the successful ccurpletion of the Boothby matter.

The secor¡il ministry to resign following j:aterr:al di-fferences was that of Dutton in 1865. Treasr¡rer Re¡rnolds hact stated publicþ that he supportecL direct ta:cation as the prime mearrs of raisír:g revenue, a¡rd tt¡at he would. abolish the existir¡g custms d.uties in their favcn¡r. The remaind.e¡ of the ninistry hacl canpaigned. at the elections in favour of the oorrti¡:r¡a- tion of the tariff, ard. the advocacy by Re¡molil.s of his c¡wn viers in conflLict with the ministry lecl to his resignation and to the resignatíon of the ministry, It should be noted. that this Dutton ninistry tenderecl. its resignation efter its leader was appoj¡ted. to the positicrr of Agent General in L,onilon, but the j-nterr¡al d.ivision wer revenue was the pri-ne reason for its colIapse.

Re¡mo1d.s was also at the centre of the internal d.ivision which Ied. to the resignation of rainistry 2J, Led, by .ê¡rers frcn¡ the ï,egislative

Cor:¡rcil. Fo:med. on lvlarch 4, L872, this ninisbqr had. retair¡ecl najority support fræ the parliament throughout tlne 1872 sessÍon, but one week 287 prior to the oPening of the 187J session i¡r Ju\rr the gcrverment proposecl to resr-me free i¡m:igration to the color¡y. Reynolds objected' to this, ald. publicþ d.issented. frcrn the proposal. He resigned, and 4¡rers made a nr-¡mber of unsuccessf\¡I attempts to replace Ìti.m. He was r¡nable to obtain support frcm a member willing to act as leader of the ninistry in the

Asseurbþ, and. he resigned. Ìr-i-s ninistry'

The resig¡ation of the Waterhouse rninistry folJ-ow'ing the ocmpletion of the Bocthby issue 'was the first of five ministry I defeatsr wtrich have been classifieil as non-political. The rernaining for:r i¡edicate the extent to which the foznation and. seourity of any ministry in the pre-parby períod was depend.ent on the personal support of mernbers for the leader of the ministrXr. We wil1. return ín Part III to the factiona-l ma¡roeverilgs whioh 1ay at the base of these ch¿¡ges, but it is notable that on each cccasion the resignation of the leader of the rainistry prompted the resignation of the ministry as a whoIe. In 1866 IIa¡t resigned. his seat and his position as leader of the nrinistry to ma.lce a business trip to England.r ard' h-is rainistry resigned w'ith hiJn. The succee&ing Boucaut ministry retai¡¡ed.

the support of the .ê.ssenrbly for one year r:rrtil Boucaut resignecl. He was corducting a private case in ihe courbs as Iega1 representative of claima¡rts against the Moonta Mines, ancl as the n¡ín case against the nines was ttrat their leases v¡ere invaIid., he was forced to impugn goverrment

titles whi]-e Ie¿,-i-ing the government" There was litt]-e evidence that the rninistry was ot;hell''ise insecure, :--rrr: l:, fact the s.*ngle no-confid.ence motion against it in the 1866 session was easily defeaie,J..19 Blyth, the Chief Secretar¡r, resigned. the ninistry, anrl the Replster provid.eil an I obituar¡rl: 288

the occupiers of offioe ... have not d.ispla¡red arSr astonishí^r¡g ability, or manifestecl ar¡1r great p(mers, nor was it expectecl that they woulcl ... the Hctrse a¡rcl tlie Cor¡rrtry clo not erpect to have Bis¡arcks or Napoleoms at the head of a-ffairs. All that they look fon is integrity, irrlustry, a fair slu¡e of consistency, together w"ith a st¡ffícient abílity to carry on the srìmì¡1ist¡atíon oor âJld. suffioient goodness to catcb_ the feelings and vievus of the Ho¡sã of Asseurbly. æ

Borcautr s resignation as a member a¡¡l as leailer of the ninistry to becme a Jud.ge of the Supreme Courb brougþt the i¡.nned.i.ate resignaticrx of ninistry

No. J0 in 1878, ard the succeeding ninietry also ended. due to tnon-politicall reasons when its leader, Morgafi, resigned for what he callecl tprivate reasoüEll .

The Spealcer of the House of Assernbþ was involved. in the ilecislons about the tenr¡re of ministries. TVith a rn¡mben of the nrini.stries ôeperd.i4g on a¡¡ unstea{y suppont of a rnajority of the house, üd îrith absenteeis fÞcm the hciuse at relatively Ì¡igh Ieve1s, both factors whiotr will be d.iscrrssecl f\¡rbher in Pa¡t III, tied. votes on iH-visions were not Ì¡noowtrorr. 0n JuJ¡r 11, L862, during a debate on i¡rtercolonial tarÍffs, the Asse¡nb1y ref\rsed to accept a report on taråff proposals ccncerning il-istilJ.ation on the casting vote of the Speaker, who was sr¡re that rfree ctietillation would. be a cn:rse to South Australi^,,21 lhe IÍaterhouse ninistry conseguently resigned on the gror:nils that its najæ policy hacl been rejectecl. g. S. Kingston and lÏart mad.e separate a¡rcl unsuccessf\¡L attempts to fc,z*"; *s.,-,.:-icenerrt nl;r.;:-'.,.i.es, anil finalty Waterlrqrse leas requested. by trio u-ovrt'ilor to wi .¡r.j. .i.r .:i.-:i r"es.i-g..' :r)r1 â.rld continr¡e as

Þemi er. He ùicl so, with the sarne nrlrrlster'í¿rJ- Teartr, but facecl a general no-cor¡ficlsrce motiorr movecl by Bagot, on whlch ¡,].e votir¡g was again tíecl.

The speaker, I not having heard. ar¡1r satisfactory reason wtry the motion 22 2t1 shouJ-cl be ca-rried,r, voteè i¡r favour of Ï[aterhouse, but the ninistry took the vote as an expression of lack of confid.ence ard. resignecl. Agaírr, attenpts were Í¡â¿le by Ayers fron the Cor¡noil to form a new nirristry, but with no sucoess, and TÍaterhor:se adviseè a clissolution which, on this occasior¡ hacl the general support of the house. The ninistry was clefeated. ea¡\y in the ræw parliament when the lreasurer, B1ybh, was charged. w:ith absorbi:rg â75OO out of an i:nnigration assistance vote of €250@ to bal¿.nce the accor¡nts of the goverrtoent. the motion of censr¡re was carriecl, ard.

Tfaterhouse took the vienv that the rninisf,¡y haê been colleotively censurecl ard, resigned..

The seconil. involvenent of a Spealcer on a vote on a no-cor:ficLe¡rce motion was on that novefl against the Blyth ninistry of 1871-72. The vote was tied., a¡d the ninistry was d.efeated. on the casting vote of Speaker G. S. Kingstonwho e:çlailecl lI have always been of the opiniorl ... tbat when on a vote of cor¡fid.ence a ninristry does not ccrma¡d a najority it is the cluty of the Spealcer to vote as I ¿lo ,,roo, .23 Blyt*r refi¡secl to accept ttris d.eaision as one wtrich shoulil autæaticat\y briqg hís resignatiorr, arrl cor¡nselIeil the Gor¡e¡nor to d.issolve the Horse, resrrlting ín the third of the colorgrrs ertraorèinar¡r elec,tions.2L Kingston was also involved. in the clefeat of the CoJ.td, ai:ristry ín 7ß77. Following a tiecl vote on a rro-oorrficlence motion, arrd. w:ith opposition clreers, he statecl I on previous occasions I have stated. tìre lri'iiii::i"',i3.es which have guid.ed. ¡ne i¡l giving At otr castil¡g voter .'J ,.;.;11 rilis oGCås-;,:;iLi, ,r-oJ-ton as leader of the mirristry, was certain ttra'u tiie l'l'iúst:.Xr was ju-sür'-;.-i,., .-Ìr u:---t j..i,.,-r :'otr a dissolutiør, brrt he recognised. that the mood. of th* :la¡or'-ì-1"r.,' or '.!Ìe members was agai-nst thi-s, ard. resigned. his mirui"try.26 21'" The questio¡r of clissolution or resígnation was also raised by

Strar¡gwa¡rs ín 1870. llis ministzy haci faceil a¡rd' êlefeatecL two ¡ro-confidense motions tøa¡c1s the close of the 1870 sessí*rrL7 br¡t the Assenbly votecl to adjo¿rn the Hor¡se against his wishes. Strangra¡rs aclvisecl a ilissolutioat a¡:d[ the Gor¡ernor ageeeð., d.espite the overrhelmi:ng votes of both Ho¡ses this course of Both this, ard the d,issolution grarrtect against "sbiæ.28 by the Gove¡z¡or to B\rth in L872, raiseil impætarb political questions for both the Gor¡e¡rror and the parJ-j.anent, ard' ín both, ttre clecision of tïre

Gogernor was corÀden¡¡€d. by the par15-anent. lhe o¡rpoeing vl-øs Ín tbe

House were cLear, B\rth reportecl to the Âssenbly that

the Goverrnent treat the action ta.ken yester€.q1r as a ref\¡sal to give the Govenroent an¡r Supply ... lÍeIL, ttre Gor¡e¡merrt wilL not ask ttre Hor¡se fæ Sulp\y. lhey wi1l ask the lÍouse to proceed Eith no natter whatever. 29

G\r,Ë[e, leactirrg the oppos5rti-on to the ctissolution aclvice was oerüai¡r that lThe v'isest course wor¡ld' be ,.. for the Gor¡e¡ment to assiEt lrlre Gsr¡ernor ot¡t of the very dj.fftcr¡J.t position inrhioh he was placed by ... tencleriag their resignati*rr.Ð The ministr¡r restecl on its co¡stitutior¡s1 rigþt to advise for a clisso}¡tion a¡¡l ttre Gor¡ernor accepteél t]ris, d.espite the stro4g support for Gþi[e, E motíon.5í .Althcugh the najority of both Hcuses argueil vooa\y that the Goverrror sho:J-ô have allorecl the â,aserabþ to fo¡rn a ner d.rrisfu¡r, the clecision was ma-de on the basis of lnecectent, as a recent sünl¡r of a oonstitr¡tiona¡". r crj"sisl in n:rc-e'sr ti¡res has poÍ-nted. out:

I[here ¡- ,Det':¡åer is d.e'fei:-r,:,:i, .,,,, whethêÍ ;rg oan ask for a di-sl:.¡"..-¡ :.ion or rm:.st rr.^';-igl:ro äc'pe:;:r;. ¡,:-'. I ru.mber of factoru. The pri-ma:ry ctij ø*o j-ii -Ir:e a-l'a:Llability of a stable a-l-ternative govenïtîr;ra:õ :;'l^ elt As later Chapters will emphasise, it is a ulsnmer to refer to I staþle alternative goverrmentst in the colonial period., and es¡nciaf\r i-n the pre-Irabor years. Tn both of the sitr.¡atio¡rs r.¡r¡d.er òissussionr the ti-ecl votes ind.icatecl that stabiLiþ of a¡r a-lternative nir:istry was eqtlâ-Uy wrlikelJ¡, and. on this basis the Gover¡:of s d.eeision ras the colrresü one. As it ras, the intenren5rrg election was merely a repieve for B\rüh, for his ninistry was sc;r:rrd1-y d.efeated. on the first d¿y of sitting of, the nø parliament.

On tlro occasions, milistrÍes led. by .A¡rers (tfo. 11 a¡ld No. 24) facea cetunre motions cli-recteil against irdividual ninisters, a.rrd. only resÍgned as a col]ective as a last resc,rb. The Ayers ninistry (tlo. tO) of ]:86frl+ hacl been ilefeated. on a næcr¡ficlence motion which had. i¡¡ferrecl that I the eleoents of which they were conposed. were so incor¡grtrcnrs as to rer¡ilen them unable to cafry'on the business of the countüyt," Ayers resigneò, l¡Lrt then resln¡ffIed. his rrinisterial team to includ.e both the mover a¡¡cl the seconder of the censure motion, replacing .A¡dretrs w.ith R. I. Stow, and.

G1yd.e with Milne, This teohnique of stjflí¡¡g opposition by absorbtion, cornnonly useil by ninisteriaì. leailers atternpting to retain office after censrure, was critj-sised. by the 49ggl!is"r as no more tt¡a¡r t cle\¡er shrffling of the politica-l card.st rJ+ *¿ on this occasion, the tectr:rlque

¡vas notabþ unsuccessfi¡l. fhe rrew urinistry met the House a¡d Mil¡re, who had. acceptecl the porffolio of Cmissioner of Crcmn La¡d.s clespite his fo¡uer strong opposition to the I-end.s ¡roposals c,f the Ayers ministr¡r, came r¡¡¡ler strong attack.'5 l[iIne resigned., Stcr follcnnetl rin s¡mpatþt, and. the .â¡rers ministr¡r, after makiqg .¿tr.mFts to replace then yet agai¡r¡ resigned o1so. Âyers arguect in 1864, as he ùid in 1872 when the Assenb\r &> passed a censure motion against two members of his ministry (¡¡o. 2¿+), that as the censure had. been rnoveil against onþ inÀiviù¡a-t menbers of the nÍnistry a¡rêl not against the rainistry as a whoIe, then there was no necessit¡r for the ministry to resign as a whole. And it was onJ'y the fact that he was r¡¡ab1e to fi¡rd replacenents whíct¡ were satisfactory to a raajority of the Assenbly that he finally offered. the resignati-on of b.is ninistry. In.Agrerrs tez:ns, collective restrnnsibility was d.efine¿!. i"n narro$r terxts: if the ninistry as a whole 'waÉt censured., then it shor¡lcl resign as a whole; if ind.itrldual ¡nenbers îrere censured., then the nenbers cot¡l-cl be replaced., and. the collective responsibility of the niaistr¡r was not, therefore, brought into question. 0n this limitsfl sample of three cases, then, collective responsibilíty was seen in a reLatively narrclr sense.

The preced.ent for suclr replaoement of censu¡etl ¡ninisters was set þ the Ha¡rson rainistry (W". 4) in 1859. Like most of the pre-L895 ninistries, this rzas essentially a coalition of conterding leaders in the Assembly, a¡rd. internalþ r:nstabIe. As was mentioned. in Chapter II[, the Ifanson nì-:risüry set a record. of senrice which rnas to sta¡rcl for tt¡ree d.ecad.es, but it sr:¡¡¡iveil some strong attaclcs frc¡m rithín a¡rcl without.

Hart and. Re¡molds resigned frcm the ninistry in the recess follwing the 1857 session. Hart, accorùing to the &Eåg@, had fou¡d t official fr¡nctions more onerous a¡rd. less rem¡nerative than other labor¡rsl ,'6 altfrctrgþ he returned. to beccrne one of the strong lead.ers of the parlia.urent in the foJ-lcming decade, and. Re¡molds resigned thrcrugh d.isagreenents with his colleagues. Hart was replacetl by Fi-nniss a¡:iL Re¡mo1ds by Bþth, both of whom hati been manbers of fomer ill-fatecl cabinets, a fact whictr was seen 213

as both significarrt a.nd. onir¡ous ,37 Aut sutr4rort was retaj¡¡ed. througþant

the second. session. The frontal attack method. was resumed. by Strangna¡¡s when he mor¡ed. t general clissatisfactionr at the oSrening of the 1859 thild. session, based. on the a11eged. niscorduct cf the goverrm,ent in the natter

of a¡r exploring expetl-ition Ied. by Babbage, a fo:mer mer¡¡ber of the Assøb\r.

Neales attenrptecl to narror the blame w'ith a¡ amendment critical on\r of

Dutton, the Ccrnmi ssioner of Crc¡rn lands, but the general motion *" ."¡rieap

Stralgra¡rs ref\rsed to accept the responsibitity of fo:ming a new rcinistaqr,

a¡d. the Gove¡non calIed on lla¡¡,son to set the prececl.ent f on later J.ead.ers, He rescirrded. his resS-gnation a¡rl the ¡rinistry resrned.

fhe fir¡a-l ¿icrrnfa-ll of the Ïlansor¡ urini.strl¡ was inÈLicative of the fluict r¡ature of the legislative politics of the period., to wtrich we w"ill retu¡r¡ in greater iletail belcm. Reyno1d5, the fo:mer colleague, moved. to censure

Ha¡lson for entnrsting suus of money to the Agent General 5.n Lond.on before adequate secr:rities had. been amar¡ged. Despite the relatíveþ trivia-l natr¡re of the clrarge, especially in the ligbt of the na.trrre of the earlíer motior¡s which, although more serious, had brought reconst:mction rather tha¡r resignatfon, the censr-¡re motion was carried.2j-12, arÈ.IIa¡rson resigned. Ìris ninistry. To one conternporarS' observer,

the motion seems to have been brougþt fo¡wa¡d. from a mere love of change, and not frcm argr objection to the general policür ... It was taken as Ðq)ressive of the desire that the Treasury benches shculd be filled r,:ith new occuparrts, t) a¡ril such charges lrere oomnxotr. The 1865 Waterhotrse rninistry was defeated.,

(as Forster put itr) despite the fac't that there was rnothir¡g which need.ed. to h¿ve calLed. forth the censure of the Houser, but because there was a general feeling that z1+ the goverzuent-haè been a l.ong ti.ne in office lo¡e Iearr 260 dåJ¡ÉJ a¡rd. honcurable menbers were beccrnir¡g of excitement, ard. a¡xious for t:;11Ë"f: i¡"-

.A¡rd. to Coglrlan, the Playfe¡{ miniEtry of L892 tcane to gFåef ... for no other reasorl tha¡ it was trvo years o1d.t.41

Scure ¡ninistries, hwever, ha'd little opportrrnity to beccrne too tfa¡niliarl . Duttonrs ninistry of 1863 had. been fomed. entireþ fbcm the

Assembly, a¡rcl he had sought to appease the Council- by appoilting Ayens

as a mì¡aister rithotrt office or salar¡r. The result was a sor¡¡rcl clefeat

in both Houseg orr the first d.ay his ministry faced. Parliamer¡t. The

SoLcrnon rninistry of 1899 also hatl a brief life. It net the Assenbþ briefly on December 5 ard. on the follow"i-ng cla¡r rsn+ined in office fcr

seven n-irnrtes before the busiræss of the Horse was taken out of its ha¡rd.s on a motion of ad.¡orrrment.P On other occasims, ministries gr¡nriveil

a series of attaclcs. Bllrthl s 1.87;--75 ministry faceil a¡:d. d.efeatecl no less tt¡a¡¡ sjJ( no-confidence motions in its fj¡rst two sessi-ons, but a reconstn¡gt-

ion in the next recess, rhích includ.ecl the brother of the Attorne¡r Genera1

i¡ the roinistr¡r, srracked. too rrq¡ch of nepotis for the Assenbly, a'cl a

tro-pronged motion þr Tcmnsend., attacking the ninistry a¡rcL the recor¡stmction, was ca.rrieil to force the resignation whi-ch hail been sorght fcr two yeara.

Whatever the irmeèiate causes of the changes in ninistry, they were oertainl¡r constant, and. they provokecl strong co¡m,ents flom the press. the

Advertiser st¡sma^rised. a partianlarly r.¡¡stable period. in the I sixties i:c, d.espaåring te:ms: er Frc¡m ,lyens to Stovr, flcrn Stow to A¡rers, fuø .ê¡rers to Harb arrd Stcm, flon A¡¡ers, Hart and. Stcm to Bagot, fbcrn Bagot to BJ-yth, fbcm Bl¡rth to Strar¡grays; or¡ght not there to be a¡ erd. to it? .oo political pcmer ard. consístenoy have diecl cut, and. Respor¡sible govelrment must be reco¡¡stituted.. 4)

To these critical obse¡n¡ers, the instab.iliþr was caused. by a general- promotion-seeking s¡mdrone, a scraÐb1e for oflfice, by what the 39gþ!g callecl a I sublime scra¡nble, a contest for plaoer ,4 ,* th" Âdvgr¡Eiger called I that insatiate lor¡ging for the fbeasr.rrSr benches, .45 As the Reglster put j.t.

Gentle¡oen who denot¡¡¡ce each other as who$r u¡zfit ... ür¡blushj.ngly turn arorrnd. a¡:d assosiate rith those - whcm they have ilec]¿recl to be ur:fit, and thrqr overboard. those whcm they praísecl and. cø4rlimented.. the one thirtg is - to get into office; ulth frierds or ¡rith foes; with r¡en who are corrpetent, or wj-th nen rrÌro are , but - to get into off,ice scnehcm, ¡incønnetent

A¡td to th"49I9I!iEg, rthe present position ís hopeless. It is more tha¡r hopeless - it is d.isgracefuLt.ç

.A.s the situation apparentþ worsened., so rer¡e,lies were proposed. the Advertíser called. repeated.ly for the ratification of ninisters by the elect*.t"ræ but south Austraria, the one colorry which did. not incorporaüe this provision in its original cor¡stitr:tion, ræver adopted. it. In 18/O, the sa.me nervspaper suggested. that rainisters shoulil retire annralS¡r, rproduce so as to a trial of strength or:ly once a ïea¡:r.49 In 1B!0, a pamph-leteer suggested. a noveL rerne(¡r. e?L

0n the first d"Ðr of the session eactr ¡dnister shcÂrld. be electect by the H6use in wtrj.ch he is a memben, by bal-lot - not prcposeiL or secord.ecl, ncrr by any ilisst¡ssion .r¡ lrhêrr al¡r mernber gets a¡r absolute majority of, votes he should. be eleqted. r o r €verTr ni¡rister shor¡ld. be electecl by a¡r absolute rnajourity of the parliament, and continue in their several offices until the first cla¡r of the next sessi-on, .. , if such a methocl is ad.o¡rtect the parliament worrld. be char¡ged fÞom a¡r a¡ena of stn¡gglÍag oflice seekens to a iteliberative assenbly to rv obsenratffi i5i.î:"i8t*

But, expectetily, these proposals receíved. little support frcm those rho were most concerned. - those nho hacl ear.Ly expectations of a ministeri¿l post themselves.

Wirlle conteroporarXr obsen¡ers rrrere TÍá.l]ing to criticise the ir¡stability in terrns of a¡r id.eal, they were quick to South Australiar s iLefence when the constarrt ehar¡ges were criticÈsed. frcm withort " A.rtÍcles in the Lond.on press criticising the rapid. changes of, mi:eistry brcrtrgþt a quick rebuttal by the Advertiser. The I goodt of responsible goverment in So¿th Austra,lia was t soliiI, extensive, pemlanent, progressiverr a¡¡i the rha¡m was i-agitu¡ry t theo¡'etical, pretend.ed.t.5l Ccmparisons were mad.e witb the English parlianentar¡r sitr:ation, when the colonists had to dea]- with five &ifferent Impenia.I Colonia1 Secretaries i¡r the three years leacling up to the original constitutí*r.5z rn the light of rodclrs oharge that instability was I one of the most serious evils incid.ent to parliameni;ar5r trz gorrermentt ,r) t]ne Àldine ltistory ¡roduceil a poetic d.efence. al]- In fact, there was a¡rother rdefencer ageinst the clrarges. Urdotrbteclly there r¡ras a rapicl turnover of ninistries in Sotrth Australia , but thene was a relative stability of ¡uinísters, and. it is to such stabilÍty that rre nc,w tunt.

ty of the Ministqg¡

South Âustraliats early colonia-L rnlnistries included. fi-ve ministers arrd portfolios a¡¡d a sixth was addeil ínL873, variously constitutedr h¡t always including the d.epartment of education.55 As notecl aborre, the fofir two ninistries were often reconst:ructed dr:rlng their te¡:rrs of officer and' as a result, there were often more occtrparrts of portfolios tha¡r there were portf,olios. For exarrple, the forty two pontfolios of Chief SecretarXr were filled by fifty porbfolio-ho1clæs, a¡rcl on the basis of such a superficial examination the patterns of instability are strengthened.. But a cletailed. anaþsis ind.icates that while the portfolios changed ha¡rcls even more often tha¡r mini-stries rose a¡ld. fe11, there was a relatively stable core of mernbers who occtrpiecl the portfolios. Table 7:4 suma.rtses t]re com¡rarisons

of ninistry pontfolios, the rn¡mbers of ti-mes these changed ha¡rd.s ( t temst )

a¡d. the mean tine (in ¿"V") that each portfolio was occtrpied.

Table 7:l¡. .Analysis of rninístry portfol-i-os, 181/-1pO1. -¡Iotal r¡¡rnbers - Total Mea¡r lerrgth of senrice(days) of ot of ctqvs per r te¡rrr lglgigislg pæt- I tomst ni¡ris- folios ters

ChÍef SeøetarSr rp 50 27 15918 318 5Ð Attorrrey Genera-l tp ,t8 % L5918 332 665 Treasurer tp 52 25 L5Y18 fr6 637 Crc¡rn Î-e¡ld.s v 51 27 1591e 312 5n Public Worls \2 5l+ 37 L59ta 295 +n 0ther 17 28 2l+ 9708 3t+7 \or+ f otaì,¡tfean 227 283 1 64 892fi 316 545 +- In the cases of the portfolios of Ct¡5-ef Secretar¡r, Attonre¡r G,enenalt rte¡msr freafl¡rer a¡ct Gmissioner of Cbc¡wn Land.s, the total u.¡mber of was filleil by ha-lf the possible r¡.mber of irdiviÊtr¡als and, althoueþ the pro¡rortion 1s alpreciably less so in the case of the si:cth portfolio, there is evidence that all por.bfolios were ma¡ned. by the same menbers on more tha¡r one occasion. The d.isparity between the pætfoJ-ios ças clue to tbe faot that the leading menrbers of the ministries, espeoiaS-Iy the leaclers Ln tþe Cq¡r¡cliL a¡d the Assenbþ, generalþ took o¡re of the fi¡st,-three porttolios and., consequently, reoonst¡rrotíons which usually involveËl the rlesserr'-menbers in terrns of, legislative Leade¡rshipr also l-avolvecl the

J.çsser porüfo1ios.56 This patterm, ís also evide'rrt in the ana\rsis of the leqgths of seryice of lter:nsr a¡rcl ninisters, â In fact, the mi¡risterial portfolíos were cloninateil by a relatively srnalI core of members to a m.rch greater extent than ís shcnv¡r in [able 7:4.

On the basi-s of, ministers rrho senrecl a total of more than 2000 d.ays in an¡r nirristry or series of ninisbies, trelve members of, the 108 rho were at scme ti-me mernbers of a ninistrlr accorrrted for nearly two-fiftbs of the total ti-ne of ní¡rlsterial sa¡rj-oe in the colonlal period. If a basis of, so¡rice of 1000 days is used, then less ttra¡r øre tbird. of the total of members who se:¡¡ecL in ministries accor¡¡rtecl for over 7ø ú the tota-l senrice. L71 lable 7:5. Srmaly of ltemsr a¡rdl senrice of selectecl uinistens. A¡ 2000 or nore claJ¡s of, serr¡:ioe !f,iniste¡r Iü.mber of Sotal se¡flrice I temsl cLai¡s nean d4¡rs per tte¡ml

.ê¡Yers 1 t w5 2n B\rbh, A. I 1 29n 267 Êray 7 2792 t99 Coclcburn I+ 30æ 755 Dørrer, J. I9, l+ 2057 511+ Glyðe 7 22ß5 34 Gord.on 4 nfr 508 Hold.er 5 tl+'|5 68t Jer¡kins 4 to6f. 765 Kingston, C. C. ,+ 5655 99 trfi]¡re B æ,63 258 Playford 1 o 5597 56 Re¡rnolcls I 2'11\ 26/,+ Tota.ls of se:¡rice 1oneer ttn¡ æ00 dsys 1J nerr (14 æ total mi-nisters), M of, total rtamsr, ffi æ total d4¡rs of se 'c€c B: lO0O -1999 davs cf serwioe .A¡rdrerrs 7 1157 165 Bcn¡caut 7 1n+ 187 Bt:ndey 2 1062 511 Ca¡r , 1109 37o Catt 2 185r+ 917 Cavenagþ 3 1078 t59 Coles t 11'l1 tþ Colton l+ 1723 t+51 Gi]-len 2 1tt+3 722 Ifa¡rsm 2 1253 627 IIart 9 L5# 1n Harker, G. C, 4 1t+3t t58 Hc¡we Il 1357 55t+ tr[a¡ur 6 18æ 305 Morgan 3 1582 527 0rLroglrlln 1 13e5 1385 Orl,ougþì:r 2 '1551+ n7 Ransay 2 1076 5fr Ro¡nsevelJ-, W. B 6 1297 216 Stcm, R. I. ¿l 10o9 252 Stra¡lefiaJrg 7 19n 288 Osera-Ll totals: JI+ rne¿ G4 total mìrristers), 6Ø of total ttermst, 74 of total"t cla¡rs of se oe 3eo The extent to whioh these ministers ðcui¡tated the ninistries is Etrowrr þ an anaJ¡sie of the separate ponbfolJos.

Table 7:6. ånal¡rsis of, ninistry portfoJJ,oe. .4.: lnclucling members rho senrecl a total of 2000 da¡rs æ Ddrêo Portfolio gl jjggt dqys of pencentases oû total se¡nrice nen ¡ te¡msr davs

Chíef Secretar¡r I 21 7W þ tc tß Attorne¡r G€neral 4 7 6319 17 15 rp Treas¡rer 7 ù 85r8 28 \6 5l+ Crcryn l¡a¡¡le ,+ '1, ,88'+ 15 25 ?4 Pt¡bllc Worlcs 5 7 37æ 1t+ 15 23 Other 5 7 3431 21 25 35

B: inclu¿í¡g members who ser:veél a total of 10OO da¡rs on no¡re.

Chief Secretar¡r 1l+ 52 1157t 52 6l+ 73 Attowrey Genera1 11 t2 1n99 \6 67 8t lbeasurer 15 38 12262 5' 7l+ n Crc¡rn Irands 14 55 1n12 53 6g 82 Rrblio Works '16 25 10806 I+t t16 68 Othen 6 I 5649 25 29 æ

1o establish the personnel who nadle up the cone of long-senring ninisters,

both rn¡nbers of I te¡mst se¡¡recl a¡rd. the tota-l length öf senrioe was talcen

into accour¡t. Fon o

tables as he served. fcr a total of only 657 a.ags as a mirrister. On tlæ other ha¡¿l, he was a menben of six separate ministries, ard' thenefone should be incluilecl. in ar¡¡r List cf mabers who played. a greater tha¡r average role

in the colorrial rninist¡sies. The members rrho have been considereil aE

naking up the core of the colonial ailministratíors, therefone, ryere talcen

as those who ? se¡¡¡ed. fæ a total period of at least 20O0 cl4¡rs, on se:¡¡ed. in six qr more separate rninistries, or - senred foT a total peniod of at least 1000 d.q}¡s, a¡¿l wene 1eaders of, at least tso mi:ristries. 3ot

Table 7¡7. .A.nalysis of mmbers of ministerial. I Gorel .

Minister House Period of 0ccrmatioa Se:¡rÍcq

Andrems HÀ 7_1157 185748 Lawyer Ayers LA 11-Ut25 7-1t+95 L86Tn T-ønryeryFínancier Blyth ITA 11-29j7 Y 98r+ 1857-76 -Merchant Boucaut HA 7-13O1+ lF1106 1,865-78 Lawyer Bray ira 7-2792 1-1088 r875-92 Irarryer Cockbu¡re ITA trSOæ 1- .Ifl8 1885-98 Med.ico Doscner J.11. HA tr2o57 2- 969 1881-91 I¿lryer Gþde HA 7-2263 1865-94 Mercha¡rt Go¡don Tß 4-2A30 1889-1901 Rrr.ral- Entreprenor Hart ITA yr596 î 7ot+ ].857-71 Merclrant Holiler ITA 5-3t+15 2 -{39 1889-]-gol Editor/cøner Jenlcir:s HA rEloæ 1891-1901 Agent/mercha¡rt Ki¡gston G.C. TTA !-l635 1-2358 1881+-99 L,awyer Man¡r ïia 6-18æ. 1871-81 Laryer Mil¡ee IlAt/'rc 6-2063 1857-lz Mercha¡rt PIa¡Éord. IiA 10-3597 2-1¿+18 r87çy+ C'ard.ener Re¡mo1d.s ITA u2118 2- 517 ].857-73 Mercha¡rt Rou¡sevell TI.B. ITA 6-tzgl 1881-99 Merclrant Sa¡rto HA 6- 6zl 1861-68 Me¡rcha¡rt Strar¡grays H¿. 7-19fr 2- 573 1860-70 Irawye¡r

The extent to which these members d.ominated. the ministries of, the

colorria-l period. is er¡:id.errt in the fol-lcming ccm¡rarísons.

Table /:8. trûinisterial involve¡nent by tcorer menbers. Percentages of, totals in each categor¡r. Proportion of: ni:risters 12.4o : ter:ns l+7.0 : da¡rs 50.6 : prerriershiP terus 71.1+ d.ays 77.1 Proportion of portf oJ.io I tersrsr and days of senrice: I te:sosr d4J¡s Chief Secretar¡r lÉ,O );1.5 Attorney Genena1 52.1 62.7 lreasurer 69.3 7lh7 Crcmn lrar:ds 43.2 36.7 Ptrblic Tüorks 35.2 58.0 Other 25.O 35.1+ 302

The trrenty members of the paz.liament who mad.e up this rcorer of rni¡risters constituted only 12.Q1 ;he oî total members nho were mirristers a. some time prior to 1901 t Jet tlrey accounted. for ahnost half of tire total ririnisterial rtermsr, cver har-f of the total days of servf ce of arr rniniste: and ¿þe¡¿ three-quarters -uhe of tÌ:e feaders of respective ministries. As i';e11, it is notabl-e tcorer that these r,rinisters li,ere predonir:errtly in the moL:e importari't .-llreasure¡ portfoli"os, especially those of and .Attorney G-cneral' In this serise, -üfìen, i;he a¡;parent instabilÍty of the forty trnro ministlies and a ntmber of reconstructions of ninistries in the forty five yeínrs of colonial representative goveri-rment r^¡es matcl-ied. by a relative stability of personrrel, and- irre d.omina.tion of col-orúal administrations by a rel-ative:l_y srna1l ¡rurnber of mini,sters.

rt is also notable in Ïable 7z7 'ch'at the leaderslúp of the legisJ-ature Ivas, mor€j often ti:lan not, irr tl',:e he¡cls of the professional a:rd. corn¡nercial mr of ihe colorÐr. As such, tiie minj.stries and especially the rcorermernbersìi¡ enphasisecl the tmidd'le-classr n¿,.ture of the parlia:lents 3.s a 1.,*iole. Despi_tt tÌ:e enli>l:e-sis on the representation of rural- interestsr and the el-ectoral over'-r'epresentation of tire rural_ ar-ees outli¡led above, the 1egÍslative -l-erdcrsi:ip of the colony l.¡as clranr:r essentially frora tlie urban midd.l_e classes Altirough, as i&'as pointeC. out abc-.,ve, there a-re d.if'ficul-ties j-n analysing occupatlons, it is notí.ceable t..at tire patterrrs of occupations of rnenbers of t;:e cc;l-onial mi'istries uncrer-r€presented the n,"ar- interests to a greater e;,'teilt tiran legislative membersiij.p as a whole. üf ihe 1og ministers to l-9c1 , nine were pastoralistse seven were fa¡mers or o"cidists, 3o3 a¡¡it a f\¡rthe¡r nine were best olaseified. as n¡ral entrepreneurs. 0n the other bs¡ll, forty trro were professiomal nen, of !ùich no less tharr twenþ five were larryers, and thirty five ministers çere er¡gagecl primari\y iJr ccrn¡ercial a¡ril industrial occrrpatiors, nineteen beùng merct¡a¡ts. .à¡¡d tl¡e emphasis on cormeroÍal a¡d professÍcna1 men is even more eviclent in the rcorel rnembership. 0f the twent¡r men in the rcorel, eight were J-alryens, eigþt were lrcrcha¡rts orwere othe¡rise corrcomed. prl¡arify rrith ocunerci-a1 ¡nrrsuits, a¡d. gfayfo¡lËl ças the only ninister in this I eotret whose occtrpatloar was essentia{y in the nra.I sector.

The role played by Herr¡r Aye¡rs frcm the Legisl^a.tive Cc¡¡nsll is especialþ Ímportant. In all, tnent¡r th¡ee menbers of the Legislative

Co¡¡¡oiL serr¡ecl at least one te¡t as members of a ooloníal ministry, ard, these acccn-¡¡rted. fon flfty two of the total ú 283 t te:msr . lhe origtnal

Cor¡stitr¡ticar Act had. prescnibecl that there shoul.¿l be five ninisters, arlal the r¡.¡mber was incæease¿L to six in 1873, but i:¡ neither cf these Acts fia.6 there al¡r prescription that one cr more ninisters shouliL be appointeil. frcm the Upper House. However, the practice was acceptecl, ard. genera$r follcmecl, that one meurber of a ministry shotlil be frcro the l-'egislative

Cor¡r¡cil. TÐ L857 the Bal

.â,sseurb\r. fn 1865, Dutton was r.¡nab1e to fi¡d. argr member cf the Cor¡ncil willing to accept a porüfolio i¡r his ninistry (Wo. 9), but be recogniseil tho ¡lractice Í¡r the a¡rpoinfuier¡t of Ayens as a Ccn¡¡æil ninister withcnrt otfice, althcugh there was no co¡rstitutional necessít¡r for this. Again, as'was noted abore, this d.eparirure fborn practice in not having a portfollo in the Ccn¡ncil was one of the grords for the defeat of the ministr¡r. It was also 3o" the praotice that the Ccn¡ncf1 re¡rresentative shqrlô hold. the positJ.on of Chief 9ecretar¡r a¡d thbty tlrree of the totaL Ccu¡rotl rte¡msr çere L:r tJris portfolio. 0n the basiE of ary ccrparison, conter¡rora¡f,r I moile¡Tr, tþ

se¡rvice þ Henry å¡rers iE notable. Descrlbed, by one oontopæary Jotaaal ae I the clevereet at perfozning the va¡ist¡ing triokt ,57 å¡r"os was a

fou¡titatim menbe¡r of the l-egislative Co¡¡rsi1, anéL helct his seat r¡ntLl he resígnecl i¡ 1895r after thJrty seven yea¡B of r¡ribroken serrrice. He fi.¡st ap¡narecl as a miaister without portfolio in the shøË-Iived. D¡tto¡r ninùstly

of L863, anil he was the thi¡d. meuaber called to tay to fcu a replaoeuent

mtntstry.5S He resigned, a¡rd. recor¡stn¡ctecl this uinistry fn L86t+, a¡d ras i'rmed.iatell il.efeatecl on a oenstrre motior¡. Hcrvever, be ças inclucted, l¡l

the tro suaceeitlng nlnistries a¡rcl returnedl as lead,er again in 186!, Ee

leil for¡r rnone rninístries in 1867-8, 1868, rBZz anô Jß72-jt a¡rr çaa a

menber of the Oolton ni.rd.stry of 1876-7, He hact lect, or wa.s a uenber of

each of the six miaístries fucn 1865 to L865, a¡¡d, recl cr raa a reuber d

eleven of the trenty qre ruinistries fro 1865 to LBT?. 0n1y three o{¡her

men have er¡er lerl a Scr¡th Âr¡straltan nintstry fucm the legislatlve Ccr¡¡rod.l: &ottn Ba.ker for elq¡en days in 1857, G. l¡[" I[aterhotrse fæ ntne ih¡rs in 1861 a¡rl for nearly tro ¡rears, 1861-6rt a¡d' IfiILia¡¡ lforgan for al¡ost tÌ¡¡ee yearar f878-8f . We wiLL retr¡rn ln Part III of ttris shrd¡r to ttæ factio¡rar move¡nents rhioh 1ay at the baee of the apparentþ etablle Waterhcn¡se and lforgan minískies.

The choice of 4¡rere aa th€ leaile¡n of a ¡¡ir¡istr¡¡ dicl not autcmatfcafly

bring stability. rn fact, his eleven ninistriee oontalnedl coe of,

the shortest in the hùstorSr of the colorryr. OnJy tlrree of the ¡re\ren ministries led' by 4,yers lasted. more tt¡a¡r one yea¡, a¡¡1 the ott¡er fo¡r hacl J Jor an average life of, æ.ly thlrty dåys. the ninistnies j¡r çhict¡ he ças a mq¿ber rather tÌ¡¿¡r lead.er were also rela.üiveþ sltorü-Iíveil, a¡d. were cnrt of offÍoe in eleven,2þ,182 a¡¡d !O/ days respeotivel¡r" Eis selectícn by the Gove¡ndr as leacler, a:;rd ry prospectlve leaclers Ln the Assembly as a mæber ín suah a higþ proportion of ministries was due, in the nain, to his pre-enirænt position as rfatheC of the I¡egislative Ccn¡r¡cil, ard, to Ìrlg aptituile as ar acLnir¡istratæ. Hmever, as l¿ter Chapters rril1 shcrr, serr¡ice to the leglslature, arrl efficienq¡ as a leader, waË none ofte¡¡ tha¡¡ not strborilinateil to what the oonten¡rorar¡r press of,ten calteô lplaoelnrntLag!, to the lnevitable results of, a legtsl¡.tive systø basecl. on a facù1on rathen tt¡¿r¡ a por;tica,l party systæ,

Conc.lusiæ

This Ghapter has pointed. ant the instabillty of the mi:ristries in

the colonial periotlr and cn¡t1Ínecl ecoe of the reaecors fæ tt¡ei-r fl.emtEs. 0n the other hard., it was shomr that there tras a relative stabiai$r of mi¡rlsterE rrit*¡ln this patter:l of constantþ ctra¡gfng mi¡ristr:Leg. tost contemporargr obser¡rers co¡tclt¡cled that this insecn¡ratJr of nL¡¡istetr¿al cûîioe ras to the ctet¡'i¡nerrt cû re¡resentati,ne gonenment, a¡d, nost were stror¡gþ æitiaal oû the rpil¿oe-hr¡rtirrgt. others, llke the &Êåg!g!r rero eo¡roerzred. that the ocnoept otr responsible gorenme¡rt as a¡plLecl Ín So¡tJr

Är¡stralla had. orrerstresEetl rrespør^sibler a¡d. urder-€ryhasised tgweroentf .

4, pliant ninistry a¡d a tolera¡rt Asseoibþ rDaJr Eee![ to affonl ver¡r pleasant corditiono of legialation, but unf:ap¡Ë.þ they are at varia¡se Trith the workinga of tn¡e itaocratic pråncilples, No Parliament oa¡ always conducü íts h¡siness ot¡ the soût-soap cysten. ... Bhe reLa¡ced. ¡nrles of, parlianer¡ta.¡Xf cøpetitiø have to be tlgþtened agatn, a¡d looseness give m¡r to stringerqr, 59 he But onJ-y a few observers of the colorrial- politica1 soene re¿¡lised. that, to obtain stable aabinets, the system required. not onJ¡r a consideraþIe d.egree of cabinet cohesion, and. a degree of responsiveness arrd. responsibility in cabinet-legislatr:re relations, but it required. rela.tively we1l..d.efi¡red. politiaal. parties.&

Maay reasor¡s were prt forwartL for the instability of the period.; personal ambition and. place-hrnting, persona-l caprice, the lack of ar¡1r rea1.

èivisive questions suctr as foreign polic5r, the early settleuoent of t^Lre ohr¡rch-state issue, the pqlroent of ministers or the noæp4¡ment of msnbers or both, a¡lil the fact that, q.'l one of the colonies, South Austra-lÍ¿ ôicl not derna¡ld that its ministers face electoral ratificatior¡ of their appo:Lntnent.

But, while these were va'}id. reasons for the d.ernì se of, specific minísfuries, the cause of the instability over the peniocl as a whole nas the lack of political parties. Âs rrill be emphasise¿l belor, mlnistries were fo¡med. on the basis of persona-lity rather than polisy, ancl the selection of a member by a hopef\t-l perÉer wa's baseô more on the strerrgth of, suppont he wor¡ld. oanry on the floor of the llouse rather ttra¡r on his attÍtr¡cles, politics

æ adninistrative efficienqr" l[inisterial office was within the reac]r of, virtually e\rerT¡ member of the legislaù¡re, not in his capacity as a mernbetr of a rprtyr, but on hís indíviôu^a.I merits, a¡ril abiLities i¡¡ political ma¡roeurrrings, and faction poLitics. lVíthout fortalisecl rgoverzunentt and

I oppositiuf parties, the qua.ltfications for mernbership of a ministr¡r were minÍ-ua-l. To the Advertiser. t1

It is not that the Assenobly is d,estitute of men to fom a¡rother ministr¡r; nothing of the kind. There are good nen there. lhe difficulty ís that there are 16 or 20 gentl-emen, a[ resolved. a::d. Ètete¡mined. to have the four salaried. chairs in the Hotrse of Assernbly; or, on the other L¡a:rd, resolved. a¡¡d. d.etemined., that if they ca¡rr t have them, nobocly eJ.se should be alLov'¡ed. to carqr on business e ro As the House of Asserably is ncmr constitutect no govermerÉ because emselves

As CoghJ.an put it, tttrls was group govenønent, úd ever¡r petty-fogg:i^r¡g politician had his cha¡rce of a littIe, if brief , authotÉtf,rt.62

The period of the formaticrr of the Constitution, 18!1-f856, hail seen not parties, but two fairþ distinct aligrments in the tltybr¿dr Cor¡¡roi1 - the I conse:¡'ativet a-nd. the rrad.icall g:oups - which ex¡ressecl a fai^rly clear èiohotøgr in te¡:ns cf political opinion not evid.ent again for three d.eoades. Follonríng the inauguration of, responsíbIe gorenment in 1.857, the arguents in the legislatrrres ïrere not so r¡uch about pr5:rcipIes, but about means u¡A gg!þgg to acccuplish principles. lhis alIowed., ind.eed encouraged, the grow'th of personal and. grcrup interests a¡d. anbitions, a¡¡l this resultecl in a consta¡rt battle between the linsl a¡rd. the routsr which was to d.,:¡rir¡ate the legislatrrres r¡ntil the Ini¡reties. the errphasis at elections a¡ril in parliaments'was on men, not rneasres; politios was ca.ried oar by bargaining, ancl often the cabj¡¡et" 9g} the measr¡res which emerged., were based. on whå.t was acceptable rather tha¡r what was desi¡abJ-e or necessar¡r. The ninistries were mad.e, reconstrrrctecl a¡rl d.efeated not throqgh party pressures but for persor:al cr personality reasor:s. Conternpcoraríes refemetl to partÍ-es, whlctr were sr

d.ivid.ed. upon particul¿r sub jects. Ttrere is a squatting party, and. a¡r a¡ti-squatting party; a Government House party, a¡rd. a party opposed. to Gover:¡ment House i a religious enclc¡rment party, and a party u¡favourable to religi.ous erdowments;

But, as Forster orphasised., t as to well-defined J-ines of poJ-itical d.e¡¡arlca- ti-on, you might as well look for ink-spots on the to*'.65 There was little evidence of long-tenr loyalty arnong menbers of a ninistry 1et alone

anor€ members of parlia.ment. 4r5r neurber who felt he was strong enougþ to @ny rv'ith hiro rnajority supporü on ar¡Jr question, had. Iittle hesitalcy in attem¡rting to turn ort a rainistr¡r. That th.is support xoight evaporate rapid.þ was no d.eterrent. Cabinets were formed. as coalitions, often of incongnrous elenents, and were maintained. by a volatile support from other merobers who, as a conseguence, had. to be placated.. There was no fo¡rtal goverrrirrg pæty, there was no fo¡mal opposítion" Rather, there was a

rumber of lead.ers, each involved. in a legislative guerilla warfare. The

process of respor:^sibJ-e goverrslent hacl beccrne a gane, with bophies bei-ng ministerial office. As the Advertiser put it in 186l¡,

The present poJ-itica-l situation is hopeless. It is more tharr hopeless - it is d.isgraceftLl. No ntr ccnrbinations will- ad.just the diffictilties ... Parllâ.ment j-s pcmerless. It has sunk u¡:d.er the nr.le of cliquio. Tt is in the pocket of the Spealcer.... the Colorry is not nrleò on cor¡stitutior¡al princj-ples. It is ruled. by the Spea,ker, or by the 'r0lublr æ by the weelêy whist pæÐ, or ry Ba¡¡k Directors. Þ+ But was the process of lfunctionalt representation as volatile? To establidr this, to id.entify the patterns ín the 3-egislative behavj-our of individuals

arrcl groups, ald. to fosrls the ana-lysis on rftrnctionall representation in colonial- South Australia, we turzr to a study of legislative membership

and. legislative beharrior:r, to the systern of faction go\rernment which lqy at

the base of the ninisterial changes outli¡red. above. 30? Footnotes, Chapter 7 1. Citecl in G. 1ü. Rusden: op. cit., Vo1. J p. 132. 2. !ggi , Novernber 17, 1871 . )¡2 ïf . P, Reeves, , (outton a¡d c 4. D. Fisher, !P., 1870 t p. 13Q5. L A. H. Birch, r lpr_9i3.2 p.111. 6. .IE:, P' 133' 7. S. E. Finer, rThe Inèividual- Responsibility of Ministersr, cited. i¡L A. H. Birch, lp:1i3., p. 141. B. Fon the grqposes of this stucly, a¡rd. in the conteqpora¡Jr situation, I cabi¡retl anil lurinistryr r¡ere sJmorÐEÂotrs. there was no cabinet in the oolorrial ministries in the sense of a¡r inner couLittee as in ttre mod.ern situation, and. the ter::n rninistryr is usecl throughout this study to i¡rdicate the coIlecti.¡e members of the ninistry in both houses of parlianent. o A. H. Birch, s. dt., p. 20. 10. !ggå¡!gg, october 19, 1865.

11. Citecl in J. J. Pascoe, HistorT¡ of Ad.elaide ar¡l Vicinity , (Hussey ot¿ gillingfram, Adelaide, 1901) , p. 135. '12. Advertiser, Jarruar¡r 19, 1870, 13- A reconstnrction is d.efined. as a char¡ge in mi¡ristr1¡ persotnel withot¡t the resignation of that ninistry as a bofir. that is, the figure i:r the text orcludes the cases where the persorurel re¡nai¡red. r:nchangecl, but the portfolios were modified.. It shor.¡ld be notecl that nearþ one third. of reconstnrctions r\¡ere @used. by the d.eath or iIl¡ress of the i¡rcurnbent minister. The renaind.er lrere brought about for more rpolitica-1.| reasons. See below, ard Chapter IX.

1l+. See Chapters )C[ , Xlf . 15. Kir¡gston r89y99 six years, 168 êays Bray 1881-8r+ two yeats, 358 daJfs Morgan 1878-81 tro years, 27o days Ha¡son 1857-60 two years, 222 d.a¡rs Plåyford 1887-89 tro years 16 days 3 ro, 16. FolJ.ow'ing the fo¡ma1 resignation of a ninistr¡r, it remaineËl in office until its sucoessor hacl been gazetted.. This, on occasicot, took over a reek, f or reasons which will be explai-necl in Part III, a¡d this often extended. the ti¡ne of serrice beyond. the actr¿l ti-ne the ninistry spent before the parlianent. For example, the Solcmon ministry of 1899 had. a¡r offícia1 tenr of nine days fbcm Decenber 1 to B, but it faced the partianent for only tro cla¡rs, a¡rcl then on ver¡r brief occasions,

'17. See belcm for a¡r analysis of ministry memberehip. 18. lAlfi.r 188J+' P. 12. 19. E@. , 1.866, p. 617. n. g94 , ootober 1'1, L866. 21. ry., JulJr 12, 1862. 22. 5@. , 1862, p. 936. 23. Iþ5!.' 1871' p. lor8. 2r+. Fo¡r cf the sj:cbeen parlianents to 1!01 faiLeit to sr¡nrive the allotted. three yearss the second.,1.860-62; the third; 186&; the fifth, ]-:86&49 a¡rd. the sirth, 1870-71. 25. !@. , 1877, p. '|.532. 26. &ig. t p. 131+2. 27, &ig. , L869-7O¡ p, 860 and p. 1162. The first motion was ilefeateil. without d.ivisíon, the secor¡d 16-13. 28. IÞig. , p. I7)ù.. Assembþ votecl 17-8, the Cor:¡rcil 10-2. 29, &i-d., 1871 , p. 1095. 50. IÞig.r P. 11o4. 51. $ig. , p.. 112t. Assembly voted. 2O-9, the Cor¡¡¡oiJ- 8-3. 32. M. C. IÍarris, J. R. Crarrfond., iltg¡" Pcmers a¡rct Authoritíes Vestecl in Himil; The Discretionar¡r Authority of State Gove¡rrors anÀ the Pwer of, Dissolutioril, The Adelaid.e L,aw Revigr, (VoI. 2, No.3e ¡¡ay fg6g) ¡ p. 322. 15. f. Forsterr _gp¡-gi! . e p. 191. 3l+. Ailvertiser , July 22, L864. 35. See Chapter IXfof an ana-lysis of the relaticars between ninistríes, factions ard' the la¡rd. laws. 3rl 36. Sggi€, Jr¡ne 15, 1858. 37. Eg. 38. SAED.' 1858, voted. 15-13, 39. A. Forster, lP¿-9!!r.r PP' 187-8. Ào. IÞig', P' 191' 41 . T. A. Cogh1ar, jpc-gi!., VoI. l+, P. 1916. \2. See belcn'r, Chapter ]LTI, fr:r the und.erly:ing reason's. 43. Advertiser, Augsst 6, 1868. 44. Sggi€, August 27 ' L857. )+5. Adverti¡eq, March 5, 1870. /'16. Eggåglg, August 8' 186lr' l+7. Advertiser , August 6, LB6l+. 48, JÞ8., March 5, 1870. l+9. IE. 50. G. BoLLen, , (Aaetaiae, 1890), p.

51. 49g9I!¿E9L Apri1 27, L865. 52. Popr.llar Enors Concerrri¡g .AustraLia at Horne a¡d. Abroacl. ?;"i;ffi; 1866) r p¡ 11. 53. Citecl in G. W. Rusden, lp:,-9i!c, Vo1. 3, p. 131+. 5l+. The .á.ld.ine ltlsto¡r¡¡ of Sc'ttth Austraï-a, (Syaney, 1890)r pp. 151-2. 55. The sixbh ministr¡r also inc}decl tbe portfolios of Justice, Agria:lture ard. the Northern ToritcrSr, at varictrs times" 56. 0f the forty fuvo ninistry leaders, twenty took the portfolio of Chief SecretarXr, six the Attorney Genenal, nine beca¡ne the Trea$¡rer, four took the La¡rds portfolio anil three administered. h¡blic,Tlorks.

57. Reviw of P.ewiems , Decernber 15, 1890, p. 757. 58. Bagot ar¡C. Stc¡w had. been unsuccessfi¡l. Êo !ggig@, trfarch 5, I87o.