Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/278

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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ment. In 1888, as Attorney-General in the Playford Government, he took charge of the bill for securing the entry of South Australia into the Federal Council, and after a severe struggle succeeded in securing its adoption. With Mr. Playford he represented South Australia at the session of the Federal Council held at Hobart in Feb. 1889, and his colleague being elected President, he undertook the moving of resolutions for enlarging the membership of the Council, to give effect to wishes which were generally expressed in South Australia when the adopting bill was under discussion. These resolutions were successfully carried, and were approved by the South Australian House of Assembly and by the Legislatures of all the federated Colonies, but the hostility of a small majority of the South Australian Legislative Council prevented their final adoption. On the fall of the Playford Government in June 1889, Mr. Kingston became a prominent member of the opposition to the Cookburn Ministry, and on their overthrow in 1890 he was asked by his old leader to take his former portfolio, but, in accordance with a resolution previously expressed, he declined the offer, but consistently supported the Playford Administration until he joined them as Colonial Secretary in succession to Sir John Bray in Jan. 1892. He was acting Premier of the colony during Mr. Playford's absence in India from Jan. to May of that year, and went out of office with his colleagues when they were defeated on Mr. Holder's want of confidence motion in June. During the session of 1891 he prepared and introduced a bill designed for the settlement of industrial disputes by means of boards of conciliation. This measure is admittedly more complete than any which have been previously introduced to the notice of any Australian legislature. Mr. Kingston was practically unanimously elected by the members of the South Australian House of Assembly as one of their delegates to the Sydney Federation Convention. He has always consistently advocated Australian federation for national purposes. In 1889, in recognition of his political services, he was permitted to retain the title of "Honourable" within the province of South Australia. At the Sydney Convention he was one of the three draftsmen who assisted Sir Samuel Griffith in the preparation of the bill for constituting the commonwealth of Australia.

Kingston, Hon. Sir George Strickland, son of George Kingston, of Bandon, Cork, Ireland, was born in 1807, and arrived in South Australia with Colonel Light, the first Surveyor-General, in August 1836. On the resignation of Colonel Light in March of the next year, Mr. Kingston was appointed acting Surveyor-General, and supervised most of the early surveys of the colony. He was made Deputy Surveyor in 1838, Inspector of Public Works in 1839, and Town Surveyor in 1840. He opposed the admission of convicts in 1845, and the granting of State aid to religion in 1848. He was returned to the mixed Legislative Council for the Burra in 1851, and to the first Legislative Assembly in 1857, when he was elected the first Speaker. This post he held from April 1857 till March 1860, when he lost his seat. He was, however, again returned for the Burra, and re-elected Speaker in March 1865, occupying the chair of the House till Dec. 1880, during which period he had been five times unanimously re-elected. He was knighted in 1870. Sir George married first, in 1829, Harriet Ann Stuart, daughter of Captain Felix MacDonough (who died in 1839); secondly, in 1841, Ludovina Catherine da Silva, daughter of Lieut.-Colonel Charles G. Cameron (who died the same year); and thirdly, Emma Mary Ann Catherine Berry, daughter of Captain Thomas Lipson, R.N. He died at sea on Nov. 26th, 1881, whilst on a voyage to India to recruit his health.

Kintore, Right Hon. Algernon Hawkins Thomond Keith-Falconer, 9th Earl of, G.C.M.G., Governor of South Australia, is the eldest son of the 8th Earl and Louisa Madaleine, second daughter of Francis Hawkins. He was born at Sixmount House, near Edinburgh, on August 12th, 1852, and married, in 1873, Lady Sydney Montagu, daughter of the 6th Duke of Manchester. Lord Kintore, who succeeded to the title on the death of his father in 1880, was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1874 and M.A. in 1877. In 1885 he was appointed

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