Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/160

 134 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Producers not productive of |>ersonaI animus. " The bitter rancour of political life which is seen in some countries is comparatively unknown in South Australia. It is not that our public men do not feel strongly on political questions, but we are so closely mixed up in social and business life that we cannot afford to allow political asperities to pass beyond the region of politics." In i860. Mr. J. H. I-isher, who was President of the Legislative Council from 1857 to 1865, was knighted. He was succeeded by Mr. John Morphett, the res|)ected pioneer, who resigned in 1873. Mr. G. S. Kingston was S])eaker of the House of Assembly from 1857 to i860, when Mr. G. C. Hawker was elected to that high office. In 1865 Mr. Kingston was again elected Speaker, a position which he held until his death in 1880. In 1869, Messrs. Morphett and Kingston were knighted. The close of (iovernor Daly's administration was sudden and sad. During the Ministerial crises, and the imparted into political an impartial attitude, power. His health had and he died at Cjovern- 19. 1868. "The end was literally in harness. Not been made a day or two of the E.xecutive Council the time that he breathed engaged in |niblic business final .seizure." Three days place, and from 14,000 the route to the cemetery none but friends behind career was singularly free effect, but all who study it the genuine charac- He interested himself in to benefit the country. Robert Richard Torrens heat that was often discussions, he preserved whatever Ministry was in become seriously impaired, ment House on February sudden, and he died only had arrangements before to hold a meeting within an hour or two of his last, Init he was inunediately before the later the funeral took to 15,000 persons lined It was Slid that " he left him . . . . His from tinsel and dramatic his biography will find in teristics of human worth." all movements calculated The unstable phases of the first Parliaments were but things of the hour in comparison with the magnificent repute which one of the earliest measures attained. This was the famous Real Property Act, since known in almost every civilised country. The originator was Mr. R. R. Torrens, whose name is familiarised by being used in most references to the measure in (juestion. He was born in Cork, Ireland, in 18 14, and obtained the M.A. degree at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1841 he was appointed Collector of Customs under the South Australian Government, and during his connection with the Elxecutive drafted his celebrated Bill. In 1863 he returned to p:ngland, was knighted, and for some time represented Cambridge in the House of Commons.