Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/223

 CHAPTER XI CONCLUSIONS 1889-99 Chequered years— Lord Kintore — Dr. Cockburn and Mr. Playford's Ministries — Maritime strike — Bad harvests — Broken Hill strike — Mr. F. W. Holder, Premier — Sir John Downer in office — The Kingston Government — Legislative Council Franchise — Series of lean years — Wine making — Financial collapse — Decrease in stock returns — Exports and imports — Public finances — Western Australian Goldfields — Village settlements — Homestead blocks — Democratic legislation — Government measures — Federation — Railways — Governor Buxton— -Lord Tennyson — City depressed — Municipal records — Adelaide in Nineties — The suburbs — Wave of Patriotism. I HI'^ past eleven years of South Australian history present a picture that has many lights and shades. There have been prosperous years and years of depression ; but on the whole substantial, if not rapid, progress has been made. The periodical droughts to which Australia is liable affect general industry and commerce more intensely than they would a thickly-inhabited and comprehensively-cultivated country possessed of other resources than those found in the soil. But the droughts, strikes, and financial crises — mere incidents in history — have taught useful lessons which are not all forgotten. Business has become healthier in tone, and a useful momentum has been given to the establishment of new industries. The years 1889-99 b^ive demonstrated that the South Australian people are patient and self-reliant, that they can suffer and struggle and persevere with becoming fortitude. The events to be recorded in this chapter begin with the arrival of the Karl of Kintore, on April 11, 1889, to succeed Sir W. C. F". Robinson as Governor. Lord Kintore was an M.A. of Cambridge, was Captain of Her Majesty's Body Guard in 1886, was sworn in as a Privy Councillf)r in the same year, and was a Deputy- Lieutenant for Aberdeen and Kincardineshire. He posses.sed no experience in the colonial service, nor 197