Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/282

 256 ADKLAIDE AND VICINITY T Hon. Laurence O'Loughlin, M.P., Comniissiotur of Crozou Lands and Minister of Mines HERE is no more important position in the Cabinet of an Australiim colony than that of the administrator of lands, mines, and forests. To his care and control are entrusted the most vital interests of a new country. Consequently it is found that, where the administration is most effective in the colonial group, the post of Minister of Lands is filled by a man who not only possesses an intimate accjuaintance with the cultivation of the soil, but also knows how to turn that expert knowledge to account for the general good of the community. The present Government of South Australia (writing in 1900) has for its Lands Minister a man who in every respect may be said to adequately fill the position. A practical agriculturist, Mr. O'Loughlin is also, from long experience, intimately acquainted with pastoral requirements in a country where seasons are un- certain and the shepherd king of to-day may be the bankrupt of to-morrow. F"urther than that, he is devoted to the industry that, tailing within his Ministerial care, is also second to that only of wool- growing in Australia. The clay will probably come when the living sheep will have to yield to the dead gold a.s the champion [)r(jduct of Australia. The period of mighty squattages is done ; and the mineral i)ids fair to replace the animal in a land where deadly drought is prevalent. Not yet, however, is gold uppermost in the list of South Australian products. l'"ariiiaceous are her wares. South Australian wheat has topped the price in the world's market ; and the grain-raising interest is the backbone of this Province. Fitting is it, therefore, that the Minister of Lands should be a tiller of the soil. Mr. O'Loughlin's father was an early .setder near Virginia, and he himself was born at SalLsbury, on the Adelaide Plain.s, on February 21, 1854. He was educated at Adcock, I'h'jui