Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/286

 260 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Hon. R.W. Foster done good work in Parliament. He was for a number of years a member of the Ouorn Council, and for three consecutie years occupied the mayoral chair. For several years he was chairman of the local School Hoard of Advice, and was identified with agricultural societies. When, therefore, he offered himself in 1893 to the electors of Newcastle, for the District of Newcastle, in the House of Assembly, it is not surprising that he was successful ; and so well did he carry out his duties in the ensuing Parliament that he was returned at the head of the poll in April, 1896, and again In the general elections in 1899. His special forte in politics is land legislation, and he gives an earnest support to all movements aiming at improving the position of the farmers and graziers, In the numerous and serious debates which have taken place on the land laws he has been a prominent figure ; and because of his personal knowledge and study, he is able to speak to some purpose. When the unfortunate drought of four years ago was at its worst, he heartily advocated the cause of the sufferers, and took a foremost part in the questions of gratuitous distribution of seed wheat and commonage for farmers' stock. He used his inlluence to have seed wheat advanced to distressed agriculturists, and not only earned their gratitude in that respect, but also went to considerable trouble to secure commonage for graziers at a nominal price, where feed was more plentiful, so as to save their stock. The Government acquired an area in the Cooper district, and between William Creek and Oodnadatta, and offered it for grazing purposes, with the result that no fewer than 7,000 horses were dispatched from various districts in the North to this locality. Mr. Foster, on behalf of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, had inspected the area, and, moreover, went to the trouble of overlooking the trucking of the stock to Oodnadatta. The animals remained in the Far North during the most severe period of the drought, and the bulk of them were saved and returned to their owners in fair condition. When the Kingston Ministry resigned in 1899, Mr. Holder took Mr. Foster in as his Commissioner of Public Works — a selection which has proved most satisfactory both to the Ministry, to the Parliament, and to the community. It is certain that his constituency thoroughly appreciates Mr. Foster's useful services. He is a man of strength in debate, and of general business acumen, and he worthily upholds the dignity of his responsible position. The late Hon. G. C. Hawker. BORN in London on September 21, 18 18, the late Hon. G. C. Hawker arrived in South Australia on September 6, 1840, settling near Clare. Mr. Hawker suffered many hardships in the earlier years of his career, but by steady perseverance and a firm belief in the future of the Province created a magnificent estate known as Bungaree, with an area of 80,000 acres. He was first elected to Parliament on January 5, 1858; was Speaker from April 27, i860, till January 25, 1865. Altogether Mr. Hawker sat in Parliament for more than 26 years, and served as a Minister of the Crown an 'iRgregate of 1,422 days, having been Treasurer in the Blyth Ministry of 1875, Chief Secretary in the Boucaut Ministry of 1876, and Commissioner of Public Works in the Boucaut and Morgan Ministries of 1877-81. He died May 21, 1895, and was accorded a State funeral.