Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/354

 328 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Hon. Alfred Catt, M.P. (Chairman of Cowwitlccs of tin- Ihmsc of Assembly) -i.'.^-iju .».:.'* 3!B!ar-EE^ AMONG the solid and reliable |K)liticians of South Australia the name of the Hon. Alfred Catt holds an honored place. During a long series of years Mr. Catt has represented in the Assembly one of the most important agricultural districts in the Province ; and that he has for so long a period secured the suffrages of the electors of the wheat-growing district of Gladstone is in itself a signification of his worth and of his acquaint- ance with the wants of the country population. Hut Mr. Catt not only secures the respect and votes of electors, he has also obtain(d the suffrage of the elected of the people. On June 5, 1890, he was appointed Chairman of Committees of the House of Assembly, and he has filled that position to the credit of the House and to the credit of himself. His impartiality, geniality, tact, and constitutional knowledge, com- bined with a decision of manner and firmness of mind when con- fronted with difficulties of par- liamentary procedure, peculiarly qualify him for his difficult position. Alfred Catt was born at Newington, near Sittingbourne, Kent, in 1833. When 16 years of age v. came to .South Australia, and for 10 years was farming r.t Balhannah and .Strathalbyn, making a thorough study of agriculture. He soon began to take an interest in the public well-being of these places ; and it was not long before he became a councillor of Strathalbyn, and later Mayor of that town. Afterwards he became chairman of the (Gladstone District Council ; and his deliberations and actions in consort with these local bodies showed him to be a man of .solid understanding, who was destined to step beyond the rather circumscribed limits of municipal provincialism. Taking a survey of the then existing land legislation, he made a thorough study of its potentialities, and it was not surprising that he, in 1881, received a requisition from the constituency of Stanley to become a candidate for their Hammer & Co., Photo