Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/369

 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 343 The late Mr. Samuel Tomkinson THE late Mr. Samuel Tomkinson was for many years, and up to the time of his death, one of the best-known figures iii Adelaide. During a long puljlic career he pursued his own way, and followed a policy sug"gest(d by his principles altogether independent of popularity. He was born in Wales, and educated priately. At the early age of 12 years he was a])prenticed in the office o( a West Indian merchant in Liverpool, and after fulfilling his time he went in for banking, which profession he ff)llowed from 1836 to 1850. In th(latter year he received the appointment of Manager of the Bank of Australasia in Adelaide. Arriving in South Australia in .September, 1850, he at once took up his duties, and for 28 years he continued to manage; the Adelaide branch of the bank. This period was one of much moment, and those years in the " fifties " .saw Adelaide and South Australia generall)- pass through many im- portant changes. Mr. Tomkinson now became identified with public and semi-public affairs in the Province, and eventually found his wav into the more stormy arena of politics. It is little wonder that he did, for in iMigland he had taken a leading part in the great Corn Law agitation, and marched in association under the banner of the illustrious Hammer C-' Co., Photo Johu Bright and the noted R'chard Cobden. He opened his public career in the Province by becoming a member of the Royal Commission which, in 1853, was appointed to enquire into the system of State accounts, of which body he was appointed chairman. Other Commissions upon which Mr. Tomkinson sat subsequendy were respectively appointed to investigate and report upon the Education Board, the liciuor laws, and the Police Department. He was twice Chairman of the South Australian Chamber of Commerce. In order to ascertain the real character of the rush to the Victorian goldfields