Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/399

 Sir ]. H. Symon ADELAIDE AND VICINITY i7^ obstinate witnesses invariably redounds to their discomfort, and the success of his own case. Sir Josiah has been engaged in the most celebrated cases in the annals of South Australian jurisprudence during the past 24 years, and his greatness as a lawyer is known in the most remote parts of the Province. Notwithstanding the excessive demands of his large practice, Sir J. H. Symon evinces an absorbing interest in public affairs. He served the district of Sturt in the House of Assembly for six years. On his return in March, 1881, from a year's holiday in America and Europe, he took office as Attorney-General in the late Sir William Morgan's Ministry without ever having been in Parliament ; and he fought the Sturt constituency a month later for that Ministry and won the seat, his colleague in the re|:)resentation being the late Mr. William Townsend. Upon the meeting of Parliament in June, Sir William Morgan, owing to the position of his private affairs, found it necessary to resign office; and as neither Mr. G. C. Hawker nor Mr. T. Playford (the senior members of the Ministry) was then prepared to form a Ministry, all the members, including Sir Josiah, resigned with their chief. He was again returned for the Sturt at the general election of i'884. When the new Parliament met it was the unanimous wish of the Opposition he should be its leader ; but although he declined this honor, owing to the increasing demands of his profession, he was mainly instrumental in ejecting the Bray Ministry from office in June. It was succeeded by the Colton Ministry, to which .Sir Josiah during the session gave powerful independent support. Very shortly after the new Ministry took office, the late Mr. Justice Andrews died. The vacant judgeship was offered by Sir John Colton to Sir J. H. .Symon, who declined it. It was then offered to, and accepted by, Mr. (now Justice) Bundey. Sir J. H. .Symon continued in the Assembly till 1887. As a politician, he spoke his mind without fear or favor ; and he proved a very strong support to his side in debate. There are few subjects of legislation upon which he did not make his mark. His influence in Parliament was potent. He specially distinguished himself in his advocacy of free trade, the independence of the Judiciary, liberal pastoral legislation, in his opposition to the Federal Council Bill, and in his persistent, earnest, and eloquent advocacy session after session of the abolition of oaths in courts of justice. His speeches on some of these subjects have been separately printed. At the general election in 1887 he paid the [)enalty of beine a staunch freetrader bv being defeated on that ground for the district of Victoria, in the South-P!ast, to which he had unfortunateK' been induced to offer his services, instead of remaining with the -Sturt. .Since then he has declined all invitations to re-offer himself for the local Parliament. He has held many public positions in South Australia, and has done good public service both in and out of Parliament. He was for years President of the South Australian Free Trade League, and for services in that cause he was elected an honorary member of the Cobden Club ; he was President of the P'ederation League, President of the Commonwealth League, a member of the University Council, and President of the Literary Societies' Union. He takes an active interest in the Home Reading Union, and is President of the Home for Weak-minded Children. In the various interests of these different bodies he has delivered elociuent speeche.s. .Sir Josiah Symon's literary sympathies and gifts are widely known, and whether in the