Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/520

 494 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Mr a. B. Murray For the last 20 years Mr. Murray has owned a cattle station near Warrina, where he has been a heavy sufferer by the recent droughts. He paid the late Mr. Richard Holland, of Turretfield, / 25,000 for Bookpurnong, a large station on the Murray. After he had improved the property, and obtained some profits from it, the rabbit pest compelled him to give the property up. Says Mr. Murray, in a recent issue of the Adelaide Obsci"ver, " I came out with nothing, and I was glad to get away." At one time, also, he possessed a station property at Myrtle Springs — now held by Mr. Leonard Browne, in connection with Leigh's Creek — but this likewise had to be relinquished. Those who go to the remote country of this Province suffer many such buffets from fortune. Mr. Murray expresses the opinion that the Northern country is most dangerous to touch. He says of it : — "... A man must spend a fortune before he can get water and form a station fit to go on to ; and my opinion is that he had better do something else with his money." He was one of the first Directors of Elder's Wool and Produce Company (which afterwards became Elder, Smith, & Co., Limited), and he retired from the directorate in March, 189H, after 15 years' service. But Mr. Murray has not confined himself to engaging in the primary industries of the Province. He has taken a quiet, unostentatious but useful interest in public affairs. He is, perhaps, the oldest member of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and was President as far back as 1866. In 1844 he was a member of the District Road Commissions, the forerunners of District Councils. When the District Council of Tungkillo was first formed, Mr. Murray having taken active steps to obtain its formation, he became a member, and was its chairman until he left the district. Five years after the inauguration of responsible government he was elected on May 8, 1862, a member of the House of Assembly for the District of Gumeracha. This was a by-election, caused by the retirement of Mr. Alexander Hay. At the general elections of 1863 and 1865 he was returned for the same district. Resigning on June 27, 1867, he entered the quieter arena to be found in the Legislative Council, being elected on March 19, 1869, and retaining his seat till February 2, 1877, but was again returned on July 7, 1880, under the original electoral roll, when the whole Province voted as one constituency. Mr. Murray finally retired from parliamentary life on April 14, 1888. As a member of Parliament he did not speak often ; but when he did address the Chamber, it was always with effect. In all matters concerning the development of the country and the land laws he was able to render useful service. It cannot, however, be said that he was fond of the glamour of public life ; though on one occasion he defeated the Government when it brought in a Bill to put the South-Eastern District in quarantine because of the Huke disease in sheep. P'or many years Mr. Murray has lived in retirement. At the special request of Sir R. D. Hanson, late Chief Justice, many years ago he accepted the commission of a Justice of the Peace. He has been twice married, his second wife being a sister of the late Mr. George Tinline, one time manager of the Bank of South Australia. The facts already dealt with are sufficient to prove the extent of the obligations which South Australia is under to Mr. Murray. He has greatly helped in building up the pastoral industry, and from his energy thousands of people have gained benefit.