Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/63

  The Bushrangers of Van Diemen's Land," "Bible Stories for Young Australians," "Astronomy for Young Australians," etc.

Bonython, John Langdon, J. P., was born in London, Oct. 15th, 1848. He is a son of George L. Bonython, and is descended from an old family—the Bonythons of Bonython, and Carclew, in Cornwall. At an early age he went with his parents to South Australia, and was educated in Adelaide. He joined the literary staff of The Advertiser, which is the popular journal of South Australia. Having served as reporter and sub-editor, he became some years ago the editor, which position he now fills. In 1879 he entered the proprietary of The Advertiser and associated journals (The Express, an evening paper, and The Chronicle, a weekly paper); and eventually the firm, which had been Barrow & King, became Burden (Mr. F. B. Burden, J.P.) & Bonython. When the Adelaide School Board was appointed, Mr. Bonython was nominated a member. In 1883 he was elected chairman, and at the present time holds that office. He was a member of a board appointed by the Government in 1886 to consider the question of technical education. As recommended by this Board a School of Mines and Industries was established, and Mr. Bonython was made a member of the Council, which included some of the best known and most representative men in the colony. The first chairman, Dr. Cockburn, having soon after his appointment to resign through becoming Premier, Mr. Bonython was unanimously elected to the position, which he now occupies. He was one of the local commission for the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888. He is a justice of the peace, a member of the council of the South Australian branch of the Geographical Society of Australasia, and vice-president of the South Australian Cornish Association. Mr. Bonython is recognised as a shrewd politician, who has probably had as much influence on the legislation of the country as men actively engaged in politics. To his untiring energy the success of the journals with which he is connected is largely due.

Boothby, His Honour Benjamin, sometime Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia, son of the late Benjamin Boothby, was born at Doncaster in Yorkshire on Feb. 5th, 1803. He was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1825, and became Revising Barrister for the West Riding of Yorkshire, and Recorder of Pontefract. In Feb. 1853 he was appointed Second Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia, and was sworn in on Oct. 17th, 1853. Soon after his arrival he manifested a dislike to colonial enactments, which he did not attempt to conceal. The words " "ultra vires" and "repugnant" constantly figured in his judicial pronouncements, and he protested from the bench against the validity of the appointments of his colleagues, Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Gwynne. Twice the Parliament passed addresses for Mr. Justice Boothby'a removal from the bench, but in vain. He had warm defenders in Parliament, and one ministry resigned on account of differences of opinion in the Cabinet with regard to the action to be taken. Some of his decisions against the validity of the South Australian statutes were confirmed on appeal to the Privy Council, and this greatly encouraged him in his warfare against things colonial. Several validating Acts were passed by the Imperial Parliament to give force to the South Australian laws or remove doubts concerning them. Still the judge was not more practicable. Suitors suffered seriously from delays and obstructions in the Supreme Court, and at last business in that tribunal was brought into such a condition that it was necessary for the Executive to take decided action. Several years before Mr. Justice Boothby arrived in the colony grand juries had been abolished, Parliament regarding them as useless. Soon, if not immediately, after his arrival the judge expressed his strong disapproval of this innovation; but still he tried prisoners without grand juries for about thirteen years, and then, at a particularly heavy criminal sittings, declared that the accused persons on the calendar could not legally be tried without a grand jury. They were all kept in gaol or had their bail renewed, as the case might be, till the next criminal sittings, when another judge tried them. This was the occasion of the second unsuccessful Parliamentary Address to the Queen for Mr. Justice Boothby's removal. He was not allowed to preside at a criminal sitting again; when his turn came round he was prevented, by a 47