Richard Butler (Australian politician)

Richard Butler
23rd Premier of South Australia
Elections: 1905, 1906
In office
1 March 1905 – 26 July 1905
Monarch Edward VII
Governor Sir George Le Hunte
Preceded by John Jenkins
Succeeded by Thomas Price
Personal details
Born December 3, 1850
Stadhampton, England, UK
Died April 28, 1925 (aged 74)
South Croydon, England, UK
Political party Conservative

Sir Richard Butler KB (3 December 1850 – 28 April 1925) was an Australian politician and Premier of South Australia.[1]

Early life

Butler was born at Stadhampton, near Oxford, England, elder son of Richard Butler, pastoralist, and his wife Mary Eliza, née Sadler. The family emigrated to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide on 8 March 1854. Butler was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, then spent many years as a farmer and grazier. He was a Justice of the Peace before he was 30.

Political career

Butler attempted to enter parliament early in 1890 when he stood for Yatala but was defeated. A few months later he won the seat at a by-election caused by the death of one of the seat's sitting members, James Cowan. On 13 April 1898 he succeeded Cockburn as minister of agriculture in the Kingston ministry which resigned in December 1899. Yatala was abolished in 1902 and Butler represented Barossa from 3 May 1902 to 4 April 1924.[1]

Butler was Treasurer in the Jenkins ministry 15 May 1901 to 1 March 1905, and was also Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration from 1 April 1902 to 1 March 1905. Jenkins then went to London as Agent-General. Butler succeeded him as Premier, still keeping his previous portfolios. His ministry was defeated on 26 July 1905 and he was in opposition for about four years. On 22 December 1909 Butler joined the first Peake ministry as Treasurer and Minister for the Northern Territory, but the ministry was defeated on 3 June 1910. Butler was Commissioner of Public Works in the second Peake ministry from 17 February 1912 to 10 November 1914 and Minister of Mines and of Marine from 17 February 1912 to 3 April 1915.[1] He was Treasurer once again and Minister of Railways in Peake's third ministry from 14 July 1917 to 7 May 1919, and Minister of Agriculture 19 December 1918 to 7 May 1919.[1]

Butler left the ministry in controversial circumstances. The report of the Royal Commission on the Wheat Scheme appeared to reflect on the actions of Butler while he was the minister in charge of it, and Peake asked Butler to resign. He refused to do so because he considered that that would admit the justice of the charges. The Executive Council, on the advice of the government, thereupon dismissed Butler from his offices. The report of another royal commission presented some 14 months later was, however, accepted as clearing him of guilt; also the fact that he was elected Speaker in 1921 suggests there had been injustice. He was defeated at the general election of 1924 after having represented basically the same district for 34 years.[1]

Late life

At the beginning of 1925 Butler went on a trip to England and died at South Croydon on 28 April 1925. Butler was made a knight bachelor in 1913. He had married Helena Kate Layton in 1878 and Ethel Pauline Finer in 1894, who survived him. He had eight children by his first marriage and three by his second.

Butler's son, Richard Layton Butler, was twice premier of South Australia (1927–30 and 1933–38). His great-grandson Mark Butler is a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Hon Sir Richard Butler". Former Member of Parliament Details. Parliament of South Australia.


Preceded by
John Jenkins		 Premier of South Australia
1 March 1905 – 26 July 1905 		Succeeded by
Thomas Price