Sir William Milne
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President of the South Australian Legislative Council | |
In office 25 July 1873 – 19 April 1881 | |
Preceded by | John Morphett |
Succeeded by | Henry Ayers |
Chief Secretary of South Australia | |
In office 30 May 1870 – 22 January 1872 | |
Premier | John Hart Arthur Blyth |
Preceded by | Augustine Stow |
Succeeded by | Henry Ayers |
Member of the Legislative Council of South Australia | |
In office 19 March 1869 – 19 April 1881 | |
In office 9 March 1857 – 20 April 1868 | |
Personal details | |
Born | (1822-05-17)17 May 1822 Glasgow, Scotland |
Died | 23 April 1895(1895-04-23) (aged 72) Mount Lofty, South Australia |
Nationality | British |
Spouse | Eliza Disher |
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Sir William Milne (17 May 1822 – 23 April 1895) was an Australian entrepreneur and politician, serving as the member for Onkaparinga in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1857 to 1868. He was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1869,[1] and was President of the South Australian Legislative Council from 25 July 1873 to 1881.[2]
Born in Wester-Common, near Glasgow, Milne was educated in Glasgow and emigrated to South Australia, arriving in the PalmyraatPort Adelaide on 29 October 1839, where he married Eliza Disher on 4 March 1842. He formed a partnership with brother-in-law James Disher as wine merchants and as "Disher & Milne", in July 1846, purchased the Hindley Street wine and spirit business of Patrick Auld, who was returning to England.[3] The business was highly successful, eventually becoming Milne and Company.
In 1857 Milne sold his distillery and was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly as one of the members for Onkaparinga. Milne served as commissioner of Crown Lands and immigration in the ministry of John Baker from 21 August to 1 September 1857, under Richard Hanson from 5 July 1859 to 9 May 1860, under Henry Ayers from 22 July to 4 August 1864 and under James Boucaut from 28 March 1866 to 3 May 1867. In the ministry of George Waterhouse, Milne served as Commissioner of Public Works from 19 February 1862 to 4 July 1863, and in the Arthur Blyth ministry from 4 August 1864 to 22 March 1865.[1][4]
Milne transferred to the Legislative Council in 1869 and was elected its president in 1873, serving until his retirement in 1881.[4] Milne served as chief secretary in the John Hart ministry from 30 May 1870 to 10 November 1871 and under Blyth from 10 November 1871 to 22 January 1872.[1]
When Milne was in the Crown Lands Department, he introduced a regulation to encourage farmers to buy land; introduced an amendment to the Scab in Sheep Act which helped to eliminate the disease; and introduced drainage to reclaim tracts of land.[1]
Milne was a member of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society and its president from 1860 to 1861.
Knighted in 1876, Milne died at "Eurilla", Mount Lofty, in 1895.[5]
William Milne married Eliza Disher (c. 1818 – 17 August 1912), daughter of John Disher of "Byethorne", Nairne, South Australia in 1842; they later lived at "Sunnyside", Glen Osmond; they had a large family:
Eliza Milne's sister Margaret "Minnie" Disher (died 11 April 1900) married James Johnston (1818 – 12 April 1891), one of the Johnston brothers of Oakbank.
Parliament of South Australia | ||
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New district | Member of Parliament for Onkaparinga 1857–1868 Served alongside: William Dawes, William Townsend |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Member of the South Australian Legislative Council 1869–1881 Served alongside: Multiple Members |
Succeeded by
William Buik |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by | Commissioner of Public Works 1862–1863 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Commissioner of Public Works 1864–1865 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Chief Secretary of South Australia 1870–1872 |
Succeeded by |
South Australian Legislative Council | ||
Preceded by | President of the South Australian Legislative Council 1873–1881 |
Succeeded by |
International |
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People |
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Other |
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