Richard Hanson (Australian politician)

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For the Canadian politician called Richard Hanson, see Richard Hanson.

Sir Richard Davies Hanson (December 6, 1805, London - March 4, 1876), was the fourth Premier of South Australia, from 30 September 1857 until 8 May 1860, and chief justice of South Australia.

Admitted a solicitor in 1828, he practised for some time in London. In 1838 he went with Lord Durham to Canada as assistant-commissioner of inquiry into crown lands and immigration.

In 1840, on the death of Lord Durham, whose private secretary he had been, he settled in Wellington, New Zealand. He there acted as crown prosecutor, but in 1846 removed to South Australia.

On his arrival in the colony of South Australia in 1846, Hanson immediately set up a legal practice. He served as Advocate-General and Attorney-General for the colony before election to the seat of Adelaide.

In 1851 he was appointed advocate-general of the colony and took an active share in the passing of many important measures, such as the first Education Act, the District Councils Act of 1852, and the Act of 1856 which granted constitutional government to the colony. In 1856 and again from 1857 to 1860 he was attorney-general and leader of the government.

After leaving parliament, Hanson replaced Sir Charles Cooper as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia in 1861. He was knighted in 1869, and was acting Governor of South Australia for 1872–1873. He died in Australia on the 4th of March 1876.

External links

[SA Parliament - Hanson]

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