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Hon. Sir R. c. Baker ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 245 and Colonial Exhibition the^n about to be held. The; various proposals of Sir Richard's scheme were submitted to a Dt^partmental Committee a^jjointed l)y the British Government, and, after a searching and careful investigation, were recommended without modification (except as to unimi)ortant details), and were subsequently adopted by the House of Commons. Thus Sir Richard may be said to have federated the Australian Colonies so far as external postal matters were concerned, and this no doubt gave him a stimulus in his exertions (to which reference is hereafter mad(;) to aid in completing the federation of the Australian Colonies. Sir Richard was the first and only Australian who (!ver specially represented the Australian Colonies as a whole in England, in any important matter, with power to act on his own reponsibility. In recognition of the success of his mission he received the title ofC.M.G. ; al.so the official thanks of the various Governments of the Australian Colonies and the British Post Office. Both in and out of Parliament Sir Richard has delivercxl many interesting and able speeches. As an appendix to this volume is published a valuable contribution from his pen, describing the origin, growth, and present features of the Constitution of South Australia. As Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Sir Richard Baker did valiant service. To him is assigned the credit in 1870 of initiating the action which ultimately, years after, led to the placing of the Audit Commissioners in a position independent of the Government. When the delegates were appointc^d to rej)resent the Province at the F"ederal Convention held in Sydney in 1891, .Sir Richard Baker w>is elected as one of the representatives of .South Australia, and by his great knowledge of the subject, materially influenced the results of the Convention. The handbook on P'ederation which Sir Richard had written for the use of the delegates, dealing with the whole complex and intricate subject, proved of immense service in the work of the Convention as a book of reference, summarised exposition, and exegesis. On ])erusing this hook, " The hederal Manual, " it will be found that the P'ederal Constitution, framed by that Convention, follows, both in its principles and in its details, almost word for word the lines laid down by .Sir Richard. Sir Richard was appointed to th(; high and honorable office of the Presidentship of the Legislative Council of .South Australia in Decemiber, 1893, amid expressions of the respect and goodwill which the members felt towards him. His ability, his lengthened experience in the Council, his intimate acquaintance with Constitutional law, and his un- doubted knowledge of the various forms and rules of the House, qualified him in every way for the most honorable and exalted duties. Previous to his elevation to the Presidentship, Sir Richard was for a long time the unofficial leader of the Legislative Council. During his i)olitical career it may be said that he has taught many useful lessons to the electors and the people generally ; and that he has always been a strong advocate for self-reliance, and an uncompromising opponent of State coddling in all its phases. As has already been mentioned, to the Federation question Sir Richard Baker has devoted long and profound attention, and so thorough a master and leader on the