. A NOTABLE CAREER. ADELAIDE, Monday. ‘

Mr. Charles Cameron Kingston, late Minister of Customs in the Commonwealth Government, died to-day. .Mr. Kingston was able to attend to his professional work at intervals until Friday evening. .’ In the afternoon he had an interview with .the Crown Solicitor (Mr. Dashivood), an old friend, but shortly afterwards became extremely ill. During the night lie developed such alarming symptoms that Dr. Marten was called, and had the assistance of two trained nurses; On Saturday the patient rallied, but on Sunday lie” became unconscious, and lie” passed away at 4 a.m. on Monday in his professional chambers, on the topmost floor of the Ocean Insurance-buildings, in King William-street.

Later in the day the body was removed to the residence of his only sister, Mrs. H. Giles, at North Adelaide. Mrs. Kingston and Mrs. Giles were both present wlien the lend came. One of Mr. Kingston’s sisters died last week, and grief for her loss had a depressing effect upon his spirits. He never quite ‘ recovered from the shock, caused by the sad and untimely death of his only son, Kevin Kingston, which occurred some years ago. The town hall bells were tolled as soon as Mr. Kingston’s death was announced and during the day. Mr. Kingston was born in Adelaide in 1850. His father was Sir George Strickland Kingston, first Speaker of the South Australian Assembly, ana his mother Luao-vina Catherine da Silva, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles G. Cameron. The statement is attributed to Mr. J. L. Young, principal of the Adelaide Educational Institution, that Charles Kingston was the most brilliant boy that ever passed through his hands. When he Was 17 years of age’ his father decided that he should become a lawyer, and articled him to Sir Samuel Way, the present Chief Justice. Mr. Kingston was admitted to practice in 1873, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1889. In 1897 he was elevated to the. Privy Council, being the first and only -native born South Australian to receive the distinction. Mr. Kingston had politics thrust upon him. Shortly after the deatli of his father, in 1880, the West Adelaide electors persuaded him to nominate for the seat, and gave him a two to one majority. He sat continuously until 1900, when he went to England in connection with the Commonwealth Constitution Bill, and in his absence stood for the Southern District of. the Legislative Council, but was defeated. . He was subsequently elected to the. Legislative Council for the Adelaide district. He retained his seat till in March, 1901, he was placed at the top of the poll wheii he stood for tilie Federal House of Representatives. He has since been twice returned unopposed for the same Chamber. Mr. Kingston represented South Australia at the Federal Convention of 1891, and was a member of the drafting committee which drew up t’he original Commonwealth constitution. – He was returned at the head of the poll for South Australia to the Federal Convention of 1897, of which he was president, and he, also presided over the adjourned sessions in Sydney and Melbourne, in the meantime, having gone to England to represent South Australia rat the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. He had previously represented South Australia at the Premiers’ Conference at Hobart, at which he was appointed, with Sir George Turner, to draft the Federal Enaibling Bill, out of- which the Convention grew. When on the establishment of federation Sir Edmund Barton formed , a Ministry, Mr. Kingston was made Minister of Customs; and-, in that capacity framed the first tariff, and fought it through the House of Representatives. The labor, thus involved broke down his health, and he never recovered from the strain. In. State politics the late Sir John Col-ton gave Mr. Kingston his first Ministeria1 office, as Attorney-General, in June. 1884, the Cabinet lasting a year. In 1887 Mr. Kingston, became a member of the Playford Cabinet, which lived two years, arid he was a member of the second Playford Cabinet-, in 1892. In 1893 he formed a Ministry of his own, which lasted for six and a half years. .

1908 'DEATH OF MR. KINGSTON.', Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), 16 May, p. 22. , viewed 30 May 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198109147