James Ashton

James Ashton (8 May 1864 – 6 August 1939) was an Australian newspaperman, politician and businessman. As a politician he represented electorates in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1894 to 1907 and later held a seat in the Legislative Council Ashton was Minister for Lands in the Carruthers government from 1904 to 1907.

From 1888 to 1892 Ashton was a joint-owner of The Riverine Grazier in Hay and sole proprietor of the Narrandera Argus in Narrandera from 1892 to 1896. He entered politics as the member for the Hay electorate in July 1894. After two terms he successfully contested the 1898 election for the Goulburn electorate, remaining the member until 1907. He was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1907, where he served until 1934. Ashton was a respected businessman who was a director of a number of influential companies.

Biography

Early life

James Ashton was born on 8 May 1864 at Ashby, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, the fifth child of James Ashton and Mary Ann Kinsman (née Brittan). James Ashton (senior) was a coffee-roaster by occupation.

In about 1871 the Ashton family moved to Sandhurst (Bendigo) where young James was educated at Sandhurst Grammar School for several years. In about 1874 Ashton's father's "business affairs went awry... during the gold rush era". James had to leave school, aged ten, and began working in a local printing office (receiving an initial wage of two shillings and sixpence for a 54-hour week).

By 1884 Ashton had joined the clerical staff at the Hay office of Cramsie, Bowden and Co. who operated as general merchants, station suppliers and river steamboat owners, with headquarters at Balranald and branches in Sydney and Melbourne.

During a period of growing prosperity of Hay township and the surrounding district, as editor of the Riverine Grazier Ashton took every opportunity to advocate for the causes of free trade, land law reform and federation of the Australian colonies.

Narrandera

In August 1892 Ashton went to live at Narrandera.

After the government's land and income tax assessment bill was blocked in the New South Wales Legislative Council the premier and leader of the Free Trade Party, George Reid, called an election on a program seeking affirmation of the rejected financial bill and Upper House reform. At the subsequent election held in July 1895 Ashton was re-elected with a majority vote of 61.3 percent, his only opponent being the protectionist James Newton.

In July 1896 Ashton sold The Narandera Argus to J. P. Brosnan. Ashton left Narrandera after the change of ownership, explaining that "he was relinquishing his connection with the Argus in order to give closer attention to other affairs, including his political duties".

Politics

'Spring (Miss Helen Willis)' by Julian Ashton, painted in about 1889.

Ashton had been a strong advocate for the federation of the Australian colonies in his editorial columns beginning in the 1880s. On the eve of the Federation referendum in June 1898 the editor of the Riverine Grazier wrote that Ashton's "persistent advocacy has played no small part in creating the federal sentiment now so strong in this district". While Ashton supported federation, he opposed the convention bill, particularly the proposal for equal representation of the States in the Senate (which he thought should be proportional). Despite Ashton's opposition, the proposed Federal constitution was overwhelmingly supported in his electorate. The result for the Hay electorate in the Federation referendum was 740 'yes' votes and 176 'no' votes.

Acknowledging the views on Federation of the Hay electorate differed from his own, Ashton decided to contest the seat of Goulburn at the New South Wales election of July 1898. He was elected as its representative as a member of the Liberal and Reform Party with a majority vote of 62.3 percent.

On 6 March 1899 James Ashton married Helen Willis at Sutton Forest. The wedding was officiated by the bride's father, Rev. Robert Willis, and was described as "quite original in its simplicity". The couple had four sons, born in the period September 1899 to November 1909. At the time Ashton's speech was reported as: "He took the side of the Boers, but he never forgot that he is a British subject". In the strongly worded editorial of December 1900 Ashton's views were compared unfavourably with mainstream expressions of loyalty and patriotism, summarised as "helping the Mother country in her hour of need". The Sydney Morning Herald attributed Ashton's failure to win the seat of Riverina to his previous opposition to aspects of the Federal constitution. During his time in the New South Wales parliament Ashton began to study law. He passed his final examination in 1902 "but delayed entering at the Bar, because he had a lucrative connection as a land agent". On 29 August 1904 he was appointed Secretary for Lands in the formation of the Carruthers government. Under the State constitution at that time newly-appointed ministers from the Legislative Assembly had their seats vacated and were required to successfully contest the election before taking up their appointments. Ashton was elected as the only candidate for the seat of Goulburn in the by-election held in September 1904, one of four new ministers re-elected unopposed.

During his tenure as lands minister Ashton was required to deal with allegations of bribery made against his predecessor, former minister Paddy Crick. In May 1905 Justice William Owen was appointed to conduct a Royal Commission to investigate the administration of the Lands Department. A year later, in an interim report, the Royal Commission concluded that Crick had received corrupt payments and recommended that the department's administration should be conducted by a non-political Board of Commissioners. Crick was charged, but the jury could not agree on a verdict and the former minister was ultimately expelled from parliament. Ashton attempted to implement the appointment of a Board of Commissioners, but the bill eventually lapsed. By March 1907 he announced that he would be retiring "from active politics". Ashton continued to serve as Minister for Lands until the parliament was dissolved in August 1907 and did not contest the following election. In September 1907 Ashton was appointed to a seat in the Legislative Council and subsequently appointed as an "honorary minister" without portfolio in the ministry under the Premier Charles Wade, who formed a government after the resignation of Joseph Carruthers. Ashton resigned as 'honorary minister' with effect on 25 June 1909, "owing to the pressure of private business". He continued to serve on the Legislative Council until April 1934, when the council was reformed by members indirectly elected by the Parliament. Ashton developed a close association with McCaughey and acted as his attorney and adviser.

During World War I Ashton was an executive of the Australian Red Cross Society.

Ashton was an executor and trustee of the estate of Sir Samuel McCaughey, who died in 1919. In the same year he purchased 'Markdale', a property at Binda in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, to be owned and worked by his sons, and managed by his eldest son James. Helen Ashton died on 24 October 1939 at her home in Double Bay.