During his period in office, Provost MacEwen promoted schemes for the improvement of public health and housing in Inverness, and served as a member of the Inverness-shire Education Committee, and as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Northern Infirmary.

[7] The party's performance in the 1935 general election was disappointing with only Inverness and MacEwan in the Western Isles achieving respectable results.

MacEwen stood down as leader of the SNP in 1936, when he was succeeded by Andrew Dewar Gibb.

His son Malcolm joined the Communist Party of Great Britain and became a prominent conservationist.

[8] He was knighted by King George V in the 1932 Birthday Honours for services to local government and public health in Scotland.