Although their proposal was initially rejected by both the Perth and Fremantle local governments, a virtually identical scheme was proceeded with a few years later and resulted in the construction of the Victoria Dam.

He first stood for parliament at the 1890 inaugural election for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, but was defeated in the seat of East Perth.

[1] He stood on a platform that included free trade, White Australia, conciliation and arbitration, old-age pensions, and women's suffrage.

[7] He placed eighth on the statewide ballot with six seats to fill,[1] and unsuccessfully petitioned for the election of Alec Matheson to be overturned on the grounds of bribery.

[1] From 1895, Saunders lived at Henley Park, a property of 5,400 acres (2,200 ha) on the Swan River north of Guildford.

He bred horses, sheep, Ayrshire cattle and pigs, serving as president of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia.