In December 1903 he was elected unopposed to the seat in the Legislative Council vacated when John Hannah Gordon was elevated to the bench of the Supreme Court of South Australia.
He was appointed Attorney-General of South Australia and Minister of Education in the Jenkins Ministry, but relinquished both in 1904 when his health suffered.
T. S. O'Halloran KC., William Edward Pyne,[4] and S. B. von Doussa served their articles with him.
He was president, then Patron, of the Mount Barker Bowling Club, and represented South Australia in Interstate matches.
He married again on 17 March 1905, to Ruby Louisa Farrar, née Smythe (died 24 January 1920).