He served as the member of organizations including Agricultural Settlement Committee, Board of Management Blyth District Hospital, District Council of Hutt and Hill Rivers; and a committee member of the Blyth Agricultural and Horticultural Society.

[2] In October 1934, campaigning as a "practical farmer", McEwin won the Northern district seat in the Legislative Council made vacant by the death of William Morrow.

He oversaw the provision of many country hospitals funded on a subsidy basis: for every pound a local auxiliary raised, the Government contributed two.

[3] He married Dora Winifred Williams (born 9 May 1898) of "Fairview", Blyth, South Australia on 16 February 1921.

[1] On 10 June 1954, he was appointed Sir Alexander Lyell McEwin, KBE for his service as Minister of Health & Mines in South Australia.