He took an active interest in public affairs and entered the Adelaide Corporation as Councillor for Hindmarsh Ward in 1863 and served in that capacity for two years.
In 1871 Buik and Edwin T. Smith visited England and acquired valuable information and experience regarding the working of the horse-drawn carriages on tramway systems on public roads there.
On their return they took a leading part in establishing the Adelaide and Suburban Tramway Company, the first of the kind in Australia, to connect the city with the suburbs of Kent Town, Norwood and Kensington.
[8] In 1881 he secured one of six vacant seats in the Legislative Council for which the colony then voted as a single constituency - "The Province" - and served the electors until 1888.
He also held a seat on the Council of the Congregational Union, and was on the management committee of the South Australian Auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society.