Staniforth Smith

Who was Staniforth Smith?

Miles Staniforth Cater Smith was an Australian politician. Born in Kingston, Victoria, he was educated at St Arnaud Grammar School and then the University of Melbourne before becoming an engineer. He moved to Western Australia in 1896, becoming a public servant. He sat on Kalgoorlie Council, of which he was mayor in 1900, and was a leading federalist. In 1901, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Free Trade Senator for Western Australia. He held the seat until his retirement in 1906. He was later involved in the Papuan Government Service, where he was Director of Agriculture and Mines. After serving in the military from 1914 to 1918, he served as acting Administrator of the Northern Territory 1919-1921. He continued his involvement with Papua as Commissioner for Crown Lands, Mines and Agriculture. After retiring from government service, he was a farmer at Boyup Brook in Western Australia. Smith died in 1934.