The South Australian: A Weekly Journal of News, Politics, Sports, Literature, Arts and General Information 'was the second of several newspapers founded by the notorious Ebenezer Ward. In its first issue, Ward described the newspaper as "independent". His main aim was to provide a vehicle for his political views, particularly in relation to the highly topical and vexed question of land reform. He ambitiously hoped that the South Australian might become an opposition newspaper to Adelaide's existing weeklies - the Observer and the Chronicle. The newspaper also provided lengthy sporting news - mainly covering horse racing, including local, interstate and overseas races.
'Ward was secretary of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and the pages of the South Australian contained many articles dealing with horticulture ... Ward had previously been the theatre critic for the Melbourne Herald and the South Australian also contain[ed] a regular "Drama" column. There was also a column titled "Gleanings for Ladies", a mining column and a serial story. However, horse racing took up more space than any other single topic.
'The South Australian was originally a tabloid sized newspaper of 12 pages, sold at four pence per issue. From 9 April 1869 it was changed to broadsheet and four pages at three pence. The last issue appeared on Christmas Day 1869, but gave no notice that it was to cease.'
Source: SA Memory website, http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=3962
Sighted: 24/04/2013
