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Unfortunately, perhaps, Reynolds did not remain in his position to follow through his observations and
recommendations, although, as events proved, his successors did put his main recommendations into effect.
He resigned shortly after his return from the Territory, an act that helped to break up the Ayers ministry. Attracted
by business opportunities in the Territory, he went back and opened a store. This was not successful and in
February 1875, he and his wife embarked on SS Gothenburg for the return journey to Adelaide—and went down
with the ship off the Queensland coast.
Reynolds was described as a man of naturally restless mind, sanguine temperament and vigorous constitution.
His name is not connected specially with great measures but his influence was felt in the general course of legislation
from the time he entered Parliament until 1873.
His main contribution to the Territory was his report on the state of affairs there and the action that flowed from
it, including the removal of Douglas and his replacement by G B Scott, an experienced official. Scott’s instructions
delegated to him the entire control of all official establishments in the Territory and as soon as legislation could be
passed, the administration of crown lands, charge of the police and the general promotion of peace, order and good
government. The appointment of J G Knight as secretary to Scott was also a direct result of Reynolds’s report.
Knight was to exercise a significant influence on Territory affairs for many years to come.
Reynolds also supported the introduction of Chinese labourers to the Territory and correctly forecast that
before long the Territory would have a large coloured population.
Two sons, both in business in the Territory, survived him.
E Hodder, The History of South Australia, 1893; J Lewis, Fought and Won, 1922; Adelaide Advertiser, 27 March 1875; Adelaide Register,
8 March 1875; SAPP, 55/1873; Lewis papers and diaries, SAA.
T G JONES, Vol 1.
RICE, PHILLIP JOHN (1927–1991), barrister and Judge, was born at Adelaide, South Australia on 20 May 1927.
The son of John Vincent Rice and Lorna Nilpinna, nee Giles, his father was a stationmaster for the Commonwealth
Railways, and his mother taught piano and was well known for her interest in riding camels and horses. Rice grew
up with his parents in the country and attended state primary schools at Oodnadatta, Quorn, Cook and Tarcoola and
the Hartley Street School in Alice Springs. As there was no secondary schooling then available at Alice Springs, he
was boarded with relations in Adelaide to attend Adelaide High School. In 1944, he started work as a clerk with a
firm of solicitors and commenced his law studies at the University of Adelaide. At the end of 1944, he enlisted in
the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and saw service in Australia and overseas until 1946. In 1947, he resumed his
legal studies and commenced articles of clerkship. He was admitted to the Supreme Court of South Australia on
18 December 1950, and graduated Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide in 1951, having qualified for
the degree at the end of 1950.
In January 1951, Rice returned to Alice Springs, which he regarded as his hometown, and went into practice
on his own account. On 28 April 1951, he married Marjory Helen Mitton. There were four children, two born
in Alice Springs Ian Dareus (1953–1954) and Sharon Joan (1956–1975) and two in Adelaide (John Fraser, born
16 January 1959 and Helen Marie, born 22 May 1960). He practised in Alice Springs mostly as a sole practitioner,
and was active as a member of the Federals Football Club and as president of the Alice Springs Memorial Club.
In 1958 at the invitation of Sir Harry Alderman, QC, he joined the Adelaide firm of Alderman Brazel Clark and
Ligertwood. Eventually he became senior partner of the firm. On 8 October 1970, Rice was appointed a Queen’s
Counsel, and moved to the independent bar.
During the period of his practice in Adelaide, Rice served on a number of committees for the Law Society
of South Australia, as President of the South Australian Bar Association (1976–1983) and Vice President of the
Australian Bar Association (1980, 1983). He also lectured part-time in the Law of Evidence at the Adelaide
University. (1970–1973). He also served for many years as a legal officer in the RAN Reserve (1971–1987) rising
to the rank of Commodore (1983) and became Judge Marshall in 1985.
On 7 May 1983, he married Prudence Holmes. There were no children of this marriage.
On 15 December 1983 he was appointed a Judge of the South Australian District Court, a position he held until
his appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory on 8 March 1985. Rice served as a
Judge of the Court until he was forced to retire due to ill health on 31 January 1991. He also served as Regional
Chairman of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in the Northern Territory and as a member of the National
Executive.
Physically, Rice was about 175 centimetres tall, portly, with grey hair, a well-lined but oval face, and prominent
eyebrows and clean-shaven. A great raconteur and bon vivant, he was a popular figure, a man of presence and
dignity, and had an infectious sense of humour. Always cheerful, with a capacity to cause cheerfulness in others,
he was possessed of a large vocabulary of out-back metaphors, Australian idiom, and bon mots. Nevertheless, he
was insistent on high standards of personal behaviour even at informal gatherings.
As a barrister, Rice was equally comfortable in both civil and criminal jurisdictions and appeared regularly
in the Supreme Court of South Australia and the Northern Territory with occasional briefs in the High Court of
Australia and the Privy Council. As an advocate, he was regarded as formidable and wily. His most famous case
was as counsel for Michael and Lindy Chamberlain during the first inquest at Alice Springs into the disappearance
of Azaria Chamberlain at Ayers Rock that resulted in findings by Denis Barritt SM that the child had been taken
by a dingo but there was human intervention in the disposal of the body. As a result of this case, he earned the
nickname ‘Rumpole of the Rock’.