James White was a politician in colonial New South Wales, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and later, the New South Wales Legislative Council.
Background
White was born in Stroud, New South Wales, while he was still at school his father died, and James White at the age of sixteen was called upon to manage extensive station properties, and gradually took up more and more outlying country on his own account, until he became one of the largest and most successful New South Wales squatters.
Career
White was also a racehorse owner and punter. He did a fair share of work in pioneering country on the Barwon, Hunter, and Castlereagh Rivers, and was almost uniformly successful in his enterprises. In 1869 White went to England, and remained away several years, during which time he visited all the principal cities of Europe.
In 1866 White was elected to the Assembly for the Upper Hunter, and kept that position for three years.
He then resigned upon going to Europe. He was nominated to the New South Wales Legislative Council on 3 November 1874, a position he held until his death.
Finding that from failing health he could not stand the excitement of a close attention to racing, Mr. White sold all his horses in training and yearlings in April 1890, and they realised phenomenal prices.
Titan alone brought 4,000 guineas, the highest price ever given for a yearling in the Colonies, and the total for thirteen lots was 17,498 guineas.
Mr. White continued his breeding establishment at Kirkham, New South Wales, with a view to racing in England. He was the most successful racing man ever known in Australia at the time.
His colts Kirkham and Narellan were both entered for the Epsom Derby in 1890, but the latter was scratched, and the former failed to secure a place.
White died on 12 July 1890.