Background
Hutchison was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, received a primary educated and was eventually apprenticed as a compositor on the Daily Free Press and attended the mechanics" institute.
Hutchison was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, received a primary educated and was eventually apprenticed as a compositor on the Daily Free Press and attended the mechanics" institute.
He migrated to South Australia in 1884 with fellow worker, John McPherson and they found work on the South Australian Register. In 1888, Hutchison and McPherson were sacked for taking part in a strike over their paper"s opposition to union labor. In 1889 Hutchison established a press, Hutchison, Craker & Smith with two other sacked compositors and in 1890 began publishing a satirical paper, Quiz.
In the House he supported the federation of Australia and White Australia.
In his opposition to a bill authorising the take-over and electrification of some of Adelaide"s horse tram lines, he made remarks about Charles Tucker, a supporter of the bill, which led Tucker to sue for libel, bankrupting Hutchison in April 1902. The seat of East Adelaide was abolished at the May 1902 election, Hutchison was not elected to any of the new seats.
From November 1908 until June 1909 Hutchison was an honorary minister in the first Fisher ministry representing the Minister for Defence in the House of Representatives.