Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/442

 4i5 ADELAIDE AND '1CINITY Mr. John Darling, sen. MR. JOHN DARLING, sen., for many years one of the great wheat merchants in Aiistraha, has been most active in opening up markets for Australian wheat. He must receive the credit of attracting hundreds of thousands of pounds to this Province, and, by honorable business, of adding to that popularity of the local grain, which its undoubted excellence has earned. I I Hut Mr. Darling has gone beyond this particular yet all important sphere, and has helped the industry with sound advice in the legislative halls of South Aus- tralia. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1831, Mr. Darling was educated at the George Harriot School, a celebrated insti- tution in that ancient city. He was for 13 years a type-founder in the establishment of Marr and Co., in Edinburgh, and came to South Australia in 1855. From the outset he became interested in the producing industry, first in association with the business of Messrs. Giles & Smith, grain and general merchants, of Adelaide. After some years he joined the late Mr. R. G. Bowen in a similar business, and eventually became the proprietor of that gentleman's connection. With the utmost shrewdness, and with uncommon enterpri.se, Mr. Darling quickly rose to a leading position as a grain merchant and exporter. A description of this important business will be found in another part of this work, under the name of Mr. John Darling, jun., M.P., from which will be gathered some idea of the success which has attended the operations of Mr. Darling, sen. It was n(jt an easy matter to secure so large a portion of the trade ; but Mr. Darling made such a study of the market that he managed his concerns with lucrative results. The firm of John Darling & Son has made a name through England, Europe, America, and South Africa, as one of the largest exporters of grain in Australia. When Victoria became an active rival of South Australia in wheat production, thus closing the Hummer & Co., Photo