Notable South Australians/Henry James Scott
Henry James Scott,
THE only son of Daniel Scott, of Aberdour, Fifeshire, born January 13, 1848, and arrived here May 28, 1880, Accompanied by his wife and family. Shortly after his arrival the private exhibition of M. Joubert was held in Adelaide, and many representatives of the national industries of Europe were then on their way home from the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions. To most of these gentlemen Mr. Scott was known, and by their advice, and at the request of some of the principal business firms here, he undertook to represent South Australian exhibitors at the Exhibition held in Perth, Western Australia. In the following year he again successfully represented South Australia at the New Zealand Exhibition, Christchurch, to the satisfaction of the exhibitors, and so gained their confidence, that when the Commission appointed for the Calcutta International Exhibition in 1883 met, he was unanimously nominated the "Agent for South Australia at the Exhibition," and the Government confirmed the nomination by issuing a Commission to him to act as such, and represent the colony in India. Seldom had the capabilities and resources of South Australia been so well placed before the world as at this exhibition. Much time and careful thought had been devoted by him to our natural resources, and to the industries which could be encouraged and extended by trade between Australia and the East^ especially the rearing and breeding of horses for India, with the advantages of Port Darwin as a depôt and shipping port for the future trade of Australasia and the Eastern world. Mr. Scott has, during the last two years, imported camels from India, suitable for work on stations and for survey and railway construction purposes. These animals are rapidly coming into use by surveyors who may require to enter upon new country to peg out runs for stock in our Northern Territory, and for the conveyance of station stores to those places in the interior of the country which from difficulty of access would be practically useless without the aid of these animals, which subsist upon mallee, saltbush, and other food which horses would starve upon. The services of Mr. H. J. Scott are now being utilized by the Royal Commission for South Australia for the coming Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, in 1886.