Notable South Australians/Richard James Turner, S.M.
Richard James Turner, S.M.,
ARRIVED in South Australia in the "Sophia Moffatt," Capt Woodward, in 1850, and at once took charge of the Victoria Mill in Grenfell-street for Mr. W. R. S. Cooke, with an arrangement for a partnership, which was not carried out owing to Mr. Cooke's death in 1852. He then went to the goldfields at Forest Creek, Victoria; joined the late Walter Duffield in 1854; appointed first Mayor of Gawler in 1857, and was elected, and served in that capacity during the three following years. After the dissolution of the partnership by effluxion of time, was associated with the late E. R. Mitford (Pasquin), Sir Wm. Morgan, Daniel Harrold and others, in the discovery of the celebrated copper mines at Moonta, and in the litigation which resulted in the vesting of that splendid property in other hands. In February, 1858, he was appointed a J.P., and on January 1, 1862, a special Magistrate, and acted as locum temens for the late Henry Dundas Murray, S.M., during that gentleman's absence from Gawler on a visit to Europe. On March 1, 1864, took permanent charge of the district, which he presided over until February 21, 1870. After the removal of Mr. J. S. Browne, S.M., from Kapunda, Mr. Turner took charge of that district, in addition to that of Gawler for some time, until Mr. J. Varley, S.M., was appointed. On February 1, 1870, was removed to Mount Gambier, where he remained until the end of the year 1878, when he took the Mount Barker district, in succession to the late Mr. Castle, S.M. Over this district he presided until February 1, 1880, when he was sent to Port Adelaide, to succeed the late Captain Dashwood, S.M., and where he still remains. Like many old colonists he turned his hand to the first employment that offered, although at that time he had not the remotest idea of what a flour mill was like, and had never even seei^ the interior of one. In his official character Mr. Turner is considered one of the ablest and most judicious of South Australian Magistrates, whilst in private life he enjoys the confidence and respect of a wide circle of friends.