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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Glenavy

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Glenavy.

Glenavy, formerly known as Waitaki, is situated in the Waihao riding of the Waimate county, about a mile to the northward of the fine bridge over the Waitaki river. This bridge is three-quarters of a mile in length. It is used for road traffic, and has a gate at each end, under the control of a caretaker. The township consists of a fine hotel, two stores, a blacksmith's shop, saddler's shop, a railway station and post office combined, a church and hall combined, a public school, and a police station. A monthly sale of stock is held at the sale-yards attached to the Glencoe Hotel, and is largely attended by settlers from the surrounding districts. The railway station, stands at an elevation of seventy-four feet above sea level, and is ninety-three miles from Dunedin and 138 from Christchurch. At the census of 1901 the population of the village was set down at ninety-eight. The flat land in the neighbourhood yields excellent pasturage, though it is covered somewhat thickly with large water-worn pebbles. Glenavy is a convenient resort for anglers, who visit the Waitaki river, which abounds in fine trout.

The Glenavy Sub-Police District extends from Papakaio near Oamaru to the Waihao river. The station stands on a section of nineteen acres of land, not far from the north bank of the Waitaki. The residence is of wood and iron, and contains five rooms, and there is the usual look-up, and a good paddock for horses.

Mr. Patrick Gough, Constable in charge at Glenavy, was born in 1862, in County Waterford, Ireland. In 1887 he arrived in New Zealand, and, after filing various positions, was appointed to Glenavy in 1898, Mr. Gough was married, in 1888, to a daughter of Mr. J. McCarthy, of County Cork, and has two sons and one daughter.

The Glenavy Railway Station And Post Office combined is a wood and iron building of the usual description, with separate windows for the postal and ralway departments. Three trains pass through the station, north and south, daily, and Glenavy is a regular stopping place for the express. There is a large goods-shed, and also a cattle loading bunk. The staff consists of the stationmaster and a cadet. There is telephone connection between the station and the caretakers at each end of the Waitaki bridge, of which the stationmaster at Glenavy has charge.

Mr. Augustus Hood, Station-master and Postmaster at Glenavy, was born in 1869, in Marlborough, New Zealand. He joined the railway service in his native place in 1884, and was five years in charge at Coalgate, before his appointment to Glenavy in January, 1902. Mr. Hood was married, in 1899, to a daughter of Mr. D. Douglas, of Christchurch.

The Glenavy Public School was established about the year 1887. It has a glebe of eight acres. The school building is of wood and iron, and contains a porch and a large class room, which is divided in the middle by a curtain. In the playground there is a shelter-shed for the children. The school residence has six rooms. About sixty children can be accommodated in the school. There are forty-six names on the roll, and the average attendance for the last quarter of 1902 was forty.

Mr. George Stevens, who is in charge of Glenavy school, was born in 1852, in Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1863 he came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Arima” with his parents, and was educated in Otago, where he had a two years' course at the University. Mr. Stevens served at various schools in Otago and Canterbury, and was appointed to Glenavy in March, 1902. He was married, in 1885, to a daughter of Mr. James Thomson, of Timaru, and has a surviving family of three sons and one daughter.

Glencoe Hotel (Ralph Porter, proprietor), Glenavy. This hotel was established in 1890 by the late Mr. John Henderson, and was bought from his widow by Mr. Porter in April, 1900. There are eight acres of freehold and seventy-eight acres of leasehold land attached to the hotel. The building is a wooden one and contains fifteen rooms—ten bedrooms and three sittingrooms, besides a dining room which will seat sixteen guests. There are convenient stables, with four stalls and four loose boxes, attached to the hotel, and there is plenty of paddock room for stock. Mr. Porter, who has taken a great interest in the district, has erected saleyards, second to none, at a cost of £800, and in these monthly sales are held; he has also constructed a large sheep dip for public use. The number of sheep dipped in the season of 1903 was 18,000, which shows that the dip is greatly appreciated by the settlers on the Waikakahi estate. The district around the hotel is noted for its fishing and shooting; and on the banks of the Waitaki, a few miles away, there are about two dozen huts which are regularly visited by anglers, from all parts of New Zealand, and also from England and Australia.

Mr. Ralph Porter, Proprietor of the Glencoe Hotel, was born at Longnewton, parish of Ancrum, Roxbroughshire, Scotland, in 1861. He was educated in his native county, and in Berwickshire, and was brought up to mercantile life. Mr. Porter came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Taranaki” in 1878, and settled in Dunedin. He was for eighteen, years in the employment of Messrs W. Wright and Co. in that city, and held the position of chief storeman for some time. He afterwards conducted the business on his own account. On the death of his brother-in-law, Mr. J. Henderson, he took over the management of the Glencoe Hotel, and shortly afterwards became the owner. Mr. Porter was attached to Court Foresters' Pride, of Leith, Dunedin, and as a Freemason be belongs to Lodge 931, English Constitution. In 1884 he married Miss Annie Henderson, a daughter of the late Mr. Allan Henderson, of Dunedin, and has two daughters.

Farmers.

Cochrane, James, Farmer, Pike's Point, Glenavy. Mr. Cochrane was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1853, and accompanied his parents to Lyttelton in the ship “Himalaya' in 1866. The family settled in Waimate, where Mr. Cochrane was brought up to country life, and engaged in contracting for a number of years. He commenced farming on his own account at Waituna in 1880. Nine years later he left that district, and engaged in cropping on Mr. Teschemaker's land and on the Waikakahi estate till 1899, when he acquired his present farm, on which he conducts mixed farming. His land consists of 400 acres, and is held under a lease in perpetuity. Mr. Cochrane served for a number of years on the Waikakahi school committee and was chairman in 1886, and he has for a long time been a member of the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Mr. Cochrane was married, in 1884, to a daughter of the late Mr. David Pollard, well known as proprietor of Pareora Accommodation House, and has five sons and four daughters.

Dabinett, George, Farmer, “Tinui,” Glenavy. Mr. Dabinett was born in Somersetshire, England in 1849. He was brought to Port Chalmers, in 1855, by the ship “Isabella Hercus,” and his family settled at Warepa, to the south of the Molyneux river, where he was brought up to farming on his father's property. In 1874 Mr. Dabinett commenced page 1097 business at Catlin's river, as a member of the firm of Dabinett and Young, general storekeepers. This business was successfully conducted by the firm till 1899, when Mr Dabinett sold out to his partner, as he himself had become one of the original selectors on the Waikakahi estate. His property consists of 389 acres, held under a lease in perpetuity. “Tinui” means large cabbage tree, or plenty of cabbage trees. Mr. Dabinett was married, in 1877, to the daughter of the late Mr. William Young, of Warepa, and has an adopted daughter.

Dickson, Charles William, Farmer, “Willow Bank,” Glenavy. Mr. Dickson was born at St. Albans, Christchurch, in August, 1866, and was educated at the Selwyn public school. He was for a number of years in the Dunsandel district, and for some time was cropping and contracting on Mr. Westenra's property. Mr. Dickson afterwards farmed for eight years on his own account between Sefton and Ashley, before acquiring his present property of 478 acres of the Waikakahi estate, in 1899. He was connected with the Rangiora Lodge of Oddfellows. Mr. Dickson was married in June, 1894, to the daughter of Mr. Thomas Shaw, of Ashley, and has three daughters and one son.

Cox, photo.Mr. and Mrs C. W. Dickson and Child.

Cox, photo.
Mr. and Mrs C. W. Dickson and Child.

Fraser, Richard, Farmer, Glenavy. Mr. Fraser was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1843, and educated at Edinburgh. In his early years he followed the plough and did farm work generally. On the 3rd of June, 1874, he was married to Miss Mary Adair, who was born in Cambulslang, in 1852, and on the sixth day of the same month, the newly-married couple sailed from the Clyde in the ship “Canterbury,” for New Zealand, and landed in Lyttelton on the 1st of September, 1874. Mr. Fraser has been in Canterbury ever since. He followed the calling of a ploughman for eight years, during the last five of which he was head ploughman and working manager for Mr. J. A. Johnson, of Lauriston. Mr. Fraser then took up 300 acres of tussock land at Lyndhurst. He eventually became the purchaser, named the place “Bushy Bent,” and built a comfortable dwellinghouse and all necessasry outbuildings. Mr. Fraser has always been successful whenever he has exhibited his horses at local shows. In 1901 he left the Lyndhurst district and settled at Glenavy, where he holds 480 acres, under a lease in perpetuity, and has built a comfortable homestead.

Mr. and Mrs R. Fraser.

Mr. and Mrs R. Fraser.

Harrison, William, Farmer, “Sea-field,” Glenavy. Mr. Harrison was born in Yorkshire, England, in November, 1832. He was brought up to country life by his uncle, and came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Dauntless.” Mr. Harrison settled in the Oamaru district, and was farming at Richmond till 1899, when he sold out, and took up 581 acres at Glenavy. He holds this land under a lease in perpetuity, and uses it as a sheep run. Mr. Harrison was married, in 1875, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Neilson, of Scotland. Mrs Harrison died in 1887.

Mahan, photo.Mr. W. Harrison.

Mahan, photo.
Mr. W. Harrison.

Maclean, Hector, Sheepfarmer, “Willow Glen,” Glenavy. Mr. Maclean was born in 1857 in Argyleshire, Scotland, where his father had large farms, and in 1877 he landed at Auckland by the San Francisco steamer from America. He came to Otago and entered the service of Messre Dalgety and Company. Limited, at Morven Hills, where he afterwards became manager. Mr. Maclean worked the Lake Hawea station in Otago for ten years, and acquired his present property at the opening of the Waikakahi estate in 1899. His land consists of nearly 1200 acres, held under the perpetual lease system, and he runs, on an average, 2000 sheep. Before he left the Old Country Mr. Maclean served as a volunteer in the Argyll Battery of Highland Light Infantry.

McCulloch, Archibald, Farmer, “Fairfield,” Glenavy. Mr. McCulloch was born in the parish of Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1848, and came to Port Chalmers in the ship “Nelson” in 1875. He settled at Maheno, near Oamaru, and engaged in farming till 1899, when he took up his present property of 610 acres, formerly a portion of the Waikakahi estate. Mr. McCulloch is an enthusiastic angler, and his total catch during the season of 1902 was 126. While at Maheno he was connected with the Presbyterian church, and was for some time a member of the committee. He was married, in 1869, to a daughter of the late Mr. Mathew Lamont, of Ayrshire. Scotland. His wife died in 1889, leaving two daughters. In 1894 Mr. McCulloch married a daughter of Mr. David Gibson, of Waianakarua, North Otago, and has four sons and one daughter by this union.

Ross, David, Farmer, Glenavy. Mr. Ross was born in Ross-shire. Scotland, in September, 1853, and came to Port Chalmers in January, 1871, by the ship “Agnes Muir.” He was for some time employed in connection with the landing service at Oamaru. In 1879 he commenced sheepfarming near Glenavy, and was afterwards contracting and cropping, till 1888, when he acquired his property of 506 acres of freehold, and 269 acres of leasehold, which is part of a plantation reserve. Mr. Ross has been a member of the Oamaru Harbour Board since 1898; for three years he represented the Waitaki riding on the Waimate County Council, and was for a like period on the Waimate Hospital Board. He was married, in February, 1875, to a daughter of the late Mr. John Phair, of County Cavan, Ireland, and has had three sons and three daughters, of whom one daughter has died. Mrs page 1098 Ross landed at Port Chalmers by the ship “Viola,” in 1866, and resided in Dunedin and Oamaru before her marriage.

Mahun, photo.Mr. and Mrs David Ross.

Mahun, photo.
Mr. and Mrs David Ross.

Ross, Donald, Farmer, “The Poplars,” Glenavy. Mr. Ross was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, in 1854, and came out to Victoria with his parents in 1867. In 1875 he came to New Zealand and found employment in outdoor work at Rakaia for about two years. Mr. Ross took up land at Lauriston in September, 1877, and remained there until he settled at “The Poplars” in 1900. His property comprises 470 acres of leasehold land. During his residence at Lauriston Mr. Ross was for many years a member of the school committee. and only resigned his position on leaving. He was married, in 1880, to a daughter of the late Mr. William Fraser, of Learmonth, Victoria, and has a surviving family of four sons and three daughters.

Scott, James, Farmer, Ryde Farm, Glenavy. Mr. Scott's property consists of 676 acres held under a lease in perpetuity, and was originally part of the Waikakahi estate. Mr. Scott was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in February, 1849, and went to school in his native place, where also he was brought up to country life by his father, who was a farmer. For a good few years before coming out to New Zealand, Mr. Scott engaged in farming on his own account at Henley-on-Thames. In December, 1898, he arrived with his family at Lyttelton by the s.s. “Ruahine,” and was successful in the following year in drawing the fine section on which he has made his home, and erected a substantial residence and out-buildings. About the end of 1902 Mr. Scott purchased 400 acres of freehold on the Waitaki river bed, and has named the property Meadowfield Farm. As a volunteer in England Mr. Scott served in the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars. He was a member of the Order of Druids, and was initiated as a Freemason in Dumbarton, Scotland Mr. Scott was married at Christmas, 1876, to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Allan, of Westerwood, Cumbernauld. Dumbarton, and has five sons. His eldest son was a member of the Seventh New Zealand South African Continent. He was Black and white photograph of bush wounded in the leg at the fight at Bothasberg, and returned to New Zealand in June, 1902. The third son was a member of the Tenth Contingent, and returned, unscathed, in July, 1902.

Waikakahi Homestead, Glenavy. This is the property of Mr. C. D. Fleming, and was originally part of the Waikakahi estate. It comprises 1200 acres, and was purchased in 1899. Of the total area 820 acres have been brought under cultivation, and the balance has been surface-sown. The land has yielded as high as seventy bushels of wheat and ninety bushels of oats to the acre. It also yields heavy crops of turnips and rape, and the grass land carries as many as three sheep to the acre. The improvements are of a most extensive and substantial nature. and up to the time the estate was sold they served for the working of the whole property of 47,000 acres, carrying 80,000 sheep. The large woolshed has boardroom for twenty-eight shearers, and the other buildings and the yards are in keeping with the shed, where Mr. Fleming now shears and dips his neighbours' sheep. Mr. Fleming personally is a breeder of draught horses.

Mr. C. D. Fleming was born at Oamaru, where he was educated and was brought up to farming. In athletic competitions at Oamaru, Waimate, and Timaru, Mr. Fleming has put up records with the stone, and won many prizes in tossing the caber and throwing the hammer.

Mr. Duncan Cameron, sometime of Glenavy, was well known in the district as proprietor of the Redcliff Hotel. He was born in Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1820, was brought up as a shepherd, and came to Lyttelton by the ship “Canterbury” in 1866. For a few years he was a shepherd at the Malvern hills, and was afterwards for eleven years in the employment of Mr. John McLean, of Redcastle. After a few months' experience on the Waitaki Plains, and a year at Merino Downs station, Mr. Cameron bought the Redcliff Hotel, which he conducted until his death in April, 1880. At the time when he settled at Redcliff there was only one house between that point and Glenavy, then known as Waitaki Ferry. Mr. Cameron was married, in 1886 [sic], to a daughter of the late Mr. Donald Bain, of Ross-shire, Scotland, and left three daughters. Since her husband's death Mrs Camoron has let the hotel to a tenant, and resides on the opposite side of the road.