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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Mr. James Taylor Mackerras

Mr. James Taylor Mackerras , who for many years has been a prominent member of the Dunedin Harbour Board, is founder and senior partner of the firm of MacKerras and Hazlett. He was born in 1827 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and was educated at Grantown, Inverness-shire, where he commenced his mercantile career as a boy in a country store; after five years business experience in London, he came out to Geelong, Victoria, in September, 1851. Mr. MacKerras went into commercial life in that town and continued in business till coming to Otago in 1862. Arriving in Port Chalmers in that year with a partner, he established the well-known business which has for so long been conduct under the style of MacKerras and Hazlett. He was the first member elected to the Dunedin harbour board in 1885. Since then he has sat continuously on the board. He has been chairman of the finance committee for some years, and generally has used his influence and abilities to further the interests of the port. For many years he has been an active member of the chamber of commerce, and was its president for the year 1884–5. Mr. MacKerras has greatly assisted in the development of the industries of Otago, notably as a director of the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company, Ltd., and other companies. Mr. MacKerras was married in 1860 to a daughter of Mr. Murdo Jaffary, of Budget Cawdor, Nairnshire, Scotland, and has six daughters and one son.