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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
Mr. John Borton
Mr. John Borton Is an old and prominent settler in North Otago. He was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1826, and was brought up as a surveyor and civil engineer. In the year 1849 he landed at New Plymouth by the ship “Cornwall,” and afterwards visited Nelson and Wellington before landing at Port Chalmers. In 1852 Mr. Borton went to Australia, but returned in the following year to New Zealand. He made three trips to England in 1853, and ultimately settled at Halfway Bush, Dunedin, where he built a house, which is still (1904) standing. With Mr. Julian Jeffreys he took up the Maerewhenua run of 15,000 acres, and the partners afterwards took up additional land, amounting, in all, to a quarter of a million acres. For many years Mr. Borton was interested in this property, and when the policy of the Provincial Government required that a portion of the run should be converted into freehold, about 30,000 acres were bought by the firm. Under Mr. Borton's direction this property was brought fully into cultivation; Mr. Jeffreys retired from the firm in the early stages of the estate's development. Mr. Borton was afterwards joined in partnership by the late Mr. A. McMaster, under the style of Borton and McMaster, the firm existed for many years, and was long one of the best known and most prominent pastoral partnerships in New Zealand; apart from its success as a private business, it rendered valuable service to the colony by importing and breeding stock of the best quality, especially Merino sheep. Ultimately the estate was divided, when Mr. McMaster took the Tokarahi portion, and Mr. Borton retained the Maerewhenua part. In 1895 Mr. Borton's property was acquired for closer settlement by the Government of New Zealand. A railway station on the Kurow branch line is named after Mr. Borton.