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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Ex-Councillors

Ex-Councillors.

Mr. Thomas Chamberlain, who was for several years a member of the Masterton Borough Council, was born at Karori in 1847, and was educated at Mr. Toomath's Grammar School in Wellington. On the death of his father, he commenced farming at the Upper Plain when but eighteen years of age on the property—“The Oaks”—ninety acres in extent, on which he still resides. At Miki-Miki, about nine miles away from the homestead, Mr. Chamberlain owns and farms 250 acres. He has taken his share in local governing bodies—for some eight or nine years as a member of the Masterton Road Board, and as a member of the Licensing Committee, on which he still retains a seat. For a number of years Mr. Chamberlain was president of the Masterton-Opaki Jockey Club, and for one year he was vice-president of the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association. At the time of writing he occupies the position of chairman of the Upper Plain Irrigation Board. In 1875 the subject of this notice was married to a daughter of Mr. Donald McLachlan, of Opaki, settler, and has seven sons and three daughters.

page 941

Mr. Thomas Dixon, who was a councillor of the borough of Masterton from 1887 to 1894, is the seventh son of the late Mr. C. Dixon, of Worksop farm, after which Worksop Road was named. Mr. Dixon was born in 1857 in Wellington, and was educated in Masterton, being brought up to the coachbuilding trade, to which a good knowledge of carpentering and general farm work was added. For two years Mr. Dixon was a member of the firm of Muir and Dixon Bros., coachbuilders. The old homestead built by his father, together with six acres of land, is now owned and occupied by the subject of this notice, who also farms eighty acres at Akura—three miles out of Masterton—as a dairy and grazing run. In addition to his service on the Council, Mr. Dixon acted for about two years as a member of the local school committee. He is an advocate of total abstinence and a member of the local Prohibition League. In 1878 Mr. Dixon was married to a daughter of Mr Samuel Harris, of Picton, carpenter, and has two sons and three daughters.

Mr. Samuel Edward Gapper, who was a member of the Masterton Borough Council from 1878 to 1892 inclusive, and for many years a trustee of the Trust Lands Trust, is a native of Kingston, Dorsetshire, where he was born in 1830. He arrived in Nelson in 1842, per ship “Clifford,” with his father, the late Mr. Bernard Gapper, who was wounded in the Wairau Massacre and died in 1870. The subject of this notice passed through many of the vicissitudes of colonial life. In 1859 he had a trip to England by the auxiliary screw vessel “Royal Charter,” in which he was wrecked on the Isle of Anglesey, on the 26th of October, 1859. There were 446 lives lives lost by the wreck of the ship, and he was one of thirty-nine who escaped a watery grave. Returning the following year, Mr. Gapper remained in Nelson till 1872, when he commenced business in Wanganui. After a short time he returned
Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Gapper.

Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Gapper.

to Nelson, which he left in 1876 and settled in Masterton. As the proprietor of traction engines and steam threshing machines, Mr. Gapper has worked hard and been successful He resiles in a comfortable villa at the corner of Victoria and Albert Streets. Mr. Gapper has been married twice—in 1860 to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Bridge, of Hyde, Cheshire; this lady died in 1890, and two years later to a daughter of Mr. Frederick William Gyllencreutz, of Cumberland, by whom he has a son and a daughter.

Mr. James Macara, who was a member of the Borough Council some eight years ago, has long been a prominent supporter of racing and athletics—in fact of anything in the sporting line. Born in 1842 in Perth, Scotland, and educated mostly in Glasgow, he came to Auckland, per ship “Armstrong,” in 1866. After a few months Mr. Macara came to Wellington, where he embarked in the coaching line between Masterton and the Empire City. In 1879 he settled in Masterton, purchasing 300 acres at Opaki known as “Brookfield,” which he still farms. As a breeder, Mr. Macara has reared the horses “Rollo,” “Minnie Palmer,” “Brookfield,” and several others, which he has successfully raced. He has also bred some good sheep, though more as a hobby than for any other reason. For about eight years he has been a director of the Masterton Building Society. In sporting matters he is one of the vice-presidents of the Masterton Racing Club, holds a seat on the committees of several football clubs, and is a member of the Wairarapa Athletic and Cycling Club. Mr. Macara has done a good deal of coursing in the district, and in Bulls and Napier, and is a well-known breeder of greyhounds. As a member of the craft, he belongs to Lodge Pacific, Wellington.

Mr. Thomas George Mason, who has been prominent as a chemist in Masterton for some eighteen years, page 942 has served the ratepayers as a membor of the Borough Council for about three years. Mr. Mason, who is a son of the late Mr. William Mason, for several years an officer in the civil service, was born in Wellington, where he was educated at Mr. Brann's and afterwards at Mr. Bowden's private school. In 1869 he entered upon an apprenticeship of five years with the late Mr. J. A. Allan, chemist, of Lambton Quay, Wellington, and after serving four years as an assistant in Hawkes Bay he established the business which he still conducts. In 1885 Mr. Mason was returned to the Masterton Borough Council, and after serving two years he resigned his seat and took a trip to England. On his return i.e again entered the Council, but finally retired owing to pressure of business and private matters. Mr. Mason is always ready to support any movement for the good of the district, but is debarred from taking an active part by the care of his business. He is an enthusiastic angler, and takes full advantage of the splendid fishing to be obtained in the locality

Mr. George William Woodroofe, J.P., who has served as a Councillor of the borough of Masterton, and has long been a prominent settler, was born in 1823 in Wicklow, Ireland, where he was educated. Having learned his father's business as a reed instrument and cabinetmaker, he came to Melbourne in 1853 in the ship “Hanover,” and two years later to Wellington, purchasing land in Masterton. He carried on business for many years as a cabinetmaker and turner. Some articles made by him were exhibited at the last Paris Exhibition, and secured commendation for the clever workmanship displayed. While conducting the business. Mr. Woodroofe worked his farm and bred cattle and sheep. Mr. Woodroofe has turned his hand to many trades in his life, and while in the lapidary business in Ireland, turned out some specimens of polished lrish pebbles that were placed in the British Museum by Mr. George William Woodroofe Sir Henry Le Beeche. Since coming to New Zealand he has been a keen student of natural phenomena, and has reported his observations of earthquakes to the geological authorities. In Masterton he has been prominent in its public affairs, and served on the Highway Board, the Borough Council, the Trust Lands Trust, and school committees. He was also armourer for, and served in, the Masterton Rifles during the Maori war. A life-long total abstainer, he has always been strong on the side of prohibition. Mr. Woodroofe rendered great service to the town of Masterton in getting a number of its streets widened in spite of opposition, and before the great advance in land values. He was married in 1857 but is now a widower, having two daughters surviving. One is Mrs. D. J. Cameron, of Masterton, and the other, who is organist in the Presbyterian Church, lives at home.

The Masterton Licensing Committee holds jurisdiction over the licensing district which is co-terminus with the Masterton electoral district. The members for 1896 are: Messrs. T. Hutchison, S.M. (chairman), J. Dawson and A. Stewart (Pahiatua), F. J. Bright and B. Syversen (Eketahuna), and C. E. Daniell, J. [gap — reason: illegible]essey, T. Chamberlain, and A. A. Walker (Masterton); Mr. F. H. Ibbetson being clerk.