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

Maheno

Maheno.

Maheno is a small agricultural township, with a railway station on the Christchurch-Dunedin trunk railway, rine miles from Oamaru and sixty-nine miles from Dunedin. The township has a post and telegraph office with a daily mail service, and a money order and savings bank office; a large public school, churches, hotel, general stores, and its industries include fellmongering, woolscouring, and flourmilling. The district is a fertile agricultural area, yielding good crops, and is well-stocked with sheep. Most of the country is undulating, and the roads, though hilly, are good for cycling. The Kakanui river, which flows through Maheno, is well stocked with trout.

The Maheno Railway Station is situated very near to the township. The building is of the ordinary type, and is built of wood. It contains waiting lobby, a ladies' waiting room, ticket office, post and telegraph office and goods shed. There are twenty private boxes connected with the Maheno Post Office. Mr. Charles Buteman is stationmaster and postmaster.

The Colonial Live Stock Department has a branch at Oamaru. It is under the direction of Mr. J. C. Miller. There was at one time an agency at Maheno.

Mr. Robert Wright , Rabbit Agent, formerly stationed at Maheno in the Oamaru district, was born in Dunedin in 1870, and educated at Port Molyneux, in the county of Clutha. Mr. Wright entered the flax trade at Port Molyneux and was engaged in milling till he met with an accident whereby he lost his left arm. In 1893 he entered the Government senvice as rabbit agent. Mr. Wright was married, in 1897, to a daughter of Mr. J. McLew, of Dunback.

Mahan, photo. Mr. and Mrs R. Wright.

Mahan, photo.
Mr. and Mrs R. Wright.

The Maheno Public School , which stands on an eminence in the township, is a stone building, of two rooms, with seating space for 150 scholars. There are ten acres of land connected with the school, and there is a comfortable seven-roomed residence for the teacher. The children have a good play ground, and a covered shed for their pastimes in all weathers. The average attendance for the year is about 110.

Mr. John Black Grant , Headmaster of the Maheno School, was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, in 1864. He came to the Colony with his parents at an early age, and served four years as a pupil teacher at the Outram and Kensington schools. After a year's study at page 464 the Normal Training College in Dunedin, Mr. Grant was stationed at Inch Valley, where he remained for four years as headmaster. For two years subsequently he acted as assistant at the George Street school, Dunedin, and after a year at Pukerau, he was appointed in 1890 to his present position. Mr. Grant was married in 1891, to a daughter of Mr. R. Ferguson, of Milton, and has two daughters and one son.

Ledingham, George , Farmer, “Ledinghall.” Maheno. This old settler is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he was born in 1829. He was brought up to farming on his father's farm, and came to Port Chalmers in September, 1858, by the ship “Jura.” Shortly afterwards he settled in the Otepopo district, with which he has since been closely connected. He had a short experience on the goldfields before fettling at Otepopo, and was one of the partners in the second claim in the celebrated Gabriel's Gully. Mr. Ledingham's property consists of 330 acres of freehold land, and is in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Ledingham has for many years been connected with the Presbyterian Church, and has held office as one of the managers. He has been connected with school committees, and was a member of local road boards before the inauguration of the county system. Mr. Ledingham was married, in 1868, to a daughter of the late Mr. Millar, of Stone House, Scotland, and has six sons and two daughters.

Mr. and Mrs G. Ledingham and Daughter.

Mr. and Mrs G. Ledingham and Daughter.

Miller, James , Farmer, Taipo Hill, Maheno, Mr. Miller was born in 1852, in Caithness, Scotland, where he was trained to farming. He arrived at Port Chalmers in 1873, by the ship “Scimitar,” and settled in the Oamaru district. For a good many years he was cropping in various parts of the district, and in 1899 purchased Taipo Hill, a property of 422 acres of freehold. Mr. Miller was married, in 1900, to a daughter of Mr. George Watson, of Weston, and sister of Mr. J. C. Watson, Mutual Life Assurance, of Sydney, New South Wales, and has two daughters.

Monte Christo Farm (W. P. Reid, proprietor), Maheno. This valuable property was originally taken up by Mr. Robert Thompson, who farmed it up to 1900, when it was bought by its present owner. It consists of about 600 acres of good agricultural land, which has all been under cultivation. The fences are kept in good order, and a considerable portion of the property fronts the main road. Under Mr. Reid's management the wheat crops have averaged fifty bushels per acre, and the oats from sixty to seventy bushels. About 1200 Shropshire Downs stud sheep are run upon the farm, and other large mobs are often purchased and fattened for freezing. The barns and outbuildings are in model order, and separate cottages are provided for the farm workers.

Mr. William Paterson Reid , Proprietor of Monte Christo Farm, is the youngest son of Mr. John Reid, of Dunedin. He was born and educated in Dunedin, and afterwards worked on his father's farm in Southland. For fourteen years Mr. Reid acted an manager of the Southland property, which was also named “Monte Christo.” On 1894 he won the gold medal, given by the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, for the best kept farm in Otago and Southland, up to 1000 acres. Mr. and Mrs Reid won a handsome set of silver plate, for the best general collection of farm produce, at the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association's exhibitions of 1895 and 1896. Numerous other valuable trophies and silver medals testify to Mr. Reid's success at other exhibitions. On the sale of the property in Southland Mr. Reid took over the fine mob of Shropshire Down and stud sheep; and on his leaving the district for Maheno Mrs Reid and he were presented with a handsome illuminated address and silver plate by friends and neighbours. Mr. Reid was for a number of years a member of the committee of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and he was also on the committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association for 1902 and 1903. He is married to a daughter of the Hon. Alfred Baldey, Wellington.

Philp, William L. , Taipo House, Maheno. Taipo House was the original homestead of the Taipo estate, and was bought by Mr. Philp, with 325 acres of freehold land, in 1900. Mr. Philp was at one time well known as the proprietor of the Grand Hotel, Dunedin.

Wylie, W. W. , Farmer, Punch Bowl, Maheno. Mr. Wylie was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1845. In 1849 he accompanied his parents to the Border counties of England, to which they removed in search of cheaper land, and subsequently to Ireland, where they died, and where the farm is still occupied by his sister. He came out to Melbourne in 1860. In the ship “Elizabeth Ann Bright,” and was attracted to New Zealand in 1862, after the breaking out of the gold diggings. Mr. Wylie worked for a few years on the goldfields, and subsequently bought teams of horses and commenced carting stores to the diggings. In 1875, he purchased his first land, to which he has since considerably added, his total area now being 1027 acres freehold, the cheapest of which cost him £10 per acre. Mr. Wylie represents the Otepopo riding on the Waitaki County Council and is chairman of the Maheno school committee. He is also president of the Maheno Athletic Sports and secretary to the Athenæum. Mr. Wylie served for a number of years in the Otepopo Rifles, subsequently in the Otago Hussars, and afterwards in the North Otago Mounted Rifles. He was married, in 1867, to Miss Speed, of Caithness, Scotland, and has five sons and four daughters.