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

Woodside

Woodside.

Woodside is within three miles of Outram and twenty-two miles west from Dunedin. It is one of the prettiest and best known spots on the Taieri Plain, and derives its name from a creek with several miniature waterfalls and adjacent woodland scenery. Old settlers still speak of the place as Maungatua, and it was at one time best known by that name. The land in the neighbourhood is very fertile, and flourmilling is carried on in the township. Woodside is much frequented by pleasure parties from Dunedin.

The West Taieri Presbyterian Church; Pastor, the Rev. Robert Fairmaid, Mr. Fairmaid was born at Invercargill in 1859. He is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs John Fairmaid, of Invercargill, two old and respected colonists, who, then both unmarried, arrived in New Zealand in 1858, Mr. Fairmaid in the “George Canning” and his future wife in the “Three Bells.” The Rev. R. Fairmaid was educated in Invercargill at two well-known schools; one conducted by Mr. John Gibson Smith, afterwards secretary to the Southland Board of Education, and the other by Mr. Andrew Macdonald. Mr. Fairmaid was indentured to the furniture trade, and during his apprenticeship, and afterwards whilst working as a journeyman, he underwent a course of studies preparatory to joining the ministry. His tutors were the late Rev. A. H. Stobo, the Rev. J. G. Paterson (now of Gisborne), Mr. George Hardy, headmaster at North Invercargill, and Mr. F. H. Geisow (mathematician). In 1884 Mr. Fairmaid entered the Otago University, where he took the arts course, required by the Church, and subsequently studied divinity at the Theological College, Dunodin. During the vacations, he was engaged in mission work at Brunnerton, Fortrose, Kelso and Lake Wanaka. In December, 1889, he was licensed by the Clutha Presbytery, and on the 7th of January, 1890, he was ordained and inducted to the pastoral charge of the Kaitangata district; thence, after years of successful ministration, he received a call to West Taieri, and accepted it. In October, 1891, Mr. Fairmaid was married to Mary, daughter of Mr. Allan Henderson, accountant to the well-known firm of Messrs Donald Reid and Co., of Dunedin, and has three sons. Mr. Fairmaid is a prominent advocate of temperance.

Bell, John , Farmer, Woodside. Mr. Bell, the eldest son of the late Mr. John Bell, was born at Woodside, and received his education at the local school and at Outram.

Mr. J. Bell.

Mr. J. Bell.

After working on his father's farm for some time, and engaging in shearing, he left in 1888 for Sydney. From Sydney he went to Adelaide, and various parts of South Australia. He travelled a distance of 500 miles up the Murray river, and was shearing on the station of Cudmore Bros. The western districts of Victoria were then visited, and he went waggoning at Romsey, once known as Five Mile Creek. He returned to Woodside at the time of the Dunedin Exhibition, but was seized with rheumatism, and ordered away for a change to Rotorua, where he derived great benefit from the baths. After travelling through the North Island with his brother, he returned to Woodside, which is his home, but he resides occasionally for long periods at Rotorua in the interest of his health.