The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
Garston
Garston.
Garston is a farming district in close communication with the mining centres of Nevis and Nokomai. The flag railway station is seventy-six miles from Invercargill, and eleven miles from Kingston, and stands at an elevation of 1,004 feet above sea level. The warm soil of the valley enables the settlers to grow very good cereal crops. At the local hotel there is good accommodation for tourists and travellers, and the proprietor also conducts a general store. There is also a blacksmith's shop in the village. Garston also has a public school, and a post office and telephone bureau, with daily mails to Lumsden and Queenstown, weekly mails to Invercargill, and, on four days in each week, to Dunedin. The local churches represent the Anglican and Roman Catholic denominations, and Presbyterian services are held in the school room by the minister at Lumsden. The Mataura river runs through the settlement of Garston, and the population at the census of 1901, was eighty-five. Garston forms part of the Wakatipu electorate, and is in the Kingston riding of the Lake county.
The Garston Public School was established about 1882, and stands on five acres of land, on which there is also a five-roomed residence for the headmaster. The school building, which consists of one classroom, has accommodation for forty-five pupils, and the average attendance is about forty.
Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. W. S. Lea.
The Garston Hotel (Alexander McCaughan, proprietor) Garston. This hotel, which is within a stone's throw of the Garston railway siding, is a substantial wood, iron and stone building, containing nine rooms and a good sitting-room, exclusive of the rooms used by the proprietor's family. The hotel has been in existence for over twenty-five years, and the accommodation is good and the tariff moderate. Stables adjoin the hotel, and horses and traps can be hired at reasonable rates.
Mr. Alexander Mccaughan , the Proprietor, was born in 1860, at Ballycastle, County Antrim, Ireland, and was brought up on his father's farm. He came to New Zealand in 1883, and engaged in farm work, being employed for seven years on one farm. He then followed mining at Nenthorn, and later in the Wakatipu district, where he held a farm for a year. After a time spent in contracting, Mr McCaughan acquired the Garston Hotel in 1899, and is also proprietor of the local store. He is a member of the school committee, and also of the cemetery committee. Mr McCaughan was married, in 1896, to a daughter of Mr J. Shannassy, farmer, Limerick, Ireland, and has two sons.
Garston General Store Alexander McCaughan, proprietor), Garston. This store is within a short distance of the hotel, and a blacksmith's shop, which adjoins it, is let to Mr Theyer. Mr McCaughan has also two farms, of fifty acres and 150 acres, respectively, in the district, and has an interest in mining claims at Nokomai. He is further referred to as proprietor of the Garston Hotel.
Butson, Samuel , Farmer, “El-lenglaza,” Garston. This farm, which comprises 200 acres, was taken up by proprietor in 1876. It was then in its natural state, but it has since been brought under full cultivation, and is devoted to mixed farming. Mr Butson is further referred to as a member of the Lake County Council.
Cunningham, Robert , Farmer, Garston. Mr Cunningham, who holds a 200-acre farm a short distance from Garston, is also the proprietor of a threshing and chaffcutting plant. He was one of the first selectors in the district, and took a prominent part in having the land thrown open for selection. Mr Cunningham was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1846, arrived at Melbourne with his parents in 1851, and came to New Zealand in 1875. He spent over a year on a station, and then rented a farm in the Wakatipu district for a time, before taking up his present farm at Garston. Mr Cunningham has been for many years a member of the local school committee. He was married, in 1864, but his wife died several years ago, leaving two sons and one daughter.
Fairlight Estate (John Rogers, proprietor), near Garston. This property was originally the old homestead of the late Captain Howell. It now has an area of 640 acres, and wool from the estate generally brings top prices at the Invercargill wool sales.
Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. J. Rogers.
Mr. J. A. Wraytt.