St. Andrews is situated in the Lower Pareora riding of the Waimate county. The township is almost equidistant from the Pareora and Otaio rivers, which are crossed by bridges on the main south road, which passes through the settlement. There are three Government settlements in the vicinity of St. Andrews. Springbrook, sometimes called Pareora No. 1, was established in 1892, when 600 acres of land were subdivided into thirty sections of from ten to thirty acres each. This was the first settlement of its kind in the district. Otaio, another settlement close to the township, consists of 366 acres, and is subdivided into nine farms of from thirty-two to forty-nine acres. The third settlement, orginally known as Pareora No. 2, now takes the name of Lyalldale. The population of St. Andrews township was returned as 127 at the census of 1901, and the population of Springbrook settlement, only about two miles distant on the south bank of the Pareora river, as 120. There is a public school in St. Andrews, and another at Springbrook. There are three churches, one hotel, two stores, two smithies, a butcher's shop, a bakery, and other business premises in the township. A creamery erected by the South Canterbury Dairy Company, Limited, stands at a distance of three miles from St. Andrews on the Bluecliffs road. The business of the railway and postal departments is conducted at the railway station. Monthly sales of stock are held on the third Friday in each month, at the yards of the South Canterbury Saleyards Company. St. Andrews has a recreation reserve of twenty-two acres, on the page 1040 south side of the township, near the Victoria Park. The property is fenced, and surrounded with ornamental trees, and a portion, known as the Record Reign Circle, has been laid out in the centre, and embellished with a Victoria Cross, in memory of the late Queen. There is a cemetery of five acres on the south side of the Otaio river. The bridge, which is not far from the cemetery, was rebuilt in 1902–3. St. Andrews railway station is 110 miles from Christchurch and ten miles from Timaru, and stands on an elevation of forty-eight feet above the sea. The land surrounding the township is fairly level, but there is undulating country within a comparatively short distance. Trout abound in the Pareora river, and sportsmen find plenty of hares and ducks in the district.

St. Andrews Railway Station And Post Office dates from about 1882. It has a long passenger platform, a goods shed, and sheep and cattle loading yards. Three trains pass daily each way, and both express trains stop at the station. Letters to local residents are delivered over the counter, and on Mondays and Wednesdays a mail cart leaves letters at settlers' homesteads for fully ten miles back from the township towards the hills.

Mr. Hugh Ritchie Bush, Stationmaster and Postmaster at St. Andrews, was born at Southbridge, Canterbury, in 1874. He attended school in England, but returned to New Zealand in 1889. Mr. Bush was for eight years on the Napier section of railways, end was appointed to St. Andrews in 1901, after having been some time stationmaster at Te Aro, Wellington.

Mr. John Dunnill, Ganger in charge of a section of seven miles of railway between Timaru and St. Andrews, was born in 1851, at Reaton, Yorkshire, England. He was brought up to farm work, and came out to Foxton. New Zealand, by the ship “La Hogue,” in 1873. Soon afterwards he commenced work on the Government railways, and laid the first fish-plate on the line near Palmerston North. In 1875 Mr. Dunnill was promoted to the position of ganger, and was stationed at Turakina for over six years. He then left the service to live in Wellington, where he found employment on the reclaimed land, but after six months rejoined the railway department, and in less than a year was appointed ganger at the Summit. After three years and nine months he was transferred to Kaitoke, where he remained for seven years; he received his present appointment in April, 1895. Mr. Dunnill was for a short time connected with Court Sir George Grey, A.O.F., in Wellington. He was married in October, 1874, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Mitchell, of Sydney, and has had five sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter have died.

The Public School at St. Andrews was founded about the year 1872, and stands on a glebe of five acres, on the Bluecliffs road. The building, which was enlarged in 1895, is of brick with an iron roof, and contains two class rooms and two porches. It has room for 100 children and there are seventy names on the roll, with an average attendance of about sixty. There is a convenient playground, and a school residence of six rooms.

Mr. Richard Neville Hawkes, Headmaster of St. Andrews public school, was born at Bendigo, Victoria, in 1865. When a child he arrived in New Zealand with his parents, and was educated in Dunedin. Mr. Hawkes held positions under the South Canterbury Board of Education prior to his appointment at St. Andrews in 1899. He was married, in 1892, to a daughter of Mr. Charles Russell, of Seacliff, and has two daughters and one son.

The Parish of Otaio-with-Bluecliff extends from the sea to the hills between the south bank of Pareora and the north bank of the Makikihi rivers, and was constituted in 1880. There are two churches—one at St. Andrews and one at Esk Valley (Upper Otaio). The vicarage at St. Andrews is prettily situated in ornamental grounds on a glebe of ten acres.

St. Andrews Anglican Church, St. Andrews, was built about 1887, and has since that date been enlarged. The building is of wood on concrete foundations, and has seats for about 120 persons. Services are held every Sunday, and a school with fifty scholars and six teachers, is held in the church on Sabbath afternoons.

Reaping Machines at Work on the Pareora Estate, St. Andrews. Photo lent by Mr. D. Stowell.

The Rev. Laurence Carsley Brady, Vicar of Otaio-with-Bluecliff, was born in Bath, England. In 1864 he came to Auckland by the ship “Avalanche,” studied page 1041 at St. John's College, and was ordained deacon in 1870, and priest in 1874. Prior to his appointment to Otaio Mr. Bradly was for nearly ten years vicar of Waikato West.

The Presbyterian Church, St. Andrews, became a separate charge in 1897 prior to which services were held by the minister stationed at Timaru. The present church was erected in 1900, on a site of half an acre, at a cost of £1100, exclusive of the land. Altogether the church has six acres in the township. The manse is a convenient seven roomed residence, and was built in 1898. The church is of wood and iron, and has seating accommodation for 200 adults. A Sunday school, with thirty children and four teachers, meets in the building. The minister holds services periodically also at Southburn, Upper and Lower Otaio, and Makikihi.

The Rev. Henry Kinnear Lawrie, M.A., Minister of St. Andrews Presbyterian church, was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1863, and took his degree at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. After some years of experience in other lands, Mr. Lawrie arrived in New Zealand, and was inducted at St. Andrews, in January, 1902. He married Miss Forbes, a Perthshire lady.

Masonic Hotel (Charles Wederell, proprietor), St. Andrews. Mr. Wederell was born in Essex, England, in 1838. He began life as a blacksmith. In 1857, he came out in the ship “Rose of Sharon,” and landed at Wellington. On coming to Lyttelton, he was engaged in the first harvesting season on the Heathcote, when sickles were used in reaping. After working for Mr. John Anderson for a time, he went to Rakaia, and was engaged in farm work for about fifteen months. Then he returned to Christchurch and assisted in forming the Papanui road. On the opening up of the Mackenzie Country he went there and worked for Mr. Stericker, and afterwards went bullock driving on the Lake Tekapo station, buying a team of bullocks from Mr. Stericker for £250. In 1864, he leased a farm at Milford from the late Mr. Hayhurst, and remained there for eight years. Then he bought an express business in Timaru, and conducted it for three years. He took over the Fairlie Hotel in 1875, and kept it until 1882. Two years later he became a butcher, and followed the business for a year. In 1885 he took over the Masonic Hotel at St. Andrews, and the genial disposition which has characterised him through life has made him a general favourite with the patrons of the house. Mr. Wederell is a member of the Timaru Caledonian Lodge of Freemasons. He has also been an Oddfellow and a Forester. At Fairlie he was chairman of the school committee for two years. He was married, in 1864, to Miss Maria Nelson, and has six sons and five daughters.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. C. Wederell.

Ferrier, photo.
Mrs C. Wederell.

Berry, John Thomas, Boot and Shoemaker, and Cycle Repairer, St. Andrews. This business was established by the proprietor in 1897, but the premises were unfortunately burnt down in November, 1901. The present building is of wood and iron, and consists of a shop and residence, standing on a section of freehold land. Mr. Berry was born in 1872, in Timaru, where he learned his trade, of which he had further experience in Christchurch before establishing his present business. He served as a volunteer in C Battery, Timaru, for six years, and was in the South Canterbury Mounted Rifles for a year. He has been a member of the local school committee, and also its secretary. As a Forester Mr. Berry is attached to Court Progress, No. 6732, St. Andrews, of which he is P.C.R. He was married on the 1st of April, 1899, to a daughter of Mr. George Caygill, of Dunedin, and has one son and one daughter.

Besley, Charles Henry, Butcher, Baker, Farmer, and Stock Dealer, St. Andrews. This business was established about the year 1872, and has been conducted by Mr. Besley since 1899. The building was erected on a freehold section in 1901, to replace the old premises, which were destroyed by fire. It is built of wood and iron, and consists of a shop and ten-roomed residence, with a brick bakehouse behind. Mr. Besley was born in Devonshire, England, in 1870, and worked on his father's farm, until coming out to New Zealand by the s.s. “Rimutaka” in December, 1889. For a time he was stationed in the Levels district, and after visiting the North Island, began farming at Beaconsfield in 1895. However, he sold his farm in 1899, and acquired his present business. Mr. Besley owns seventy acres of freehold on the beach, between the railway line and the sea, and has also about 150 acres of leasehold in other parts of the district. As a Freemason he is attached to Lodge St. John, E.C., and he is also a member of the local school committee. Mr. Besley is a stockdealer and exporter of frozen meat. He was married, in 1895, to a daughter of Mr. Robert Grigg, of Beaconsfield, and has two daughters.

Mr. Arthur William Dutson was born in England, in 1863, served his time as a grocer, and came out to New Zealand in 1887. He was employed by Messrs Bruce Bros., at St. Andrews, and afterwards by Mr. Zander, who had purchased the business. In 1890 he joined Mr. McClymont, and the partnership subsisted till the present firm was constituted. Mr. Dutson takes an interest in local affairs, and in sporting and hunting, and was a volunteer in a mounted corps in England. He was married, on the 3rd of December, 1902, to a niece of Mr. Andrew Martin, of Otaio.

Mr. Alexander Wilson was born at Timaru, in April, 1874. After completing his school course he was trained to mercantile life in his native place. Mr. Wilson had experience for about five years in Ashburton, and was for a short time in charge of a business in Timaru. He joined Mr. Dutson at St. Andrews in 1902.

Young, J. And Son (James and David Young), General Storekeepers, St. Andrews. This business was founded in 1882 by Mr. Robert Forrest, and passed into the hands of Mr. James Young four years later. In 1893 it was sold to Mr. P. Keddie, and was acquired by Messrs J. Young and Son about the end of 1901. The premises, which were erected in 1888, consist of a substantial wood and iron building, with a corner shop and a detached residence. The firm maintains a large assorted stock of general merchandise.

Burjord. photo.
Mr. J. Young and Son.

Mr. James Young, Senior Partner, was born in 1835, in Haddingtonshire, East Lothian, Scotland. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, and found employment until coming to Port Chalmers by the ship “Cartsburn,” in 1874. After working at Timaru for a few years, he established himself as a blacksmith at St. Andrews in 1878. He carried on this business till 1887, when he disposed of it to his son Alexander, and joined his present firm. When Mr. Young came to St. Andrews, the township consisted of a small public house, and the stationmaster's residence. He has served as a member of the school committee, and has been on the local cemetery board since its inception, acting as chairman. Mr. Young was married, in 1858, to a daughter of Mr. William Strain, of Lanarkshire, Scotland. His wife died in 1897, leaving six sons and five daughters, of whom one daughter has died.

Mr. David Young, Junior Partner in his father's firm, was born in 1878, at St. Andrews, where he was educated. After some experience in business in his native place he was with his brother at Fairlie for some years, and was afterwards employed by Mr. Meehan, storekeeper, Makikihi, managing his branch store at Morven. He was married, in 1902, to a daughter of the late Mr. George Morton, J.P., of Morven.