Waiareka is a western suburb of Oamaru. It has a railway station, which is the junction of the main south line with a forked branch line, which goes to Ngapara and Tokarahi. The station is two miles from Oamaru, and seventy-six miles from Dunedin, and stands at an elevation of 188 feet above the level of the sea. There is also a post and telegraph office in connection with the railway station. At the census of March, 1901, the population at Waiareka Junction was 122, and that of the immediate neighbourhood, 151. Waiareka is in the Waiareko riding of the county of Waitaki; the total population of the riding is 1518. A good deal of farming is carried on in the district, which is, also, to some extent, a residential suburb.

The Waiareka Junction Railway Station And Post Office dates from about the year 1878. It is on the main line from Oamaru to Dunedin, at the junction of the Ngapara and Tokarahi branch lines. About fourteen trains pass the station daily; it is an important signal station, on the top of a grade, with very heavy traffic on both sides. Mails are received and despatched daily. Mr. Alexander Gow, the stationmaster and postmaster, was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, in 1856. He served for about six years on the Caledonian railway, came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Auckland,” in 1875, and, after serving for some years on the Otago railways, he was appointed to his present position in March, 1891.

The Waiareka Parish Of The Presbyterian Church was constituted in 1876. It embraces the townships of Enfield, Windsor, and Ngapara. There are churches of Oamaru stone at Enfield and Ngapara, and the manse, a wooden building of nine rooms, built in 1878, is at Enfield. The church at Enfield has a beautiful spiral belfry, and was built in 1879, at a cost of £1420. It has accommodation for 200 worshippers, and services are held every Sunday afternoon.

The Rev. James Standring , Minister in charge at Waiareka parish, was born in 1858, at Bury, Lancashire, England. He studied for the ministry in London, and arrived in Lyttelton in 1882 by the ship “Waipa.” His first charge was at Waiareka, where he still ministers. Mr. Standring was married, in 1887, to a daughter of the late Mr. R. Stringer, of Manchester, and has four sons and one daughter.

Winsley, Harry , Builder and Contractor, Waiareka. Mr. Winsley was born in Devonshire, England, in 1853. He attended school in his native county, where he also learned the business of a carpenter, and afterwards had five years' experience in London. In 1877 he arrived in Port Chalmers by the ship “Waipa,” and found his first employment at the erection of the Moeraki Lighthouse. On removing to Oamaru, Mr. Winsley became foreman carpenter on the railway for five years, after which he commenced business as a contractor in the district. His work has been chiefly the erection of bridges; and in addition to erecting a number of these, he also built the railway station buildings on the Waihemo line. Mr. Winsley was a member of the Oamaru South school committee for a number of years, and he has long been a member of the vestry of St. Luke's Church, Oamaru. As a Freemason, he is attached to Lodge Oamaru Kilwinning. Mr. Winsley was married, in 1879, to a daughter of Mr. Alexander Morrison, of Oamaru, and has five sons and four daughters. Mrs Winsley is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to Port Chalmers in 1870 by the ship “James Nicol Fleming.”

Mahan, photo.
Mr. and Mrs H. Winsley and Two Eldest Sons.

Paterson, James , Orchardist, Waiareka. Mr. Paterson was born on the 4th of October, 1843, in Aberdeen, Scotland. After attending school, he was brought up to farm work, and was an overseer for a number of years before leaving his native land. In 1864 he arrived in Port Chalmers by the ship “Victus,” and has resided in the Oamaru district since June of that year Mr. Paterson had his home in Oamaru for about twelve years, and was subsequently gardening at Kakanui for five years. He took up his property of three acres and a quarter at Waiareka in 1890, and has owned the freehold since 1894. As a Freemason, Mr. Paterson was for some time a member of Lodge Waitaki. He took a considerable interest in the Oamaru Hospital and Benevolent Institution in the early days, and served for a long time as a member of the committee; and he was for two years a member of the Oamaru Borough Council. Mr. Paterson was married in Aberdeen to a daughter of the late Mr. James Middleton. This lady died in 1873, and in the following year Mr. Paterson contracted a second marriage with a daughter of the late Mr. Hugh McClymont, of Kakanui. Mrs Paterson died in 1899.

Mr. J. Paterson.