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

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1905, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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Mr. William Cairns , formerly Secretary of Court Pride of Oamaru, was born at Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland, in 1841. He was educated at parish schools, and left Scotland in 1856 for Moreton Bay, Queensland, and after a short time in Sydney, and four years in Melbourne, he arrived at Port Chalmers, in September, 1861. For about eighteen years Mr. Cairns was interested in goldmining, and joined the railway service in 1877, on the opening of the Lawrence branch. Three years later he was appointed signalman at Oamaru, a position which he still holds, and the section under his care has been absolutely free from accidents. Mr. Cairns became a Forester in Victoria, where he was initiated in 1858. He was one of the founders of Court Havelock, Waitahuna, and joined the Oamaru Court by clearance, and has not been absent on more than eight occasions, during his association with it, and then he was absent on Court business. Mr. Cairns was appointed secretary to Court Pride of Oamaru in 1882, but retired from that office in the beginning of 1903. On that occasion the Court presented him with a purse of sovereigns, and also made him a life member, in recognition of his faithful services. The accumulated funds increased during his period of office from one hundred pounds to the present satisfactory to al. Mr. Cairns was married, on the 17th of August, 1862, to a daughter of Mr. W. Boyle, of Glasgow, and has three daughters and one son. His marriage was the first that took place on the Waitahuna goldfield.