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

Waimahaka

Waimahaka.

Waimahaka has become known as a settlement since the opening of the extension of the Seaward Bush railway to that place in 1900. The township has a store and an accommodation house, two blacksmiths shops a wheelwright's shop, and a public school, which is attended by twenty-eight scholars. Services are held every Sunday in the schoolhouse, morning or evening, by Anglican and Presbyterian ministers alternately. The station, which is the terminus of the line, is a combined railway station, telephone bureau and post office, and is twenty-six miles from Invercargill. The township is on the Waimahaka stream, which empties itself, west of the township of Fortrose, into Toetoes harbour. The settlement is in the Toetoes riding of the county of Southland, and in the electorate of Mataura, and at the census of 1901 had a population of seventy-seven. A dairy factory in the immediate neighbourhood is known as the Toi Toi factory. A coach service connects Fortrose with all trains at Waimahaka, the distance between the places being six miles by a good road. The Waimahaka estate, a splendid property extending as far as Titiroa, three miles distant, has been occupied since the early seventies Waimahaka township is completely surrounded by hills, and is entirely hid from any sea views. The population is scattered, but closer settlement will doubtless considerably increase the number of residents in the near future. Since the opening of the railway line, goods, which formally were shipped from Fortrose by sea, are now put on board the trucks at the station, to which the produce of the settlers and numerous flaxmills, for a distance of forty-five miles around, is periodically brought, and so sent into the market.

Mr. Stephen Solomon Shepherd who has been ganger of the Waimahaka Gorge Road section of the New Zealand railways since 1899, was born in 1858, in Tasmania and was brought to Southland by his parents when he was two years old. He was brought up in Southland, and entered the railway service, in the ways and works department, at Invercargill, in 1882. Eighteen months later he was transferred to the permanent way department; afterwards he became a surfaceman, and was promoted to his present position in August, 1899. Mr Shepherd was married in 1884, to a daughter of the late Mr John Dooley, of King's County, Ireland, and has three daughters and two sons

Carlaw And Lienert (George Carlaw and Ernest Lienert), Farriers, Blacksmiths, and Coachbuilders, Waimahaka. Messrs Carlaw and Lienert's premises, which include a wood and iron shop, with residence at the back, stand on an area of freehold land. Waggons, drays, and buggies are built by the firm.

Mr. George Carlaw , Senior Partner of the firm, was born in 1850 in Ayrshire, Scotland, and was educated in Glasgow. In 1865 he arrived in South Australia, where he learned the coachbuilding trade, and was afterwards in business with his father at Shea Oak Log for seven years. Mr Carlaw was subsequently in business on his own account for ten years at York's Peninsula, and then removed to Broken Hill, where he was employed as a blacksmith by the Proprietary Company for six years. In 1893 he came to Invercargill and was employed for two years by the Engineering and Implement Company. He was afterwards engaged in mining at Preservation Inlet for five years, whence he went to Dunedin, and was employed for eighteen months by Mr Joseph Sparrow. Mr Carlaw then settled in Waimahaka, and established his present business in conjunction with Mr E. Lienert. In 1875 he was married to a daughter of the late Mr Conrad Linert, of Shea Oak Log, and has six sons and one daughter.

Erne Hill Estate (George Francis Watson, proprietor), Waimahaka. This property comprised 1,200 acres originally, and has been worked chiefly as a grazing run. Up to 1904, 600 acres of the property had been sold for closer settlement. The homestead is situated on a hill, and commands a beautiful view.

Mr. George Francis Watson , Proprietor of Erne Hill Estate. was born in 1858, in Invercargill, and was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Invercargill for some years, and purchased Erne Hill on the 1st of January, 1900. Mr Watson was married, in October, 1901, to a a daughter of the late Mr Neil Ferguson, of Invercargill.

Waimahaka Estate (James Holms, proprietor), Waimahaka. This fine property consists of 1,600 acres of freehold land adjoining the railway line between Waimahaka and Titiroa. The estate, which was taken up in the seventies, is noted for its fine herd of Hereford cattle, of which part of the original stock came from the wellknown breeders, Messrs W. and A. McLean. Auckland. It is a registered herd, and great care has been taken in its breeding for thirty years. There is also a registered flock of Romney Marsh sheep, bred from imported stock. Sheep and cattle from the estate have repeatedly taken prizes at the Southland and Dunedin shows.

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Mr. James Holms , Proprietor of the Waimahaka Estate, was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, where he was educated, and brought up to farming. He came out to Port Chalmers, in 1863, by the ship “City of Dunedin,” and for eighteen years was manager of the Mount Benger and Teviot stations for Messrs Cargill and Anderson. Mr Holms bought the Waimahaka estate, in 1873, and took up his residence there in 1879. He was for a long time a member and director of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and was president in 1903. He is chairman of the Pine Bush Presbyterian church, and of the school committee. Mr Holms was married, in 1863, to a daughter of the late Mr Alexander Scott, Knocknair Hill farm, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and has two sons and two daughters.