Mr. Oliver Mewhinney, Shorthand Writer to the Hon. the Minister of Lands, was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and received his education in that city. On the completion of his studies he became attached to the staff of the Dunedin Evening Herald, on which journal he received his journalistic training, and made his first acquaintance with the public. Later on Mr. Mewhinney was one of the founders of the Globe, and filled the responsible position of chief reporter on that newspaper for a number of years, and during that time took an active part in the various social questions of the day. Mr. Mewhinney was a member of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists, and for some time had a seat on the committee of the Dunedin branch of the Institute. After eight years as a member of the Fourth Estate he resigned and entered the Government Service. In 1893 he entered the Lands and Survey Department in Wellington as Shorthand Writer, and afterwards joined the Hon. the Minister of Lands in the same capacity.