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

Mr. John Bell Blair

Mr. John Bell Blair was born in Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1837. At the age of sixteen he emigrated to Tasmania, by the ship “Commodore Perry,” and after residing in the western districts for some months, crossed over to Victoria, and went to the goldfields. He was present during the exciting scenes of Ballarat and Sandhurst, and in the sixties he came over to Otago, to which he brought horses and merchandise. At first he kept a store at Wakatipu, and had teams plying between Dunedin and the diggings, and he was after wards farming at Mosgiel. In conjunction with Mr. Mathew Hastie, and afterwards with Mr. Peter Day, he carried out many extensive contracts and works, such as the Clutha bridge, the Athol-Kingston railway, Whangarei-Kamo railway, Groytown bridge, Westport railway, and the Waitaki bridge at Hakataramea. He also imported to the Colonies about 1,500 head of draught horses and pure-bred cattle. In Tasmania, with his partner, he constructed the railway from Deloraine to Fermoy, and the Warrnambool-Kurio railway line in Victoria. On returning to New Zealand. Mr. Blair settled at Abbotsford farm, on the Taieri Plain, and was a successful breeder of pure Leicesters. He was for years a member of the river board and road board; and was on the committee of the Otago Agricultural Society. Mr. Blair died at Chicago while on his way to Scotland, and left one daughter and two sons; John Bell Blair, junior, and James Waddell Blair, who were educated at the Boys' High School, Dunedin.