Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

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

St. Kilda

page break

St. Kilda.

St. Kilda is situated about two miles from Dunedin, and was declared a municipality on the 7th of December, 1875. At that time the borough was a swamp covered with tussocks, with a few houses dotted here and there. It has now well-formed streets and footpaths. The drainage is conducted principally with open ditches, but the main streets have closed in drains, and as the town comes within the area of the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board, an up-to-date drainage system will shortly be established. There is a good sanitary and water service, the latter being supplied from the Silverstream. The borough contains the two fine parks, Forbury and Tahuna, where trotting races, sports, and other gatherings are held, and are attended by thousands of people from all over the colony. There is also a reserve and a recreation ground, the latter having recently been presented to the borough by one of the present councillors and formerly its Mayor—Mr. Thomas S. Culling—with the object of establishing a bowling club, a project which has been successfully accomplished, and bids fair to become one of the leading clubs of Otago. At present (1904) St. Kilda is without a church, but the Wesleyans hold services every Sunday in the Town Hall, and have bought a piece of land on the Queen's Drive, where they hope shortly to erect a church. The Education Board has bought two acres of land in Bowen Street, with the intention of erecting a public school. St. Kilda has clay pipe works, and an ærated water factory. At present the horsehaulage tram line extends along Hillside road to Ocean beach, but the proposed new electric service will run on Hillside road, Anderson's Bay road, and probably to Tahuna Park. This work is being pushed on rapidly, and when completed will be of great convenience to the residents of St. Kilda and Ocean beach. The borough has a long stretch of beautiful sandy beach, with two fine hotels overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and there are several tea rooms for the convenience of pleasure seekers, within a stone's throw of the beach. Beautiful residences may be seen along the Queen's Drive, which is also a favourite road for cyclists.

St. Kilda is bounded on the north by the Victoria road; on the west by the Forbury road; on the south by Prince Edward road and Bay View road; and on the east by the stone wall running through the Peninsula district.

St. Kilda has an area of 463 acres; population, 1,900; dwellings, 415; ratepayers, 474; rateable properties, 688; annual rateable value, £12,198; general rate, 1s in the £, struck on the 19th of April, 1898; special rate, 6d; water rate, 5 per cent.; sanitary rate, 6d in the £, drainage rate, 2d in the £. The assets on the 31st of March, 1902, amounted to £2,150; liabilities, £14,833. The Borough Council consists of the Mayor, Mr. J. J. Marlow; and Councillors Thomas S. Culling, C. J. Gore, Gabriel Hodges, William T. McFarlane, Robert Mitchell, W. J. Burke, William Vickery, Thomas Ashton, S. H. Wilson and F. J. Scanlan. Mr. James B. Dick is Town Clark. The first Mayor of the borough was Mr. J. P. Jones, and the following gentlemen have also occupied the mayoral chair; Messrs Caleb Moore, G. T. Clarke, Hugh Gourley, Thomas S. Culling. Robert Mitchell, G. Hodges and Charles J. Gore.

His Worship The Mayor Of St. Kilda , Mr. James John Marlow, who was installed in office on the 3rd of May, 1904, was first elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in 1901, and was chairman of the General Committee for two years. He was appointed the Council's delegate on the Lighting Conference for the suburbs of Dunedin, and it is partly owing to his exertions that negotiations for providing St. Kilda with electric light are now (May, 1904) going on. Mr. Marlow was a member of the South Dunedin Borough Council for four years and a half, and was chairman of the Finance Committee. He was born in London, in 1862, and came out to New Zealand at the age of twelve. After serving an apprenticeship with Messrs Guthrie and Larnach, Dunedin, he removed to Melbourne, where he remained for ten years, gaining experience at his trade with leading firms in the city. On his return to Dunedin, Mr. Marlow opened a furniture factory in Great King Street, stocking his workshops with the latest machinery, and employing the most competent hands obtainable. He was for two years president of the Melbourne Catholic Young Men's Society, and for two years held a similar office in the Melbourne Furniture Trades' Union, which he represented on the Trades and Labour Council. He has been connected with the Hibernian Catholic Australasian Benefit Society as a member of St. Joseph's branch, No. 78, since 1894, has represented that branch at various conferences, and is at present (1904) president of his Society. Mr. Marlow was married, in 1889, to a daughter of Mr. D. Harris, an old colonist, who celebrated his golden wedding in 1892; and he has a family of seven sons and three daughters.

Councillor Charles James Gore was first elected a member of the St. Kilda Borough Council in 1883, and served for eleven consecutive years. In 1901 he again became connected with the Council, and in 1903 was elected Mayor, and is now (1904) once more a councillor. Mr. Gore has been a member of the Forbury school committee, the Licensing Committee, and other public bodies for many years. Since 1880, he has been a member of the Loyal Albion Lodge, No. 5283, Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, and at present holds the office of Past Provincial Grand Master. Mr. Gore was born in Melbourne, in 1855, and arrived at Port Chalmers at the age of eight. After a time spent at the William Street school, and Gardner's
Councillor C. J. Gore.

Councillor C. J. Gore.

page 405 College, he started in business with his father, as a carpenter and contractor. Subsequently he retired from that occupation, and with his brother as partner became proprietor of the Wingatui brickworks. Mr. Gore was married, in 1881, and has two daughters and two sons. One of his sons is in business in Durban, South Africa.

Councillor Thomas Shepherd Culling , J.P., was born in Lyttelton in 1853, and educated at the Otago Boys' High School. He was elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in 1892, and, except during absence on a visit to the Old Country, has been an active member of the Council ever since his election. He was Mayor for four years, during which he was instrumental in getting the water supply for the borough Mr. Culling is a member of the Finance Committee, and chairman of the General Committee, and takes an active interest in all matters concerning the welfare of St. Kilda. He has recently presented the borough with a five acre plot of ground, valued at nearly £2,000, which will be used us a recreation ground, and part of it utilised for a bowling green. With Mr. J. B. Gregory, as junior partner, Mr. Culling owns the Mataura Paper Mills, and he is also senior partner in the firm of R. Wilson and Co., merchants, Dunedin. Mr. Culling was married, in 1889, to a daughter of Mr. Edward Grey, of Milton, and has three daughters and one son.

Councillor T. S. Culling.

Councillor T. S. Culling.

Councillor Gabriel Hodges , who represents Musselburgh Ward on the St. Kilda Borough Council, was formerly Mayor of the borough. He is further referred to elsewhere in this volume as a builder, with premises in Main Street, South Dunedin.

Councillor William T. McFarlane was elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in 1903, and is a member of the Finance Committee. Mr. McFarlane was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1855, and came out to New Zealand in 1864, by the ship “Aboukir.” He attended the Union Street school, and was taught by Sir Robert Stout, who was then at the beginning of his career. Subsequently, Mr. McFarlane, engaged in the sawmilling business at Tapanui, where he built up a profitable business. He also took an active part in local affairs, being for several years a member of the Borough Council, and was for four years a member of the Tapanui school committee, and for two years its chairman. Mr. McFarlane has recently erected several houses on land he bought in Musselburgh, and he has also had built for himself a very fine residence on the Queen's Drive, where he spends most of his time. He is a competent judge of horses, and takes great pleasure in driving around and about the city. Mr. McFarlane was married, in 1884, to Miss Campbell, of Hampden, who died in 1896, leaving one daughter.

Wrigglesworth and Binns photo. Councillor W. T. McFarlane.

Wrigglesworth and Binns photo.
Councillor W. T. McFarlane.

Councillor Robert Mitchell has been connected with the St. Kilda Borough Council since 1874, and in 1900 occupied the mayoral chair. He was formerly a member of the old Caversham Road Board, and also of the Forbury school committee.

Councillor William J. Burke , who was elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in 1300, is a member of the Finance and General Committees. He was a member of the Forbury school committee for four years.

Councillor William Vickery is one of the oldest members of the St. Kilda Borough Council, and was first elected in 1876. He is at present (1904) serving on the Works and Lighting Committees, and is also a member of the Forbury school committee. Mr. Vickery is a native of London, and arrived in New Zealand in 1875.

Councillor Thomas Ashton has been a member of the St. Kilda Borough Council since 1895, and is at present (1904) a member of the General Committee. Mr. Ashton has served on the Forbury school committee since 1897, and is also treasurer of the St. Kilda Fire Brigade.

Councillor Samuel Harris Wilson was elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in April, 1904, and is a member of the Works and Lighting Committees. Formerly he served on the, Port Chalmers Borough Council for six years. Mr. Wilson has been treasurer of the Otago Annual Regatta since 1893, and as a Freemason belongs to the Port Chalmers Marine Lodge, No. 942, English Constitution.

Councillor Frederick John Scanlan was elected to the St. Kilda Borough Council in April, 1904, and serves on the Finance and General Committees. He is also a member of the Tabuna Park Trotting Club. Mr. Scanlan, who is the son of an old colonist, was born in Dunedin in 1867. After his education was completed at the Christian Brothers' School, he entered into business as a general commission agent, and is still engaged in that way.

Mr. James Bertrand Dick was appointed Town Clerk, Inspector of Water and Works, and Collector, to the St. Kilda Borough Council, in 1901. He was born in Dunedin, in 1859, and is a son of the late Hon. Thomas Dick, at one time Superintendent of the province of Otago. Mr. Dick was educated at the Dunedin Boys' High School, and subsequently joined the service of the Colonial Bank, in which he continued
Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo. Mr. J. B. Dick.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Mr. J. B. Dick.

page 406 for twenty-five years, and later on was transferred to the South Dunedin branch, as manager.