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

City Council

City Council.

The City Council, elected in April, 1903, consists of the Mayor, Mr. Thomas Scott, and three Councillors for each of the four wards: Henry Crust, James Gore, and R. G. Macdonald, South Ward; Joseph Braithwaite, John Loudon, and James H. Walker, High Ward; Thomas R Christie, Edwin A. Tapper, and Patrick Hally, Bell Ward; George Lawrence, John Barnes, and John McDonald, Leith Ward.

The officers of the Council are: Messrs Thomas B. Fairbairn, Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Returning Officer for the city; John Jacobs, Assistant Town Clerk; J. R. Morris, Valuer; R. S. Allan, Engineer and Surveyor; W. D. Snowball, M.R.C.V.S., Inspector of Abattoirs; H. B. Courtis, Gas Engineer, and Thomas Dow, Inspector; Gas Department; R. Donaldson and John Barron, Inspectors of Nuisances; J. W. Davys, Water Inspector; and H. G. Mitchell, Captain of the Fire Brigade.

His Worship the Mayor, Mr. Thomas Scott , made his first appearance in public life about fifteen years ago, when he was elected to a seat in the Mornington Borough Council, of which he continued to be a member for eight years, during two of which he was Mayor. In 1896 he took up his residence within the city boundary, and about three years later was elected to fill the vacanoy caused in the City Council, by Mr. R. Chisholm's election as Mayor. His election upon that occasion was followed by three and a half years of municipal service, and in April, 1903, he was elected Mayor of Dunedin with a majority vote of nearly 2,000. Mr. Scott was born in the village of Glasford, about sixteen miles from Glasgow, in 1854, and arrived in New Zealand by the ship “Aboukir,” at the age of ten. He gained some instruction at private schools before leaving the Old Country, and completed his education in the public schools at Milton, Otago and at Nelson. He then served an apprenticeship as a carpenter at Nelson, and subsequently spent three years on the goldfields at Reefton, on the West Coast. For some years after arriving in Dunedin he was employed in the building trade, and early in the nineties he entered into partnership with Mr. Wilson, under the title of Messrs Scott and Wilson venetian blind and revolving shutter manufacturers. This business has proved eminently successful, and has grown to considerable dimensions. Mr. Scott, however, does not now take an active part in the management, but devotes his entire time and attention to the duties of his position as Mayor of the city. Mr. Scott was married in February, 1879, to Miss Mason, of Dunedin, and has two daughters and one son.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photoMr. T. Scott, Mayor of Dunedin.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo
Mr. T. Scott, Mayor of Dunedin.

Councillor Henry Crust , who has represented South Ward in the Dunedin City Council since 1898, was born at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, England, in 1847; and in 1851 accompanied his parents to Victoria, Australia. In 1862 Mr. Crust came to New Zealand, and for some years was engaged in stock-riding and station work in the South Island. On setting in Dunedin in 1867, he with Mr. Duncan Campbell, established a carrying and forwarding agency. On Mr. Campbell's death, Mr. Crust continued the business, steadily increasing and developing it, adding to it a Customshouse Agency, Commercial Travellers' Sample Rooms, and a Tourists' Baggage Agency; and now, under the title of Crust and Crust, it is one of the finest and most popular business of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Three years ago (written in 1903) Mr. Crust's firm page 98 entered into combination with Messrs J. M. Heywood and Co., of Christchurch; the Colonial Carrying Co., of Wellington; and Messrs W. and G. Winston, of Auckland, as the New Zealand Carrying Company (referred to in another section of this volume). Mr. Crust has taken considerable interest in the mining industry, and is a director of several commpanies. In 1871 he was married to Miss Jessie Wood, of the Orkney Islands, and has a family of three sons and four daughters.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.Councillor H. Crust.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Councillor H. Crust.

Councillor James Gore , who sits in the Dunedin City Council as a representative of South Ward, has served the town as Mayor and Councillor for many years. Mr. Gore has been a member of the Charitable Aid Board, and has served on the Drainage Board since its inception. He is referred to elsewhere as having been Mayor, and as a former member of Parliament.

Councillor Robert Gordon Macdonald was returned, unopposed, to the Dunedin City Council on the 25th of November, 1903, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. John Carroll. Councillor Macdonald is further referred to in the Medical Section of this volume.

Councillor Joseph Braithwaite , one of the representatives for High Ward in the Dunedin City Council, is an active member of that body, to which he was elected in 1901, and re-elected in 1903. Mr. Braithwaite has been a member of the Anglican Synod for about thirteen years, and of the Domain Board for three years. He is well known in business circles in the city, and is elsewhere referred to in this volume.

Councillor John Loudon , who was elected a member of the Dunedin City Council, for High Ward, in April, 1903, was born in Victoria in 1863. He was educated at private schools in his native place, and coming to Otago when a boy, completed his education at Anderson's Bay Grammer School, under Mr. William Bruce Mackay. After being about ten years in the Government railway audit department, he entered the employment of the Farmers' Agency Company, as accountant, and in 1893, in partnership with Mr. William Turnbull, bought the business. Mr. Loudon is a director of the Waipori Falls Electric Power Company, Limited, and is interested also in several other businesses in the city. He is a member of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, and honorary tneasurer of the Otago Club, and of the Otago Club Company, Limited.

Councillor James Hamlin Walker , who was elected a member of the Dunedin City Council in April, 1903, is the fourth son of the late Mr. Thomas Walker who was for over thirty years foreman shipwright, in Dunedin, for the Union Steam Ship Company. He was born in 1863 in Dunedin, was educated at the Union Street public school, and was afterwards apprenticed to the plumbing trade. Subsequently he carried on business in partnership with Mr. R. Scott for about two years, and in 1885 he entered into partnership with a younger brother, the two having since conducted business, under the style of Messrs Walker Brothers, in St. Andrew Street, Dunedin. Mr. Walker was the secretary and treasurer of the first free reading-room in Dunedin. He has been a member of the St. Andrew's Preshyterian Church for about twelve years, and of the High Street public school committee for six years, and is at present its chairman. Mr. Walker was married in December, 1892 to Miss Blakely, of Dunedin, and has four children.

Councillor Thomas Reid Christie, J. P. , has been a member of the Dunedin City Council—on which he represents Bell Ward—since 1899. He was born in April, 1861, in Perthshire, Scotland, educated at the Dollar Academy in Clackmannanshire, and served an apprenticeship as a plumber. In 1880 he sailed in the ship, “Dunedin” for New Zealand Shortly after landing in Dunedin he entered into partnership with his brother, under the style of Messrs J. and T. Christie, sanitary engineers, general plumbers and manufacturers. Mr. Christie is a member of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers of London, is president of the National Association of Master Plumbers of New Zealand, and represents the Dunedin City Council on the Technical Classes' Association. He is also a trustee of the Dunedin Savings Bank.

Councillor Edwin Alfred Tapper , who has represented Bell Ward on the Dunedin City Council since April, 1901, is one of the most active members of that important body. During 1901–2 he was a member of the Finance, Reserve, and Water Committees; during 1902–3 a member of the Finance, Water Gas and Tramways Committees, and during the current year he is a member of the Finance and Tramways Committees and chairman of the Works Committee. He is also a member of the Special Committee of the City Council, and has announced himself a candidate for the Mayoralty for 1904–5. Mr. Tapper was born at Reading, Berkshire, England, on the 6th of February, 1847, and is the youngest son of the late Mr. Robert Tapper, solicitor, of “Wandham House,” Weston-Super-Mare, in Somersetshire, England, who was for some years manager of the well-known legal firm of Messrs Philpott and Baker, of Weston-Super-Mare. He was educated at the last-mentioned town, and was afterwards apprenticed to the bookselling and stationery trade at “The Library,” an extensive business in Weston-Super-Mare, of which he subsequently became manager, and held the position till 1869. Later on he was appointed manager of the publishing department in the firm of Messrs George Metzler and Co., music publishers, etc., Great Marlborough Street, London, and occupied that position until leaving England for New Zealand in July, 1872, by the ship “Lady Jocelyn.” On arriving in Invercargill he entered the ironmongery business of his eldest brother Robert, whom he afterwards joined in partnership. During the prosperous years which followed the inception of the public works policy, the firm sold the hardware department of its business, from which Mr. Robert Tapper afterwards retired, leaving Mr. E. A. Tapper to conduct the saw-milling branch on his own account. Within a few years Mr. Tapper succeeded in establishing one of the most extensive and efficiently equipped saw-milling, timber, and building ironmongery businesses in the South Island, with branches at Invercargill, Ashburton, Gore, and Dunedin, and sawmills at Seaward Forest Long Bush, and Green Hills. He was at that time one of the largest employers of labour in New Zealand, and by his persistence in urging the Government to grant liberal concessions on behalf of sawmilling,
Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.Councillor E. A. Tapper.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Councillor E. A. Tapper.

page 99 did much for that industry. In 1899 he disposed of his sawmills to the New Zealand Pine Company, and later on sold his Invercargill timber and ironmongery business to Broad, Small and Co., and his Dunedin business to the City Sawmills Company. In 1898 he began business in Moray Place under the title of Messrs A. Tapper and Co., and his Dunedin business to the City Swamills Company. In 1898 he began business in Moray Place under the title of Messrs A. Tapper and Co., commercial and financial brokers, custom house and shipping agents, and has succeeded in building up a large connection. In September, 1884, Mr. Tapper became a member of the Borough Council of Invercargill, and in June, 1887, was elected Mayor, a position which he occupied for two years in succession. During his residence in Invercargill he took a keen interest in all matters concerning the public and social life of the town. Mr. Tapper first entered public life in Dunedin as a member of the Mornington Borough Council, on which he had a seat during 1894–6. In 1896 he visited Europe, and returned in the same year. Mr. Tapper was a member of the Charitable Aid Board—on which he represented the city Council—and of the House Committee of the Dunedin Hospital Trustees. He was married, in 1881, to the eldest daughter of Mr. Kenneth Gunn, one of Melbourne's oldest citizens, and has a family of four children. Mr. Tapper's private residence, known as “Terangi,” is situated high up on the western slope from the city, and commands an extensive view of Dunedin and suburbs, the harbour, the Peninsula, and the Pacific ocean.

Councillor Patrick Hally , who has represented Bell Ward on the Dunedin City Council since 1902, is the eldest son of the late Mr. John Hally, of Dunedin. He was born in 1866, in Dunedin, educated at the Christian Brothers' School, and afterwards apprenticed to the bootmaking trade. In 1891 he established his present business in George Street. Mr. Hally is a member of the Dunedin Conciliation Board, and has, for about six years, been president of the New Zealand Federal. Tailoresses' Union. He is also a member of the Dunedin Catholic Literary Society.

Councillor George Lawrence , J.P., was elected a member of the Dunedin City Council in April, 1901, and re-elected, as senior member for Leith Ward, in April, 1903. He was born at Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1850, and was educated in London. After serving an apprenticeship to the building trade under his brother, he commenced business on his own account in London. In 1875 he sailed for New Zealand in the ship “Suraf,” which was wrecked near the Bluff, the passengers being picked up and brought on to Port Chalmers by the “Vire,” a French man-of-war. Shortly after arriving in Dunedin Mr. Lawrence established himself in the building trade, and is still engaged in it He is a director of the Dunedin Savings Bank, a member of the Dunedin Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and of the Ocean Beach Domain Board, and was for seven years a member of the Union Street public school committee. Mr. Lawrence was married, in 1873, to Miss Emily Prior, of Blackheath, and has four sons and six daughters.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo,Councillor G. Lawrence.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo,
Councillor G. Lawrence.

Councillor John Barnes , who was elected—when for the first time nominated—to represent Leith Ward in the Dunedin City Council in April, 1903, is the eldest son of the late William Barnes, and grandson of the late John Barnes, a former Mayor of Dunedin. He was born in Dunedin in 1861, and was educated at Halliwell's Middle District School. During the following few years, when he was a mere boy, he was engaged with his father in the constrnction of the railway line between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, and in the making of streets within the city boundary. In 1876 he was apprenticed to the late Mr. James Gramond, coachbuilder and general smith, of Great King Street, who was also a city councillor, and continued to work with him for fifteen years, until 1891, when he left to establish a business on his own account in Frederick Street. In 1892 Mr. James Gramond died, and in the succeeding year Mr. Barnes took over his former employer's business, which he has since conducted with marked success. Mr. Barnes is a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, the George Street school committee, of the Primitive Methodist Debating Society, and also of the Independent Order of Rechabites, Hope of Dunedin Tent. He was married, in 1888, to Miss Elizabeth Kydd, formerly of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, and has two sons and four daughters.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.Councillor J. Barnes.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Councillor J. Barnes.

Councillor John McDonald , who was elected to the Dunedin City Council as senior member for Leith Ward, in April, 1901, and retuned for the same ward two years later, was born in the province of Auckland in September, 1866. His father, the late Mr. Colin McDonald, a contractor by trade, was for many years connected with the New Zealand Government in that capacity. Councillor McDonald was one of the founders of the Otago Cycling Club, and has been a director of the Caledonian Society of Otago for about thirteen years.

Mr. Thomas Bolster Fairbairn is the Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Returning Officer for the City of Dunedin.

Mr. Richard Sutcliffe Allan , City Engineer to the Dunedin City Corporation, is the second son of the late Mr. James Allan, of “Hope Hill,” in the Taieri district. He was born in November, 1856, and educated at the Union Street public school, the Dunedin Boys' High School, and the Otago University, and at an early age was apprenticed to Messrs Barr and Oliver, civil engineers and surveyors, Dunedin. Whilst with that firm he became a licensed surveyor, and in 1879 he commenced a private practice in conjuction with Mr. Charles Banks, now engineer for the Waitaki County Council, Oamaru. In 1883 Mr. Allan removed to Wellington to undertake contract-surveys for the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company, and in the following year he joined the firm of Messrs Fergus and Blair, railway contactors, as managing engineer, and carried out the construction of the Otaki section of Wellington-Manawatu railway. Later on he went to Melbourne, where he was entrusted with large and important undertakings, and he was subsequently associated with Messrs Reid and McNeill (of Briscoe and Co.) in the construction of the Warrnambool-Koroit railway. Mr. Allan was afterwards engaged for a time in private practice in West Australia, where he joined the goldfields water supply branch of the public works department in 1894. Four years later he became municipal engineer for Coolgardie, but resigned that position in January, 1900, to return to New Zealand. For a short time he was engaged as assistant road surveyor in the public works department, in page 100 Wellington, and in August, 1901, was appointed first assistant engineer to the Dunedin City Corporation. On the retirement of Mr. John Rogers in August, 1903, he was appointed City Engineer to the Dunedin City Corporation.

Mr. John Richard Morris , who was appointed valuer to the Dunedin City Council in 1874, was born at Dudley, in Staffordshire, England, in November, 1831. He was educated for the medical profession, but later on entered the shipping trade as a partner in the firm of Messrs Cook, Morris and Holmes, of Manchester. In 1869 he sailed for Dunedin, and for a short time was engaged in the service of the Provincial Government. Mr. Morris was one of the promoters of the Dunedin Orchestral Society, and has been its president since its inception. He was married at Kirk Braddon, on the Isle of Man, in August, 1853, to Miss Mott, and has five sons and one daughter.

Mr. John Barron , Inspector of Wheel Traffic for the city of Dunedin, was appointed in March, 1894. He was a member of the City Council for a number of years, and had previously been a member of the Caversham Borough Council form 1878 till 1884. During that time he was for two years a member of the Otago Harbour Board. Mr. Barron was for many years a member of the Dunedin Caledonian Society, of which he was president for one year, and was also a member of the Caledonian Bowling Club, of which he was a prize-winner. Mr. Barron was married in June, 1864, to Miss M. Patrick of Fifeshire and has, surviving, nine children.

Mr. William Brooke Taylor , formerly Town Clerk, City Treasurer, and Returning Officer for the city of Dunedin, was born in Framingham Pigot, Norwich, Norfolk, England, in 1840. Till he was fourteen years of age he attended King Edward VI.'s Grammar School, and was subsequently for four years at the Ipswich Grammar School, under the tultion of Mr. Montague Williams (afterwards the celebrated “Criminal Side” barrister) and the Rev. Stephen Rigand (afterwards Bishop of Antigua). Mr. Taylor served his articles as a solicitor to his father, Mr. Adam Taylor, of Norwich, and, after passing his examination, was admitted to practice in London, where he acted as managing clerk for several years. He afterwards practised his profession in his native town for a short time, and arrived in Port Chalmers in 1873 in the ship “Warrior Queen.” He took a position as accountant and collector to the Dunedin Gas Works—then the property of Mr. Hankey, whose attorney was Mr. W. J. M. Larnach. On the corporation purchasing these works in 1876, Mr. Taylor became one of the staff of the city corporation. In 1887 he was appointed secretary to the Gas Works, and largely devoted his time to carrying out the council's plans for the extension of the business. On the retirement of Mr. Gibson as town clerk in 1890, the position was offered to and accepted by Mr. Taylot. Outside his public duties, Mr. Taylor did not mix much in public life, preferring his books and the freeness of the country. He was, however, a Freemason, a bowler, and a member of musical societies. Mr. Taylor was married in 1861 to a daughter of Mr. R. Claxton, of North Walsham, and died in Sydney, New South Wales, in the year 1900.

The Late Mr. W B. Taylor.

The Late Mr. W B. Taylor.