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

Diack, William

Diack, William , farmer, Hillhead Farm, Waikouaiti. Mr. Diack was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1835, and came to New Zealand in 1859, in the ship “Alpine.” After arriving in the colony he found work on Mrs Shand's farm, at Green Island, for twelve months. In those days the roads were such that it took two days to fetch eight bags of oats in a dray from Green Island to Dunedin, a distance of five miles. Later on he found employment with the Provincial Government, and was engaged in forming the roads through the Waikouaiti district, and building culverts, some of which an still standing. Subsequently he was engaged as foreman of the track-making party at Pine Hill. Shortly after that, the diggings broke out, and determining to try his luck, he left in 1861 for Gabriel's Gully, now known as Lawrence. After remaining there for three months he procured as much of the precious metal as bought his present property, and devoted himself to farming. However, after spending about one year on the farm, he took the gold fever again, and started for the West Coast; in those days a tedious journey, which occupied six weeks. On the way provisions ran short, and for three days he had to live on raw oats, which were his horse's feed. When he reached the diggings, the field proved a “duffer,” and he returned to Waikouaiti, a wiser if not a richer man. Mr. Diack goes in chiefly for dairy farming, milking forty cows, and also runs a number of crossbred and halfbred Leicester sheep. A portion of his farm is used for cropping, and yields, on an average, between fifty and sixty bushels to the acre. Another branch of the farm work consists in the breeding of good draught horses, in which Mr. Diack has had considerable experience. He was a member of the Hawksbury Road Board for seventeen years from beginning to end. He and three others also stood bondsmen for the Waikouaiti Dairy Factory, which has now proved such a benefit to the district. He is a Past Grand Officer of the Loyal Prince Alfred Lodge, Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows. Mr. Diack married a daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Gilmour, Shag Valley, Palmerston, and has a family of five sons and one daughter.