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

Awamoa — Mcgillivray, Robert

Awamoa.

Mcgillivray, Robert , Farmer, Awamoa, near Oamaru. Mr. McGillivray was born in the parish of Glenbervie, in Kincardineshire, Scotland, in 1882, and resided there until 1846, when he went to Edinburgh to school. On leaving school, he entered a law office, in 1818, and remained there for about four years. On his health giving way, he removed to the south of England, where he remained for five years. On getting married to a daughter of the late Mr. William Robertson, farmer, Ferntosh, Ross-shire, in 1850, he resolved to try his fortune in New Zealand, for which he took passage in the ship “Alpine,” which arrived at Port Chalmers on the 12th of September, in the same year. For some time he settled in Dunedin, where he found employment as a carpenter. In August, 1860, he removed to Oamaru, with the late Hon. Matthew Holmes, for whom he built the Totara station buildings, On completing these works he returned again to Dunedin, where he built Mrs Muir's Private Hotel on the Bell Hill, and several other buildings; but on business becoming dull in Dunedin, he went to Riverton, where he found employment at his trade, On things becoming dull in Riverton, he removed to Myross Bush, near Invercargill. Afterwards he became a teacher under the Southland Education Board, and was for two years and a half at Mavis Bush. In 1871 Mr. McGillivray gave up teaching, and resumed farming in the Winton district, where he remained until 1887, when he disposed of his Winton farm and took up land in the Mataura district, where he commenced dairy farming, and was fairly successful until his health failed, and he sold out in 1902. While in the Winton district Mr. McGillivray was a member of the school committee. He also took an active interest in matters affecting the farming community, and in 1882 he called public meetings, at which he urged the farmers to form a Union to uphold their own interests, and also to form a co-operative society and endeavour, through such a society, to obtain cheaper money. This was strenuously opposed by the merchants and money lenders. In the same year Mr. McGillivray drafted a Drainage Act, which was brought before Parliament by the late Mr. Macandrew, and became law the same year, after many alterations and additions. In 1901–2 he assisted the late Mr. R. Dodds in advocating that taxation for county purposes should be raised on the unimproved value of land, which was ultimately carried in Southland, He also assisted in forming a
Mr. R. McGillivray.

Mr. R. McGillivray.