Awamoko is an agricultural and pastoral district in the Papakaio riding of the Waitaki county, and in the Oamaru electorate. The name Awamoko is also that of a riding of the county, which does not include the settlement of Awamoko itself, though it includes Black Point, Borton's, Georgetown, Island Cliff, Maerewhenua Settlement, Ngapara Tables, Tapui and Tokorahi. The population of the entire riding is 933; that of Awamoko is 124, and of the adjoining Tables, fifty-five. The district is served by a flag station on the Oamaru-Duntroon line of railway, named Aitcheson's, which is seventeen miles from Oamaru, and 261 feet above sea level. There is a public hall, public school, and a creamery in the district. The local post office is at the residence of the schoolmaster, at Waikoura bridge.

The Awamoko Public School , which serves an extensive district between Peebles and Georgetown, was established in the seventies. It stands on a site of three-quarters of an acre, and has accommodation for eighty pupils. There are forty-eight names on the roll, and the average attendance is forty. The school residence is at the Waikoura Creek Bridge, on the main road, and has a glebe of ten acres of land. Mr. A. H. Williamson is the headmaster.

Henderson, John , Farmer, Glen Kerry, Awamoko. Mr. Henderson was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland, in 1831. He was brought up as a shepherd and came to Port Chalmers in the ship “Robert Henderson” in 1860. For the first year he was employed as a shepherd at “Ben Lomond,” and for four years subsequently was at “Benmore.” In 1867 Mr. Henderson settled on the first part of his property at Awamoko, and he has always engaged in mixed farming. Glen Kerry, consists of 248 acres of freehold land and eighty acres of leasehold. Mr. Henderson has served on school committees in various parts of the colony. He was married, in 1867, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Hall, of Boughtrig Farm, Awamoko, and has a surviving family of four daughters and one son.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Henderson.

Johnston, John , J.P., Farmer, “Gavinton,” Awamoko. Mr. Johnston was born on the 8th of July, 1839, in Berwickshire, Scotland, and has always been accustomed to pastoral pursuits. He arrived at Port Chalmers by the ship “Storm Cloud, in 1862, had some experience at the Otago goldfields, and was afterwards among the first to arrive on the West Coast. In February, 1866, Mr. Johnston bought the first portion of his estate at Awamoko; he has since increased its area, and also leases an educational reserve. He served for a number of years on the Awamoko Road Board, and afterwards represented that riding on the Waitaki County Council for a number of years. Mr. Johnston was married, in 1873, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Lunam, of Awamoko, and has two sons and two daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Johnston.

King, Thomas , Farmer, Awamoko. Mr. King was born in Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland, in 1833, and was brought up to country life. He arrived in Port Chalmers, in 1860, by the ship “Robert Henderson,” and was for a year on the Taieri Plains. He spent two years on the gold diggings, at Gabriel's Gully, and the Dunstan, and after a further two years spent in Dunedin, he settled in the Awamoko district in 1865. Soon afterwards Mr. King purchased the first part of his freehold, on which his homestead stands, and he now holds 300 acres of freehold and eighty acres of private leasehold land. There were hardly any other settlers in the district when Mr. King settled there, and he is said to have been the first to plough a piece of ground on the Waitaki Plains. He was one of the first members of the Awamoko school committee, on which he has long held a seat. Mr. King was married in January, 1865, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Lunam, of Awamoko, and there is a family of four sons and two daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. and Mrs T. King.

Mr. Thomas Hall , sometime of Boughtrig Farm, Awamoko, was born at Burnhead, Roxburghshire, Scotland, where his father was a farm manager. He came to Port Chalmers in 1861 by the ship “Pladda,” and was employed for some time by the late Mr. Fenwick, at Ben Lomond, and was then a shepherd under Mr. Falloon. Mr. Hall was afterwards for some years overseer on the Maerewhenua estate under Messrs Borton and McMaster, and ultimately took up Boughtrig Farm at Awamoko, which he farmed till his death in March, 1886. Mr. Hall married a daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Kerss, of Berwickshire, Scotland, and left two daughters and one son. Mrs Hall still (1904) survives her husband.

Mr. James Jardine , sometime of “Annandala,” Awamoko, was born at the Hake, near Lochberie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and came to Port Chalmers in 1862 by the ship “Jura.” He spent several years gold mining in Otago and on the West Coast, and finally settled at Awamoko, where, in conjunction with his brother, Mr. Thomas Jardine he purchased “Annandale,” consisting of about 600 acres of freehold, which the brothers farmed till the death of Mr. T. Jardine. Mr. James Jardine died in 1888, at the age of forty-nine. He was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Hall, of Boughtrig Farm, Awamoko.

Mrs James Jardine is a native of Yetholm, Roxburghshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand with her father, the late Mr. Thomas Hall, who arrived at Port Chalmers by the ship “Pladda,” in 1861. Mrs Jardine is the widow of the late James Jardine, farmer, “Annandale,” Awamoko, who arrived from Scotland by the ship “Jura,” in 1862. Mr. Jardine died in 1886 at his residence, and Mrs Jardine carries on, at Awamoko, the farm, which the brothers, James and Thomas Jardine, purchased a short time after their arrival in New Zealand.

The late Mr. J. Jardine.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mrs J. Jardine.