REID, ALEXANDER (1821-91) was born at Edinburgh, and spent his childhood in Glasgow. After leaving school at the age of 11, he was engaged for some years in forestry and horticulture, meanwhile studying at night school. Bent on entering the teaching profession, he spent some time at Glasgow Training College and was one of the earliest teachers trained under Dr David Stow's system. Out of 70 applicants he was appointed master at a Wesleyan day school. He taught at Glasgow, Oxford and Bath (where he married).

By birth and education a Presbyterian, he accepted the Arminianism of Methodism, and joined the Methodist Church. He was accepted for its ministry in 1848, and was sent to Perth. As his preference was for mission work he was designated for Africa, but a request having been received for two ministers for New Zealand, his course was diverted and he sailed with Joseph Fletcher in 1849. Reid took charge of the training institution for native teachers at Three Kings, receiving from his predecessor (H. H. Lawry) a class of 160 scholars. He threw himself with great zeal and success into the work; grounding his pupils thoroughly in the English language, religious training and industrial pursuits. Meanwhile he had acquired a mastery of the Maori language. He was early impressed by the idealism of the King movement and, believing he could work with success amongst the Waikato tribes, he resigned his teaching position in 1858 and accepted charge of the mission at Te Kopua, on the Waipa river (in succession to Buttle and Buddle). Reid initiated sheep-farming on a practical scale, and induced the natives to send their wool to market in Auckland. He tried to restrain the Ngati-Maniapoto from taking part in the Taranaki war. He deprecated Europeans making war upon the Maori, and fully sympathised with the native desire for self-government with the initiation of law and order. As the movement took a stronger form in opposition to the authority of the Queen he felt it getting out of hand, and when the Ngati-Maniapoto advised him that they could no longer protect the mission he reluctantly withdrew (1863). For a while he devoted himself to the spiritual welfare of the soldiers, and then he was appointed to a post in New Plymouth. While there Mrs Reid died (on 23 Nov 1864) and he married again (on 5 Dec 1866).

Reid was sent in turn to Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington, then back to Christchurch and again to Auckland. In 1885 he again became head of the training institution, in succession to Buddle. In 1881 he was delegate to the Oecumenical Methodist conference, and in the following year visited the Holy Land. He was president of the New Zealand Wesleyan conference in 1876, and was a member of the revising committee for the translation of the Scripture into Maori. In 1885 he visited Fiji to share in the celebration of the mission jubilee. During his later years in Auckland Reid was secretary of the home mission fund and a member of the council of Auckland University College. He was a man of highest integrity and earnestness, and as a missionary showed an outstanding degree of self-sacrifice. He died on 25 Aug 1891.

Information from M. A. R. Pratt; Morley: N.Z. Methodist; N.Z. Herald, 26 Aug 1891.

Reference: Volume 2, page 112

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