WILSON, JAMES (1814-98) was born at Ayr, Scotland, educated at the Wallacetown Academy, and brought up to country life. About 1842 he arrived in Sydney by the Earl Grey, and was appointed overseer at a government agricultural station near Bathurst. He remained in the government service till 1851, when he visited the goldfields in Victoria. In 1856 he came to New Zealand in the brig Thomas and Henry. With John Robertson he rode through south Otago and selected a run on the Oreti river, which became known as Waianiwa. He transported his family and belongings in the schooner Star, which sailed up the river to the Waikiwi, and then by a smaller boat to the Makarewa stream. He made several explorations and discovered the first gold in the Oteramika district.

Wilson was a member of the Southland Provincial Council (for Waihopai 1861-67 and 1869-70, and for Waianiwa 1867-69). In 1865-70 he was speaker of the Council. He was provincial treasurer and a member of the executive 1869-70 and deputy-superintendent in 1870. After the reunion with Otago, he sat in the Otago Council (for Southland 1870, for Makarewa 1873-77). For 30 years Wilson was chairman of the school committee at Waianiwa. He married a daughter of Samuel Benson (New South Wales). Wilson died on 19 Aug 1898.

Southland and Otago P.C. Proc.; Cycl. N.Z., iv; Southland Times, 23 Aug 1898.

Reference: Volume 2, page 263

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