REID, JOHN (1829-1912) was born at Longside, Aberdeenshire, and arrived in Otago by the Pudsey Dawson in 1854. He joined the provincial survey department in 1858, became chief draughtsman and then started as a storekeeper and goldbuyer at Waitahuna, afterwards with Captain Sutter (q.v.). In 1866 he established a business with his brother, G. F. Reid, and Edward Herbert as buyers and forwarding agents. In 1868 they purchased the business of Cain, Munro and Co. of Timaru, from which Reid sold out in a few years. In 1870 he bought the Corner Bush estate at Merton, which he greatly improved. Moving to Dunedin, he entered into partnership with J. W. and George S. Duncan as land surveyors, civil engineers and estate agents. They carried out government contracts in Canterbury and Otago and for the West Taieri and Henley river boards and built the Roslyn and Mornington cable tramways. In 1885 George Duncan withdrew to undertake the Melbourne tramway construction, and Reid carried on the firm as John Reid and Sons until his death (on 30 Jul 1912). In 1878 Reid acquired an interest in the Monte Christo estate, where he had a model farm and bred Shropshire sheep. He was on several river and road boards, and was a director of the Colonial Bank during its first years, chairman of the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Co., and a member of the Presbyterian Church board of property.

Otago Daily Times, 12 Aug 1912

Reference: Volume 2, page 113

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