HOLMES, MATTHEW (1817-1901) was born at Strabane, County Tyrone, educated in northern Ireland, and trained for commercial life. At the age of 20 he emigrated to Victoria, where he farmed for a short time on the Barrabool hills. Being burned out, he went into business in Geelong, interesting himself in shipping wool and other produce and supplying the diggings. Having made a small fortune, Holmes returned to Scotland in 1854 and purchased an estate near Edinburgh, but in 1859 he sailed for New Zealand in the Pirate to take up the position of general manager for the New Zealand and Australian Land Co. Visiting England in 1862 as a commissioner for the Exhibition of that year, Holmes sold his estate in Scotland and brought his family to Otago. He took up extensive holdings of land on behalf of the company and in his own name, notably the estates of Awamoa (near Oamaru), Castlerock (Lumsden) and Manapouri. His other interests included Seaward Downs, Spar Bush and Totara. He was a progressive agriculturist, and imported a great deal of machinery for various properties. He also took a keen interest in stock breeding and purchased many stud animals abroad, especially Clydesdale horses and long-woolled sheep. At Castlerock he had a Cheviot flock.

In 1866 he was called to the Legislative Council, and he attended to his duties regularly for the remainder of his life. He was an original director of the Mosgiel Woollen Co. On retiring from active business Holmes disposed of his connection in Dunedin to Dalgety, Rattray and Co. He married (1841) a daughter (d. 1897) of Allan McLean, of Strathallan, Victoria. Holmes died on 27 Sep 1901. (See G. McLean.)

Cycl. N.Z., i (p), iv (p); N.Z.P.D., 27 Sep 1901; Col. Gent.; U. Church, in Otago Daily Times, 1 Oct 1901; Otago Daily Times, 17 Mar 1875, 28 Sep 1901. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 220

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