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James Menzies (New Zealand politician)

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The HonourableJames Menzies
formal portrait of an older man
1st Superintendent of Southland Province
In office
3 August 1861 – 13 January 1865
Succeeded byJohn Parkin Taylor
Personal details
BornJames Alexander Robertson Menzies
(1821-02-21)21 February 1821
Mount Alexander (Dunalistair), Perthshire, Scotland
Died18 August 1888(1888-08-18) (aged 67)
Wyndham, New Zealand
Spouse Laetitia Anne Featherston ​ ​(m. 1865)​
Children5
RelativesIsaac Featherston (father-in-law)
Occupation
  • Doctor
  • Runholder

James Alexander Robertson Menzies (21 February 1821 – 18 August 1888) was the first superintendent of the Southland Province in New Zealand from 3 August 1861 to November 1864, during its breakaway from Otago Province (1861 to 1870). He continued serving on the Provincial Council after his superintendency ended.

During Menzies' tenure as superintendent, two railways projects were undertaken, a railway to link Invercargill to the port at Bluff and a wooden railway to Winton. The former is now known as the Bluff Branch, while as the wooden rails were unsatisfactory they were replaces with "standard" steel rails, and the line was extended to ultimately form the Kingston Branch. Menzies, now in disagreement with his colleagues, retired to his 8000-acre estate near Wyndham.

Menzies served on the Legislative Council for 30 years, from 1858 until his death in 1888, and promoted the interests of Southland.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hall-Jones, John. "Menzies, James Alexander Robertson". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  2. "Portrait of Dr J. A. R. Menzies". Southland District Council. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  3. Troup, Gordon (1978). Footplate: The Victorian Engineman's New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. pp. 14–17. ISBN 0-589-01096-4.
Political offices
New office Superintendent of Southland Province
1861–1864 		Succeeded byJohn Parkin Taylor
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