Agricultural & Pastoral Medals & Awards

Lot 4250    SESSION 15 (2.30PM THURSDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER)    Agricultural & Pastoral Medals & Awards

Estimate $1,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $650

THE TOKOMAIRIRO FARMERS CLUB, struck in silver (51mm), by J.Moore and J. & J.Williams.Bristol, reverse inscribed 'First Prize/2 Year Old/Ayrshire/Heifer/J.L.Gillies 1870'. Toned, extremely fine and very rare.

The following courtesy National Library of New Zealand - Papers Past, from Otago Witness, 30 September 1897:

"We have this week regretfully to record the death of another prominent citizen, in the person of Mr John Lillte Gillies, who passed away at his residence, Queen Street, on Monday morning shortly before 6 o'clock. The deceased, who was the well-known secretary of the Otago Harbour Board, had been ill with a complication of disorders for nearly a year, and as he had been in a more or less critical condition for several months past his end was not unexpected.

Mr Gillies was born in the Royal Burgh of Rothesay, in the month of January, 1832, his father being about that time appointed town clerk of that place. The deceased was partially educated at the parish school, but about the year 1843 he went to Scougill's Academy, where he remained for something like a couple of years. He then found employment in the Western Bank of Scotland, where he acquired considerable knowledge and expertness as an accountant. In 1851, however, he threw up his position in the bank, and sailed by the barque King William from London to Adelaide, intending going thence to Victoria. On his arrival in Melbourne he decided to go inland, and succeeded in obtaining a situation on a sheep and cattle run along with some of his companions.

The discovery of gold in Victoria soon afterwards attracted general attention, and Mr Gillies and his mates being, like many more, smitten with the gold fever, threw up their situations on the run and took to mining pursuits. But soon getting tired of this kind of life the deceased tried another avocation, and became connected with the Geelong Advertiser - then the only newspaper in Geelong on which he occupied the position of chief accountant for some years.

At length he got married, and in 1855 he left the Australian shores by the Gil Blas for Dunedin, arriving here in September of that year. Three years previously to this his father, Mr John Gillies and the other members of his family had also come to settle in Otago. Shortly after his arrival in this colony the deceased took up a farm in the Tokomairiro district, where he remained until the discovery of gold at Gabriel's Gully in 1861, Then once more he was attacked by the gold fever, and set off for the goldfields, being among the first of those who took up claims in the gully. With the early diggers he was a great favourite, but after the arrival of more experienced miners from Victoria his influence amongst them began to wane.

In 1861 Mr Gillies entered political life, being elected a member of the Otago Provincial Council for the Tokomairiro district in that year. He was introduced to the Council by the late Mr William Henry Cutten, and held this seat until August, 1864, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Mr W.J.Dyer. During a portion of the period he was in the Council - viz, from September 16, 1863, to May 17, 1864 - he held office in the Provincial Executive as Provincial Treasurer, with the Hon T.Dick as Provincial Secretary. In his capacity as Treasurer he carried the reputation of possessing great financial ability, even those who were opposed to him in politics recognising his talents in this respect. Again, in February, 1869, he was returned for the second time to the Council as the representative of Tokomairiro, and on the 6th of May of the same year he became a non-official member of the Provincial Executive, with Mr Donald Reid as Provincial Secretary. On the 25th of May, 1871, he was elected Speaker of the Provincial Council - a position which, singularly enough, his father, who was one of the members of the first Council, occupied some years previously. In 1873 Mr D.Reid, who was then Provincial Secretary, accepted a position in the General Government; and the late James Macandrew, thinking that that was incompatible with Mr Reid's position as Provincial Secretary, practically dismissed the Government and resigned the Superintendency to test the feeling of the electors. As no other candidate seemed inclined to come forward, Mr Gillies, as a matter of principle, decided to contest the position with Mr Macandrew, and made a memorable election campaign in Otago and Southland on horseback. The result of the contest, however, was that Mr Gillies was defeated, Mr Macandrew being re-elected. At the general election the deceased was re-elected a member of the Council for his old constituency and was again appointed Speaker, maintaining the position until the Abolition of Provinces Act of 1875 took effect in the following year.

In 1873 he also stood for the representation of the Waikouaiti seat in the House of Representatives, and was returned as successor to Sir David Munro. He sat as a member of the House until March, 1875 In that year he became secretary of the Otago Harbour Board, which was then newly formed, and remained in the employment of the board until the day of his death.

As secretary to the board Mr Gillies's services were invaluable, and he was held in high esteem by all the members. During his residence in Otago the deceased also filled many positions besides those already enumerated. For several years he edited the Bruce Herald, and since then he his held a number of appointments in this city. He served for some years as a member of the Union street School Committee, he rendered good service in connection with the Kaitangata relief fund, and in 1863 he was appointed a member of the local committee for promoting the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition of 1865. In 1868 he became a member of the Otago Mining Conference for drawing up a new code of mining regulations, and in 1870 he reported to the Government on the question of sludge channels on the goldfields. In mining and mining matters he always took a great interest, and was largely concerned (as manager and shareholder of the Table Hill Quartz Mining Company) in the development of the Canada reef. In 1869 he was appointed a member of the commission - of which he was also chairman - to draw up a basis of reunion of the Provinces of Otago aud Southland, the reunion taking effect, with little alteration from the basis drawn up by the commission, in 1870. In fact the deceased for many years took an active interest in almost everything of local concern.

He leaves a family of three sons and four daughters, all of whom are grown up, his wife having died many years ago. Mr Gillies was a member of a family which has distinctly made its mark in the history of the colony, three of his brothers, as well himself, having attained to positions of high prominence in New Zealand. The late Mr Justice Gillies held portfolios in three Ministries, and had been Superintendent of Auckland before being appointed to the Supreme Court bench; the late Mr Robert Gillies was well known in connection with the firm of Gillies, Street, and Hislop, subsequently merged in the Perpetual Trustees, Estate, and Agency Company, and had been elected M.H.R. for Bruce shortly before his death; and the Rev. William Gillies, of Timaru, is a leading figure in the Northern Presbyterian Church."