Start Of Methven

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31320, 16 March 1967, Page 25

Start Of Methven

How did Methven get its name? Some time between 1860 and 1870 Mr Robert Patton came to New Zealand from Methven, a little village in Perthshire in Scotland. After being in the country for some years he settled in the locality taking up a farm which he named Methven after

his native village in Scotland. Not far from this farm a little township was started and given the name of Methven also. For many years Mr Patton was closely associated with the township and took a very active interest in the distict generally. He was, for instance, tiie first chairman of the Methven School Committee.

When the terminus of the branch railway from Rakaia was definitely decided on, it was realised that the place would be the site of a prosperous township. Towards the end of 1877 Messrs MeKerrow and Company (grain merchants from Rakaia) bought a triangular piece of land of about 80 acres, situated on the southern side of the eastern portion of the Mount Harding estate, and also a small corner between Morton’s block and the present Methven square. These lands were surveyed into quarter and one-fifth acre town sections and suburban lots of from one to three acres each. These were offered by public auction at South Rakaia on June 24, 1878. The sale was well attended and the sections realised £2O on average and up to £95 for a comer section. Two of the purchasers were Messrs William Morgan and Charles Hibbs, who had in mind setting up in business, and on January 13, 1879, they arrived in the area with a builder and the following morning the building of Methven township began.