PIONEERS OF INDUSTRY

NZ Truth, Issue 1103, 20 January 1927, Page 4

PIONEERS OF INDUSTRY

Comparatively few women figure in] the list of New Zealand's industrial pioneers, but there- is one notable and remarkable exception. In Oamaru a limestone quarry was worked and managed for some time by Sophia McDonald, the daughter of a pioneer from Aberdeen. TpEE^atory of the venture is a fascinating and romantic page from New Zealand's industrial history ;' for it would hardly be expected- that a woman should control and supervise a quarry. But Sophia McDonald was a true daughter of her Scots father. He was an outstanding .character m; the souGi some thirty years ago. Tall and powerful, he was a hard grafter and a good boss, tremendously popular with his ? men.;. y. He flrst commenced operations on. the Peninsula, afterwards moving to Milburn and .establishing the works which are now run by the Milburn Cement Company. ;

' A_t,er selling out to the company, he moved to Oamaru and commenced working a limestone deposit at White Crags. It was a tough proposition he tackled;' for he was handicapped through lack of capital and could only , start m a small way, with one kiln. Later he moved to Totara, and there started with two kilns. It was about 1905 that McDonald died, and his daughters carried on the kiln, Sophia filling the important post of manager both on the business and works side. She knew her job thoroughly and she was as hard a grafter- as her father had been. Under her constant supervision—and she knew- how to lead, and control her staff— her ..brothers did the hard work, and she did not spare them. There was never any doubt about the way they had to woijk, and they were allowed no opportunity for slacking. In fact, there was no more relieved man than James McDonald when a company took over. A» he