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Mataura Presbyterian Church
Services were held for Mataura families by visiting preachers 1860. The first settlers of the area met at Tuturau Primary School from 1861. An itinerant minister who came in about once a month for a service.
The pioneer ministers who visited Mataura had long distances to travel, sometimes riding sometimes on foot. They included the Rev. William Bannerman, Dr Burns and Dr Stuart, and later the Rev. Mr Stobo and the Rev. Mr Arnott.
In 1864 the Rev. James Urie was inducted to the Pomahaka-Mataura Valley charge.
In 1868 Southland and Clutha Presbyteries linked Popotonoa and Mataura together as a preaching charge under Rev. Chas. Connor.
The first resident minister at Mataura was the Rev. James Henry, recently arrived from Scotland, who was inducted in 1874, the minister for the next ten years. Later in 1874 the first session was formed.
Mr Henry's parishioners went to Clinton, Waikaia and to the mouth of the Mataura River in Fortrose. He estimated he rode 2000 miles on his horses during his time as the minister of Mataura. The first services in Mataura were then held by Mr Henry at Tuturau Primary School in that year.
In 1875 the Mataura Valley Charge was divided into Upper Mataura and Lower Mataura. Mr Henry elected to remain in the Lower Mataura Charge, and in 1877 the mission station that included Mataura was raised to a fully sanctioned charge, and the Rev. J.M. Davidson was inducted to the Upper Mataura parish.
Services had been held in the Courthouse, in 1877 the first Presbyterian Church in Mataura was opened, used until 1936. Gore and other districts were also attached to Mataura.
In 1883 Knapdale became a separate charge, then East Gore the following year. The Mataura Presbytery was constituted in 1891. Services in the Waimumu outfield began in 1890.
The congregation flourished and produced a surprising number of full time church workers. Mr. Davidson's 26 year ministry, throughout which he moved about his wide parish on horseback, was followed from 1903 by that of the Rev. George MacDonald, who favoured a jaunting car.
Waimumu-Brydone became a mission charge in 1907. A church was built at Tuturau in 1914. The new church at Mataura was opened in 1933.
Through the Great War years the minister was the Rev. W.W. Brown, followed by David McNeur, C.A. Kennedy and John Badcock through the Second World War, and then the Rev. W.J. Wallace.
The pioneer ministers who visited Mataura had long distances to travel, sometimes riding sometimes on foot. They included the Rev. William Bannerman, Dr Burns and Dr Stuart, and later the Rev. Mr Stobo and the Rev. Mr Arnott.
In 1864 the Rev. James Urie was inducted to the Pomahaka-Mataura Valley charge.
In 1868 Southland and Clutha Presbyteries linked Popotonoa and Mataura together as a preaching charge under Rev. Chas. Connor.
The first resident minister at Mataura was the Rev. James Henry, recently arrived from Scotland, who was inducted in 1874, the minister for the next ten years. Later in 1874 the first session was formed.
Mr Henry's parishioners went to Clinton, Waikaia and to the mouth of the Mataura River in Fortrose. He estimated he rode 2000 miles on his horses during his time as the minister of Mataura. The first services in Mataura were then held by Mr Henry at Tuturau Primary School in that year.
In 1875 the Mataura Valley Charge was divided into Upper Mataura and Lower Mataura. Mr Henry elected to remain in the Lower Mataura Charge, and in 1877 the mission station that included Mataura was raised to a fully sanctioned charge, and the Rev. J.M. Davidson was inducted to the Upper Mataura parish.
Services had been held in the Courthouse, in 1877 the first Presbyterian Church in Mataura was opened, used until 1936. Gore and other districts were also attached to Mataura.
In 1883 Knapdale became a separate charge, then East Gore the following year. The Mataura Presbytery was constituted in 1891. Services in the Waimumu outfield began in 1890.
The congregation flourished and produced a surprising number of full time church workers. Mr. Davidson's 26 year ministry, throughout which he moved about his wide parish on horseback, was followed from 1903 by that of the Rev. George MacDonald, who favoured a jaunting car.
Waimumu-Brydone became a mission charge in 1907. A church was built at Tuturau in 1914. The new church at Mataura was opened in 1933.
Through the Great War years the minister was the Rev. W.W. Brown, followed by David McNeur, C.A. Kennedy and John Badcock through the Second World War, and then the Rev. W.J. Wallace.
P-A51.27-59
Mataura Presbyterian Church. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 26/07/2026, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/125343
