Know your town

Andrew O’Loughlin Considine J.P. 

Andrew Considine was born in Burren County Clare Ireland in January 1849. He emigrated with his parents as a nine year old to South Australia and for the next seventeen years followed farming pursuits in the area. He came to New Zealand in February 1877 to work at Huangarua as a carter for George Waterhouse. By October he had branched out in his own carrying business at Waihinga.

The tale is told of one of his contracts, using three horses Andrew was pulling a steam traction engine to Featherston. At the toll gate an extra five shillings was demanded – the toll for all vehicles propelled by steam. He protested that it was not being so propelled, he was pulling it. To no avail. He paid, vowing to take the matter up with the County Council. 

He always took a keen interest in the advancement of the district, over time he was on numerous committees and boards including the Licencing , School, Hospital, Ambulance, Railway, Cemetery and Library’s . He was also Chairman of the  Featherston County Council. 

He sold his carrying business in 1883  and took up the position of tollkeeper following this he took up farming as his next great adventure.  

In 1905 Andrew and T O Haylock approached the County Council regarding the amalgamating of the Waihinga and Martinborough villages. The village’s combined populations would exceed the six hundred required to form a town and have it’s own Commissioners to govern  the district. He did not have 100% support from the community as the new district would require a thousand pound ( 2020 = $172,151) loan to cover setting up and initial ongoing costs. Many thought the small population could not financially support such a loan. However the amalgamation was agreed to in 1908 with Andrew Considine being voted on to the first Town Board. He was also made a J.P. at that time.

In 1913  A O Considine  tendered his resignation from the Martinborough Town Board. While doing so he gifted four acres of land bounded by Princess and Dublin Streets – plus an enlarged photograph of himself –  to the people of Martinborough. The following year the area was opened as the Considine Recreation Grounds with a celebratory Town Vs. Country football match. In 1919 an additional four acres was added to the grounds to make a total area of eight acres.  

In 1922 after forty four years residing in Martinborough Andrew moved to Greytown, a large farewell concert was held to mark the occasion. Seems the shift was due to love for he married Mrs J D Haggerty, a Greytown resident, the same year. Married life may not have altogether agreed with him for only two years later he died aged seventy four.  He is buried in Greytown Cemetery. 

Mate Higginson

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