He met George Ross, one of Dunedin's first settlers, who had come back to Edinburgh to have a ship built for him.
He was a merchant in Dunedin and went into partnership with George Hepburn, and together they bought out the business of James Macandrew.
[3] When Edward McGlashan resigned from the City of Dunedin parliamentary electorate, he contested the resulting May 1862 by-election, but was beaten by John Richardson.
[1] He did not stand for election again, and on 17 June 1869, he was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council by Edward Stafford.
[1] He was ill for five years before he died on 29 July 1886 at his home in Regent Road, Dunedin, and was survived by his wife.