James Ballantyne MacEwan - prominent business- & sportman

Even a cursory review of references to the name MacEwan in the newspapers of New Zealand spanning the period from the 1890's through to the 1940's will attest to the fact that James Ballantyne MacEwan was a well-know, highly-respected and prosperous businessman and society figure in New Zealand.  In the National Library of New Zealand collection of newspapers there are a total of 16,693 references to the name of MacEwan. While some of those references are for non-family MacEwans and many are advertisements for the MacEwan businesses, there still remain numerous reports of trips, golfing exploits, social activities, business meetings and board memberships.  Several articles involve court disputes over copyright infringements and contract conditions. Obviously, the MacEwan brothers did not shy away from confrontation when they felt it was necessary.
During those years James made several return trips to Canada and to the farm on Black Creek.  We know that he included Canada in his 1890's trip in which he planned to inspect dairy practices in both North America and Europe.  In addition, his son Ian tells that "I was taken to Canada in 1914 when 11 years old to be shown to the family and we went to the old home. I was a year a Upper Canada College, Toronto when the 1914 War started and Father came home at once to see how things developed."  There must have been at least one more trip.  Gordon McEwan who was born in 1914 remembered James this way: "I can recall him sitting on our front porch complete in Homburg hat, pear-grey suit and black, shiny shoes on one of his periodic visits."
One final story by way of  James' son Ian and as recorded by Gordon McEwan:  "On one occasion Jim was called upon to act as a judge at the exhibition for New Zealand-made cheese. After carefully considering the products, Uncle Jim gave two exhibits a tie for first place and then a second and third.  Because of this, the organizers of the exhibit were upset as only three prizes had been provided and they urged Uncle Jim to re-assess his judging and award only a first, second and third prize. Again testing the products, James turned to the committee and stated that they would have to have another judge as he could not find any difference between the two samples he had listed in first position.  Reluctantly they agreed to award four prizes and then, to their amazement they discovered when they opened the exhibition tags that the two first prize samples had been cut from the same cheese. Jim McEwan's reputation as a master judge had been established."
I have attached a newspaper photograph of James in his plus-fours on the first tee at a golf tournament in 1919.