Background
He was born in Longwood, Saint Helena in 1827 or 1828, and moved to South Africa.
He was born in Longwood, Saint Helena in 1827 or 1828, and moved to South Africa.
He returned to Saint Helena in 1847. In 1857, he went back to South Africa, intending to settle in Natal, but locusts had destroyed agricultural prospects. In Lyttelton, Moss supported the rail tunnel project and established himself as a trader.
He was instrumental in forming a volunteer company and became captain.
With the discovery of gold in Otago, he moved to Dunedin in 1862. He entered various business partnerships, including with Thomas Dick.
He became captain of the local rifle volunteers and founded a newspaper, the Otago Daily Mail, which he sold after only a few months. In Dunedin, he was elected to the Otago Provincial Council in 1863.
He was secretary for public works and served as provincial treasurer.
When Vogel became leader of the provincial executive in 1866 and then treasurer, Moss resigned the following year. He represented the Parnell electorate from 1878 to 1890, when he retired. He was a liberal and a supporter of Sir George Grey and provincialism.
Moss died in Auckland on 8 July 1904.