Johnston was born in London, the eldest child of the Honorary He came to New Zealand as a young boy on the Prince of Wales, arriving on 3 January 1843 in Wellington with his parents John and Henrietta, his younger brother Sydney and a sister who was born during the journey. Johnston married in Wellington on 24 February 1868, Cecilia Augusta, second daughter of Forster Goring.
The Honorary
Johnston joined the board of the in 1888 when he was appointed by bank shareholders to a committee to investigate and bring the bank"s affairs onto a sounder basis. When in 1894 its head office was moved to New Zealand from London he became a shareholder as well as a director of the bank. He acquired in the Wairarapa in 1876 while with West H Levin & Company and inherited further property in southern Hawkes Bay from his father.
He bought a 1200-acre estate near Awahuri in the Manawatu District in 1888 and built a large house, Highden, there before the turn of the century.
Johnston was a cabinet minister in 1881-1884 in the Hall, Whitaker and Atkinson Ministries. Postmaster-General, Telegraphs and Public Works.
New Zealand"s Dictionary of national biography reports that he was "an excellent, clear and concise speaker", "the most popular (Member of Parliament in the House)" and that the few other reports "highlight his integrity, geniality and unassuming demeanour". Walter Woods Johnston died at his house in Wellington 31 August 1907.
Cecilia his widow died in 1922.
