The Hon. Mathew Holmes, M.L.C., was born in the North of Ireland in 1817. He was sent first to a mercantile business at fourteen years of age, and at this he remained until his twentieth year, when, in search of a wider field for his energies, he left for Victoria, then known as Port Philip. There he was engaged in business for fifteen years, being among the earliest shippers of wool from that colony to England. While in Australia he married the youngest daughter of Mr. Allan McLean, of Strathallan. In the year 1854 he left Victoria for Scotland, where he resided for five years with his family. The young Colony of New Zealand then attracted the attention of himself and four or five of his friends, and finally they selected the Province of Otago as their field of operations. He went about the business of colonization in a determined, independent, and able manner. It was evident from the first that Mr. Holmes meant business, and intended to succeed in his enterprise. Before setting out for the Colony, he chartered the ship “Cheviot,” 1000 tons, to come out to Port Chalmers, The vessel carried a very large number of horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry, which had been selected by Mr. Holmes to stock an extensive farm. Among the cargo with which the ship was loaded was a large quantity of seeds, fodder, builders' ironmongery, furniture, general merchandise, and farm implements. Everything necessary to stock and work a large estate was put on board. The “Cheviot” had a goodly number of passengers, who were mostly skilled farm servants and overseers engaged by Mr. Holmes to work for him in New Zealand. After despatching his vessel, the subject of this sketch left Scotland, arriving in this Colony six weeks before her. When the “Cheviot” anchored in Port Chalmers harbour in 1854 there was no whart nor any convenience for landing cattle. The animals were driven into the sea, and swam ashore. The manner in which several of the horses leaped from the deck of the vessel into the water in order to gain terra firma is graphically described by the honourable gentleman. Mr. Holmes has done a good deal to assist in settling the lands of the Otago and Southland districts. He is still a large landed proprietor, holding the Castle Rock Estate (50,000 acres), the Manapouri Estate (10,700 acres), besides Government leasehold, and the Awa Moa and Allday Bay Estates (of about 4700 acres.) As a breeder of cattle, sheep, and horses, the name of Mathew Holmes has been prominent ever since page 251 his arrival in the Colony. He has also been a large importer of stock, and hardly a year passes without fresh shipments being received. The studs of Clydesdale horses still show names which can trace back for over thirty years to the original shipments, and its representatives are to be found scattered through both Islands of New Zealand, and prominent among the prize winners at the leading agricultural shows. The studs of Lincoln and Leicester sheep, which, as well as the Clydesdales, are kept in the Awa Moa Estate, are no less widely known and esteemed. These, which have been in Mr. Holmes' possession almost forty years, at first few in number, gradually have displaced the Merino, which was once almost the only breed known. At Castle Rock, where hardier sheep were required, the Romney Marsh flock has been brought to great perfection in the low lands, while the hills are pastured with a pure bred Cheviot flock, the only one of its kind in the Colony. The honourable gentleman was called to the Legislative Council in 1866. Mr. Holmes has had ten children, of whom six still survive. He has twenty-two grandchildren, and some half dozen great-grandchildren.

The Hon. Robert Pharazyn, M.L.C., F.R.G.S., J.P., was born in London in 1833. He is the eldest son of Mr. C. J. Pharazyn, who has been a prominent colonist in New Zealand for over half a century, having arrived in Wellington in 1841 per barque “Jane.” The Hon. Mr. Pharazyn was educated at private schools and at St. John's College, Auckland, under Bishop Selwyn. For some years he was engaged in pastoral pursuits in Hawkes Bay, where he was one of the earliest runholders, taking also an active part in local matters. In 1860 Mr. Pharazyn went to England, and travelled on the Continent of Europe, returning to New Zealand in 1863. Becoming known by contributions to the press in favour of the Colony having full control of native as of European affairs, he was in 1865 elected, on the retirement of the late Sir W. Fox, to the House of Representatives as member for Rangitikei. He was also returned as a member of the Wellington Provincial Council. For some years he was a member of the Provincial Executive, and at the time (1876) when the provinces were abolished, held the offices of Provincial Secretary and Treasurer. The hon. gentleman was Commissioner of Confiscated Lands under the Fox Administration; he administered the lands on the West Coast of the North Island, retiring with the thanks of the Government for his zeal and ability when, in 1873, the office was abolished for political reasons. Mr. Pharazyn is the owner of the well-known property “Marahau,” over 5000 acres in extent, in the Waitotara County, through which the Wanganui-New Plymouth Railway passes. While improving this fine estate he resided in Wanganui for some years, and found time to serve the public in various capacities. He was for several years chairman page 252 of the Waitotara Highway Board, now the Waitotara County Council. In 1874 he was Mayor of Wanganui, and has acted as a member of the Hospital Board and in other matters. While a resident of Wanganui, Mr. Pharazyn assisted in the starting of the Wanganui and Castlecliff Railway, of which he was chairman. In 1885 the honourable gentleman was called to the Legislative Council, on the retirement of his father from that body owing to advanced age. In the following year he acted as one of the commissioners for New Zealand at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. Mr. Pharazyn is a decided member of the Opposition. Belonging to the old Liberal Party, he detests the new, and does not believe in the aggressive policy of the present Government. He believes that the present policy will redound to the disadvantage of working men by the reduction of wages and employment. He claims that his opinions are not swayed by personal interests, believing as he does that rapid accumulation of capital and industrial freedom is a necessity to provide increased employment. The Hon. Mr. Pharazyn was married in 1871 to a sister of the late Mr. Henry W. Cole, Q.C

The Hon. Charles J. Johnston, M.L.C., the third son of the late Hon. John Johnston, was born in Wellington in the year 1845. His education commenced in Wellington, and was continued at the Catholic College of St. Mary, in Derbyshire, England, and concluded at Kensington College. Returning to New Zealand in 1864, Mr. Johnston entered the mercantile house of Johnston and Co., of which his father was the founder. Shortly after this he married Miss Alice Featherston, daughter of the late Dr. Featherston, the first superintendent of Wellington, who died in London, where he ably represented the Colony as its first agent-general. For many years Mr. Johnston has been prominent as a public man. He was first returned to Parliament in 1882 as member for Te Aro, Wellington, and at the following general election was re-elected for the same constituency. He resigned his seat in the House of Representatives before the expiry of his second term, and took a trip to Europe. Since returning, Mr. Johnston has rendered valuable assistance to his native city in many ways. It was fitting that a son of one of the founders of the Colony should hold the chief magistracy of Wellington during 1890, the jubilee year of the city and Colony. Mr. Johnston had this honour, and served the ratepayers with conspicuous ability while he held the Mayoralty. In the year 1891 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, his name being included in the last contingent who were made members for life. The Hon. Mr. Johnston has always taken a lively interest in the volunteer movement, and on the formation of the Wellington Naval Brigade was appointed captain. He now holds the rank of Captain-Commandant on the active reserve. In connection with national institutions and industries, the honourable gentleman occupies the important position of deputy-chairman of the New Zealand Board of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and that of chairman of the Wellington Woollen Company, besides other minor directorships. Mr. Johnston has the honour of representing two of the European powers, holding the position of Consul for Belgium and for Holland. He is a brother of the Hon. Walter Johnston, and a partner with him in the firm of Messrs. Johnston and Co., Merchants, Wellington. Reference to the commercial career of these gentlemen will be found under the head of Wellington merchants.

Hon. C. J. Johnston.

The Hon. Edward Richardson, C.M.G., M.L.C., who occupied a seat as Minister of the Crown in eight ministries, was called to the Legislative Council on the 15th of October, 1892. According to an Act passed on the 17th of September, 1891, all appointments to the Council after that date were to be tenable for seven years only, and therefore Mr. Richardson was appointed for a seven years' term. Full particulars of the honourable gentleman's career will be found on page 73.

The Hon. John Rigg, M.L.C., is probably the youngest member of the Legislative Council. Born in 1858 at St. Kilda. Melbourne, he came with his parents to Port Chalmers at the age of five years. He was educated at private schools in Otago, at St. Mary's School, Wellington, and by private tutors. Mr. Rigg was apprenticed for six years at the Government Printing Office, and on completion of his term worked at his trade as a compositor in New Zealand, and for two years in Australia. In 1880 he was elected a member of the Board of Management of the Wellington Typographical Society, which he had joined two years previously. In 1881 Mr. Rigg was elected “father of the piece chapel” of the Government Printing Office. Shortly after this he was appointed secretary of a committee of representatives which was set up for the purpose of presenting a petition to Parliament against the teaching of trades in gaol. The petition contained signatures from all parts of the Colony, and was over sixty feet in length. As a member of the Executive Council of the New Zealand Typographical Association, and later as secretary of the Wellington branch of the same union, Mr. Rigg showed great energy and ability. He was appointed a member of the committee of trade representatives for restricting boy labour, and as such was one of the Trades Union Committee which after wards became the Wellington Trades Council. Mr. Rigg was sent as sole representative of New Zealand to the Intercolonial Typographical Congress held in Melbourne in 1888. From this year till 1891 he represented his society on the Australasian Typographical Union. He attended a conference of master printers in Dunedin as a delegate in the same year, and in 1892 was a delegate to the Conference of Trade Councils held in the same town. The honourable gentleman was appointed a member of the Legislative Council on the 15th of October, 1892, at which time he was president of the Trades Council, president of the Typographical Society, and president of the Tailoresses' Union, Mr. Rigg holds strong opinions on many subjects: he is an advocate of State Socialism or Collectivism, and of an inconvertible paper currency. Since being called to the Upper House he has devoted much time to the study of these and similar questions. At the Wellington Citizens' Institute he has delivered lectures on “Money” and “Paper Money,” and before the unionists of Wellington he lectured on the London County Council and its methods of local government.

Harbour From Tinakori Hill, Back Of Sydney Street—1860.