Greytown Post and Telegraph Office, Main Street, Greytown, is a wooden building of two stories, with postmaster's residence attached, situated on the corner of Main Street and Kuratawhiti Street. The postmaster is registrar of electors, births, deaths, and marriages. Mails leave for Featherston page 878 and Wellington, and for Carterton and the north, and arrive from all parts, twice daily. The postmaster is assisted by Mr. G. S. Fuller, cadet; Mr. P. J. Eccleton, letter carrier, and Mr. J. T. Eccleton, messenger.

Mr. Samuel George Stanton, the Postmaster at Greytown, was born at Kaiapoi, where he attended private schools, completing his scholastic course at the Fernside Public School. Entering the Telegraph Department as a cadet in 1873, Mr. Stanton first saw service at Cromwell, and in November of the same year was transferred to Port Chalmers, where he acted as telegraphist-in-charge for three months in 1874. In February, 1875, he was appointed postmaster and telegraphist at Herbert, Otago, remaining four years, when he was transferred to Waverley. After fourteen years he was appointed to Greytown. Mr. Stanton's favourite pastimes are floriculture, carpentry, and angling. He is a married man and has three children.

Mr. S. G. Stanton.

Greytown Police Station stands on a half-acre section in the centre of the township. The buildings comprise the usual small lock-up, in which prisoners are not kept for more than three days, and a comfortable six-roomed residence, with stables and outhouses. The courthouse, which is convenient to the station, is used for the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court fortnightly, Mr. T. M. Hutchison, S.M., of Masterton, presiding. The building is also used by the Native Lands Court, which sits as required, the judges being Chief Judge G. B. Davy, and Judges Butler and Mackay. Maoris attend the sittings of the Lands Court, and though sometimes as many as 1000 assemble, no special police supervision is required at the Court, a state of affairs improbable in the case of a similar concourse of Europeans.

Mounted-Constable Joseph Eccleton, Officer-in-charge of the Greytown Police Station, Clerk, Bailiff, etc., of the Court, Inspector of Licensed Houses, Slaughterhouses, and Factories, Borough Inspector, Stock Inspector, Officer-in-charge of the Government Servants' Registry Office, Ranger for the Acclimatisation Society, etc., was born in Meath, Ireland, in 1848. Educated in the National School, Screen, near Tara, he joined the Irish Constabulary at the age of nineteen. He served in Tipperary and Belfast during the great Fenian rising, when the Irish Constabulary, for their faithfulness in discharging difficult duties, had the title “Royal Irish” conferred on them. After ten years service, Constable Eccleton came to New Zealand, arriving in 1876. He joined the New Zealand force at Hokitika under Commissioner James, and was stationed on the West Coast for about five years. Coming to Wellington, he left the force, and took Tattersall's Hotel, but after about a year's experience in hotelkeeping, he sold out and rejoined the police force, being stationed at Greytown in 1891. Mr. Eccleton is an enthusiastic cricketer, and a prominent member of the Greytown Cricket Club. He is a married man, and has six children, the eldest son being a student of St. Patrick's College, Wellington. Two other sons are employed in the Greytown Post-office.

Constable Eccleton.

Mr. William Frederick Mason, Government Inspector of bridges for the Wairarapa district, was born in 1828 in Notts, England, where he was educated. He came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “London,” in 1841, his father being the first blacksmith to arrive in Wellington. After working with his father in Matheson's shipyard at Kaiwarra for three years, the two began business as blackmiths on Lambton Quay, or the Beach, as it was then called. They also opened an ironmonger's shop where Mr. Mee's chemist shop now stands, at Mason's steps, named after page 879 them. For nineteen years this business was continued by Mr. Mason, during which time he built a foundry on Wellington Terrace, reputed to be the first foundry in Wellington, and fitted it up with imported machinery. Mr. Mason had the contract for the repairs to the Panama Co.'s mail boats, which came to Wellington for some time. After giving up business in the Empire City, Mr. Mason, with his father, settled at Pakuratahi. After five years he then returned to Wellington and resumed blacksmithing, accepting an engagement with Messrs. Brogden and Sons, whom he left to become inspector on the Wellington waterworks. After this he joined the Government service as inspector of railways, roads, and bridges, under the late Mr. Blackett, and served in various parts of the North Island. When the public works constructions were stopped, Mr. Mason took a farm at Clareville, where he resided until 1896, when he came to reside in Kuratawhiti Road, Greytown. In the Hutt Militia in the early days he saw active service. For three years Mr. Mason was in Sydney, where he worked as foreman in Dawson's foundry, in Lower George Street. He has been married twice, and has six children by his first, and four by his second wife. As an inventor, Mr. Mason has patented a flax-dressing machine.

Greytown Railway Station is situated some distance from the township on the Featherston side. The passenger-building contains a stationmaster's office, a ladies' waitingroom, and the usual other offices. There are also a goods-shed and an engine-shed. The staff consists of a stationmaster and a porter, who, in addition to his other duties, acts as guard on the trains between Woodside and Greytown.

Mr. Henry James Roche, Stationmaster of the Greytown Railway Station, was born in Ireland, where he received his education. In 1856 Mr. Roche was mathematical and English Master at Marlborough College, Wiltshire, together with Archdeacon Farrar, who was at that time a master. After a visit to Melbourne, Mr. Roche went to Tasmania as master of the Church of England Grammar School, Launceston. In 1864 he came to New Zealand, and was for some years master at the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell, Auckland. Joining the New Zealand Railway Service in 1876, he has for some time been located in Greytown. As a member of the Masonic fraternity, Mr. Roche is attached to the Greytown Lodge.

Greytown Hospital, which was erected in 1873, is located a short distance off Main Street, near the railway station, on a site belonging to the Town Lands Trust. The property, which is valued at £800, stands in tastefully laid out and carefully kept grounds. The one-story wooden building has three wards containing fifteen beds in all, besides the fever ward, which is detached. The surgery is well fitted, and has a complete stock of drugs and appliances. All the wards are cheerful in appearance and scrupulously clean, and the general appearance of the institution inside and outside reflects the utmost credit on the authorities. At the time of the writer's visit, there were eight patients, including a case of typhoid. The hospital physician, Dr. Bey, is assisted by Dr. Hosking, as honorary surgeon. It is supported by private subscriptions, subsidised by the Government to the extent of £1 4s. for every £ raised, and by patients' fees. Any holder of a five shilling annual ticket is entitled to use the hospital, without charge, during the year. About two-thirds of the revenue is raised by an annual ball. The Board, which is elected by subscribers, two members retiring every year, consists of Messrs. Geo. Wyett (chairman), Revs. A. V. Grace, and W. Rowse, Messrs H. S. Izard, J. G. Cox, J. Hillier, and F. H. Wood, the last of whom has acted as secretary for twenty-one years.

Mr. John Adams, Custodian of the Greytown Hospital, was born in London, and came to New Zealand in 1890. He was at one time employed by Messrs. Evans, Lesher, and Evans, wholesale druggists, London. Having made the study of drugs his hobby, he has become a capable dispenser. Mrs. Adams was trained for a nurse, and holds a certificate for midwifery, having gained considerable experience in the City of London Lying-in Hospital.

Greytown Public School is centrally situated, the building being a substantial wooden structure of five rooms, originally but one room, which was added to as required. The number of children on the roll is 260, the average attendance being 210. In scholarship competitions the school has a brilliant record. Of the three scholarships annually offered to Wairarapa schools, the Greytown school has secured eight during the last five years. The school is fortunate is having an endowment of £60 annually through the Town Lands Trust. This income enables the committee to dispense with special financial efforts, and secures the maintenance of a very fine school library, which has been in existence for about six years. It already contains 650 volumes, and £10 per annum is spent on new books. The school premises are well furnished and kept. The principal room contains a large three-leaved tablet—the roll of honour—containing the names of pupils who have secured scholarships. Mr. F. H. Bakewell is the headmaster and Mr. Bee the first assistant, the other members of the staff being: Mrs. Scale (mistress), Misses York (infant mistress), Braithwaite (assistant), and Brunton (pupil-teacher).

Mr. Frederick H. Bakewell, M.A. (Univ. of N.Z.), Headmaster of the Greytown Public page 880 School, who holds a B1 certificate, was born in London in 1858. He is a son of Dr. Bakewell, of Auckland. Leaving England when a child, he was educated at Queen's Collegiate School, Trinidad, West Indies, finishing his school course at the Boys' High School, Dunedin. In 1872, he arrived in Port Chalmers, and afterwards went to South Canterbury, and subsequently to Nelson, where he was engaged in sheep-farming for ten years. From 1879 to 1881, Mr. Bakewell served in the N.Z. Defence Force, embracing the teaching profession in Marlborough in 1883. His first appointment was in the Starborough Aided School, where he remained three-and-a-half years, afterwards becoming second assistant at Masterton for a like period. Promoted to the position of first assistant at Thorndon, he served six-and-a-half years, being transferred to his present position in 1896. Mr. Bakewell was married in 1894. An enthusiastic chess player, he took third place in the the New Zealand Chess Tournament of 1891–92, drawing his game with Mr. Siedeberg, the champion of that year. Mr. Bakewell graduated as B.A. in 1894, and M.A. in 1895.