Mr. Frederick Sidney Pope, Traffic Clerk at Wellington Railway Station, is a son of Mr. J. H. Pope, Inspector of Native Schools. Born in 1869 in Dunedin, and educated at the local high school and at Ballarat and Wellington colleges, Mr. Pope entered the Traffic Department as cadet in Wellington in 1885. Five years after he was transferred to the commissioner's office as clerk, becoming traffic clerk at Napier in 1893, and the following year at Wellington. In January, 1895, Mr. Pope was married to a daughter of Mr. J. MacNeil, of the firm of Briscoe, MacNeil, and Co., and has one daughter.

Mr. Peter Charles Smith, Inspector of Cars and Wagons on the Wellington-Eketahuna Section of the New Zealand Government Railways, was born in Gloncester in 1854. Educated at the British School in his native city, and apprenticed for five years at the local car and wagon works, Mr. Smith afterwards worked at his trade in a similar establishment at Birmingham for over two years. In 1874 he came to Wellington per ship “Strath-Navor,” settling in Wanganui, where he put together the first car and built the first wagon under the Public Works Department. Two years later Mr. Smith entered the service of Messrs. Campbell Bros., railway contractors, Dunedin, for whom he worked in Wellington, Wanganui, Foxton, Christchurch, and again in Wellington. Mr. Smith entered the Government service as a carriage builder at the Petone Workshops in 1878, since which year he has continued in the service, receiving promotion in October, 1895, to the position he now holds.

Mr. Arthur Colclough Barlow, Chief Goods Clerk at the Wellington Railway Station, is the eldest son of Sergeant John Francis Barlow, of Ashburton, and was born in Christchurch in 1866. Educated at the public schools at Leeston, Southbridge, and Rangiora, and at the Normal School, Christchurch, he entered the Railway Department as a cadet in the goods office in his native city in 1881. Three years later he was transferred to Timaru, where he remained for six years, during which time he was promoted to the status of clerk, and in 1890 was advanced to the rank of stationmaster at Templeton. In 1891 Mr. Barlow was removed to Invercargill as chief goods clerk, and three years afterwards he took up his duties in the Empire City. During his residence in Timaru he was prominent as a cyclist, gaining three cups, one of which was for the ten mile championship of South Canterbury. As a Volunteer he was for five years a member of the C Battery of Artillery, page 1503 in which he rose from the rank of gunner to that of sergeant. Whilst in Invercargill he was a member of the Railway Fire Brigade, in which he held the office of secretary. In matters musical Mr. Barlow takes great interest. He has been associated with the Anglican Church choirs, also the choral societies in the various places in which he has been located, and at present is a member of St. Peter's Church Choir, and also of Mr. Manghan Barnett's Choral Society.

Mr. A. C. Barlow.

Mr. Charles George Edwards, Clerk in the Locomotive Foreman's Office at Wellington, was born in 1875 at Leeston, and was educated at Canterbury public schools. Becoming a cadet in 1890 in the Locomotive Engineer's Office at Addington, he was transferred to the Locomotive Superintendent's Office in Wellington in 1891, and four years later to the Locomotive Engineer's Office at Petone. Mr. Edwards was promoted to the position of clerk in September, 1895, and three months later took up the duties of the office he now holds.

Mr. William Kemp, Engine-Driver on the Wellington Section of Government Railways, is the oldest driver on the line, having been continuously engaged in his important duties for over twenty years. A Yorkshireman, born in 1844 at Hull, where he was educated, Mr. Kemp entered the service of the North Eastern Railway as cleaner in 1858, and until leaving for the colonies in 1874, he gained considerable experience on British lines. After three years he became a fireman, and such was his success in the service that he was promoted to the position of driver before he was twenty. At the time of the strike (1867) Mr. Kemp left the company, and joined the London and South Western Railway Company, in whose employ he continued for two years as fireman and three as driver. Landing in Wellington from the ship “Golden Sea,” he entered the public service as driver during the construction of the line, on which he has since been so well known. Mr. Kemp was married in England in 1866 to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Nowell, of Dewsbury, York, and has one son.

Mr. W. Kemp.

Mr. William Patterson, Engine-Driver on the Wellington-Eketahuna Railway, was born in 1850 in Belfast, Ireland, where he was educated. From the age of fifteen till 1878 he followed a sea-faring life, which he left to settle in Wellington. Joining the public service as cleaner, he became fireman for four years, and was promoted to the position of driver in 1883. Mr. Patterson was married in 1878 to Miss Tierman, of Roscommon, Ireland, and has three sons and three daughters.

Mr. James Hosie, Engine-Driver on the Wellington-Eketahuna Section of the New Zealand Government Railways, who hails from Wishart, Lanarkshire, Scotland, where he was born in 1855, came to Auckland by the ship “Hydasper” (Captain Babot), at the age of nineteen. In 1878 he joined the railways in Christchurch as a cleaner, and six weeks later became a fireman. After six years' service in this capacity, Mr. Hosie was promoted to the position of engine-driver, and since that time he has done duty on the Wellington Section. Mr. Hosie was married in Wellington in 1879 to a daughter of Mr. W. G. Eldershaw, and has five surviving children—one son and four daughters.

Mr. Henry Thomas, Engine-Driver on the New Zealand Government Railways, Wellington-Eketahuna Section, is a native of St. Arvans, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, where he was born in 1852. He learned his business in Messrs. Brogden and Son's ironworks, Glamorganshire, South Wales, spending some years in the fitting shop, and as driver of stationary engines on the works. In 1877 Mr. Thomas came to New Zealand per ship “Fernglen,” landing in Napier, and entered the public service almost immediately as engine-cleaner. He was promoted in 1880 to the position of fireman; after five years' service in this capacity Mr. Thomas was advanced to the responsible position of engine-driver. He remained a further period of seven years on the Hawkes Bay Section, being transferred in 1892 to the Wellington Section. Mr. Thomas was married in 1876 to a daughter of Mr. T. Davidson, of Aberdeen, Scotland, and has four sons and four daughters.

Mr. H. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas Broad, Engine-Driver on the Wellington-Eketahuna Section of the Government Railways, was born at Silverstream in 1859, and was educated at private schools. In March, 1879, he joined the Railway Department at Invercargill, and two years later became fireman, being promoted to the position of driver in 1894. Mr. Broad served two years at Invercargill, four years at Riverton, five years at Orepuke, three-and-a-half years at Masterton, and a few months at Wanganui, before taking up his duties at Wellington. In 1883 he was married to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Richards, of Invercargill, bricklayer, and has two sons and two daughters.

Mr. William Makin, Acting Engine-Driver on the Wellington-Eketahuna Section of Government Railways, was born in 1852 at Bolton, Lancashire, England. He reached New Zealand in 1879 per ship “Ben Nevis,” landing in Auckland. In the following year Mr. Makin joined the service in Wellington as cleaner, and after serving as fireman he was promoted to the position of acting-driver in 1886. Mr. Makin was married to Miss Cooper, of Bolton, and has three sons and four daughters.