Oruru is an outlying place in Mongonui County, five miles from the port of Mongonui and 189 miles from Auckland. It has a weekly mail service and a telephone office.

Maria, Nicholas, Farmer, Oruru. Mr. Maria's property is situated midway in the Oruru Valley and contains 214 acres of fine country, excellently adapted for maize-growing, sheep and cattle grazing, as well as dairying. Mr. Maria was born in Portugal in 1850, and came to New Zealand per ship “Eliza” in 1866. Proceeding to Monugoni, he engaged in farming pursuits, and was afterwards two years on the Thames goldfields. He then went to California, where he had some additional mining experience. Returning to New Zealand, Mr. Maria purchased his present fine property in Oruru Valley. He met with a painful accident in 1892 by falling off his dray, the wheel passing over and fracturing his leg, necessitating its amputation. Mr. Maria is married to a daughter of Mr. Joseph Evens, of Awanui, and has four sons and three daughters.

Mr. N. Maria and Family.

Wilkinson, George, Farmer, “Park Farm,” Oruru. Mr. Wilkinson was born in Mongonui in 1864, where he owns a fine property; there is a splendid orchard, planted with a variety of choice healthy trees. The buildings include dwelling, barn, machineryshed, stables, cow-sheds, chaff-house, blacksmith's shop, cart-house, bacon-curing sheds, and four large corn-cribs. Mr. Wilkinson is married to a daughter of Mr. W. Rhodes, formerly of the Kauri Timber Company, Auckland.

Mr. G. Wilkinson's Homestead, Oruru.

Wilkinson, William, Farmer, “Mount Pleasant,” Oruru. Mr. Wilkinson's leasehold property is situated eight miles from Mongonui. He was born in Oruaiti in 1868, and has followed farming pursuits all his life.