Ahipara is a gum digging district in the county of Mongonui, and is 224 miles from Auckland. There are several stores and a school in the township, and gum digging throughout the district is carried on chiefly by the Maoris. A weekly mail leaves Auckland every Monday, and reaches the local post office on Thursday afternoon. Ahipara is forty miles from the town of Mongonui, and travelling between the two places is done chiefly on horseback.

Berghan, Mrs. James, Storekeeper and Proprietress of Seaview House, Ahipara. Mrs. Berghan is the widow of the late Mr. James Berghan (referred to elsewhere) and carries on the business formerly conducted by him. The general store was established in 1875 and its connections extend locally over a radius of more than twenty miles. The principal feature of the business is the purchase of gum and wool, which are consigned to Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., Auckland. A general stock of supplies is kept on hand and a large retail trade is done. The building has a thirty feet frontage.

Bowman, John, General Storekeeper and Gum Buyer, Ahipara. Mr. Bowman was born at Bangor, County Down, North of Ireland, in 1824, and followed the business of a butcher and cattle-dealer until 1852 when he left for Australia by the “James Carson,” landing in Melbourne. On his arrival he went to the gold diggings and spent nearly six years at Ballarat and Bendigo, where he did very well. In 1858 he visited the Old Country and on his return to the Colony in 1861, he left almost immediately for the “rush” at Gabriel's Gully and afterwards went to the Coromandel field, where he worked with success on the Kapanga claim for some time, he and his three mates being the first to erect machinery. In 1866, he removed to Ahipara and started his present business.

Mr. J. Bowman, Son and Niece.

Mr. James Work Reid, Old Colonist, Ahipara. Mr. Reid, who for many years conducted a successful business at Ahipara, was born in Vestrey, Orkney Islands, in 1830, and after having been engaged for some years on Lord Balfour's estate as overseer, gave up that employment and emigrated to New Zealand, arriving at Auckland in the “Lord Burleigh” in 1862. After undergoing some of the trials of colonial life, Mr. Reid wended his way to the “Far North,” where he made arrangements with the natives for the purchase of kauri gum. Mr. Reid, finding his business increasing beyond expectation, was of necessity compelled to build extensive premises to provide storage room for gum, etc. Through close attention to business combined with perseverance and a natural aptitude for dealing with the natives, he very soon acquired a competency which enabled him during his life-time to make ample provision for his wife and large grown-up family. Mr. Reid died on the 29th of July, 1897, much regretted by Europeans and natives by whom he was held in great respect. For six years he was a member of Mongonui County Council and for three years was chairman; and during the long term of thirty-two years he held the position of postmaster of Ahipara with satisfaction to the general public.

The Late Mr. J. W. Reid.