Reece, E., And Sons (William Reece), Wholesale and Retail Ironmongers and Inporters of British and Foreign Hardware; Wholesale and Retail premises, Colombo Street, Christchuch; Iron-yard and store, Lichfield Street. The extensive and well-known business of this firm was founded in 1856 by the late Mr. Edward Reece, since whose death it has been continued by his son, the present proprietor. Many old colonists will remember the old wooden building with its three feet gables in which the business of the firm was originally commenced on the present site. This old relic of the past was pulled down in 1870, and replaced by the present handsome three-storey brick building in which the wholesale and retail business is conducted. The main retail show-room is on the ground floor, and extends back 150 feet from the street. An enormous stock is maintained, the entire department being set out with handsome glass show-cases, counters and other contrivances for displaying goods, which it would be impossible to enumerate. A few lines may, however, be mentioned; such as sterling silver and electro plated ware, fancy goods, cutlery, toilet and general brushware, lamps, filters, general furnishing ironmongery of all descriptions, cricket, tennis, and croquet tools, Milner's safes, brass foundry, bicycles and bicycle sundries, all kinds of fencing material, lawnmowers, farm and garden tools. Messrs, Reece and Sons make a special feature of maintaining a very fine stock of guns and ammunition. Ascending by a staircase, the page 316 visitor reaches the first floor, where there is another large show-room displaying register fire-grates, hearths, mantels, and overmantels in endless variety, from the simplest and plainest to the most costly and elegant. The top floor contains reserve stocks of lamps, lamp-glasses, tinware, and numerous other articles. A large cellar in the basement is used for storing the firm's enormous stock of lubricating oils. The wholesale department which adjoins the retail is entirely separate from the latter, its three stories being utilised for the sole purpose of this branch of the firm's business. There is a cart entrance from Lichfield Street for convenience of receiving and delivering. In addition to the main premises, there is a two-storey store at the back, where axles, spades, shovels, white lead, pumps, rams, hollow-ware, and floor-tiles are stored in enormous quantities. Owing to the development of the firm's business, a large building has been erected on the opposite side of Lichfield Street for the purpose of a bulk store. This building covers a quarter of an acre of land, and is used for the storage of pig-iron, galvanised and sheet iron, bar-iron, wire-nails, stoves, carriage woodware, and numerous other lines. There is a large overhead travelling crane, fitted up so as to move heavy goods to any part of the building. Outside of this building is a large yard in which are stacked such goods as fire-bricks, roofing tiles, and other articles, not liable to damage by wet weather. The offices of the firm are situated in the main building at the back of the retail department. The firm possesses every facility for obtaining all classes of goods in which it deals direct from the best markets of Britain, America, and the Continent of Europe. By every mail it has immense shipments coming forward in all lines. Messrs Reece and Sons have a large connection not only in the City of Christchurch, but among farmers and settlers throughout Canterbury, and transact business wholesale in all parts of New Zealand.