Banks, Enoch Henry, Grain and Produce Merchant, Cashel Street, Christchurch, Mr. Banks has been well known in business circles in Christchurch since 1863. He is further referred to elsewhere as an ex-member of the Christchurch City Council.

Brown, D. H. And Son (John Atkins Brown), Millers and Grain Merchants, Brookfield Roller Mills, South Belt, Christchurch. Telephone 701; P.O. Box 242. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, “Glancairn,” Fendalton. Cable address,” Peerless, Christchurch.” Telegraphic address. “Brown, Brookfield, Christchurch.” Codes, A.B.C. and private code. This firm's well-equipped mill was erected in 1892, and occupies a freehold section of two acres of land fronting the railway line, with which it is connected by a siding extending for about 500 feet alongside the mill and grain stores. The main building, which is five stories in height, is built of brick, and contains about 12,000 square feet of floor space. The main driving shaft is on the ground floor, which is chiefly occupied by the bottoms of the numerous elevators which communicate with the upper floors. On the first floor are the rollers and flour and bran-packers in full operation. The purifiers and special machinery for making wheatmeal occupy the second floor. The third and top stories are utilised for all the silk-dressing machinery, which includes two five feet Universal Bolters by the E. P. Allis Company of Milwaukee, U.S.A.; these machines, most ingenious in their construction, are said to be the first of the kind introduced into the Southern Hemisphere. The whole of the operations conducted in this very compact mill are absolutely automatic. From the time the wheat is shot into the bins on the basement, it is never touched by hand till, as flour, it is made up in sacks and bags ready for the consumer. During the process of milling, the grain passes from the basement to the various machines on the upper stories backwards and forwards a considerable number of times. The motive power page 343 consists of a compound condensing engine of sixty horse-power by Hornsby, Grantham, and a vertical compound engine and condenser by Davey, Paxman and Co., of Colchester, England. The latter drives the wheat-cleaning machinery and a Crompton dynamo, capable of lighting ninety sixteen candle-power lamps, and can be driven from either engine. Adjoining the engine-house is a fine boiler by Scott Bros., of Christchurch, which works at a pressure of 150 pounds to the square inch. Up till 1897, the mill had a capacity equal to six sacks per hour. The machinery, however, has been increased, bringing up the capacity to ten sacks per hour, a vertical steam-engine being added to provide more power. The wheat-cleaning machinery occupies a three-storey brick building adjoining the mill, and this is entirely shut off by fire-proof doors and shutters, which act automatically in the various elevators and shoots connecting the two departments. The grain store, which is built of wood and iron, and measures 200 feet by nearly 60 feet, has a capacity equal to about 40,000 sacks. The arrangements for loading and unloading are simply perfect, provision having been made whereby the sacks can be shot on to the railway trucks in the open in fine weather, and under a covered verandah in wet. A very fine twenty-ton self-registering Avery weighing-machine for dealing with truck loads of wheat and a six-ton machine for carts are among the conveniences used by the firm to insure accuracy in receiving and delivering. The firm's brand, “Peerless,” is well known throughout Canterbury, West Coast, and North Island. Expert visitors who have examined the Brookfield Roller Mill pronounce it one of the best equipped in the Colony.

Messrs D. H. Brown and Sons' Flour Mills.

Caverhill And Hilson (T. H. Caverhill and F. W. Hilson), Grain and Produce Merchants, 114 Manchester Street, Christchurch.

Mr. Thomas Hensman Caverhill, formerly Manager of the Kaiapoi branch of the Bank of New Zealand, was born in 1859 at Motunau station, Canterbury. He is the second son of Mr. John Scott Caverhill, and was educated at the old High School, Christchurch, and at Christ's College. In 1873, he entered the service of the Bank of Australasia at Christchurch, remaining in that branch until 1877, when he received the appointment of agent at Rakaia, where he remained for six months and was then transferred to Sanson in the Manawatu district. He joined the Bank of New Zealand in 1879, and was in Christchurch for about twelve months, when he received the appointment of agent at Kaikoura and Oxford. In 1880, he was appointed manager at Palmerston North, where he remained until 1884; then came to the Christchurch branch and was transferred to Kaiapoi as manager in July, 1885. He also managed the Oxford agency from 1888. For a number of years he was an active member of the Kaiapoi school committee. When at the high school in Christchurch, he was lieutenant of the volunteer rifle corps. He has taken a great interest in football ever since his school days, and was secretary of the Kaiapoi football club for two years; he played in several country matches in the Rangitikei and Manawatu districts. In conjunction with Mr. Blackwell, he was instrumental in purchasing the present ground known as Kaiapoi Park, the purchase money, £550, being all paid off by means of bazaars, art unions, etc. He is a life trustee for this property, which is held in trust for the benefit of all local athletic bodies. It has already proved a great boon to the community, as a recreation ground, and is likely to be of greater service in the future. As an adherent of the Presbyterian church, he held the position of local secretary for a time. He is also a strong sympathiser in all temperance movements. Mr. Caverhill was married in December, 1880, to the daughter of Mr. Francis Kelly, of Swannanoa, Canterbury, and has four children.

The Christchurch Workingmen's Co-Operative Society, Limited, 82 to 88 Colombo Street; branch at High Street, Kaiapoi. Officers for 1901: Mr. W. H. McKellow, president; Mr. J. A. Efford, vicepresident; Messrs J. Hislop and H. Chaplin, trustees; Mr M. W. Woodfield, A.N.Z.A.A., secretary. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. This society was established in 1889, and has grown and developed with astonishing rapidity; the sales increased from £1200 in 1890 to nearly £25,000 for 1900. On the 30th of June, 1901, the amount of paid-up capital was £3444, on account of transferable and withdrawal shares, and that left an amount of £2107 still uncalled. Dividends at the rate of 8 per cent on transferable and 6 per cent on withdrawal capital have been paid, making a total distribution to shareholders of £1889 on capital invested, and £6245 as bonuses on purchases and wages. This society was one of the first in New Zealand to give its employees a weekly half-holiday, and they enjoyed that privilege several years before the Act on the subject was brought into force. There are grocery, provision, general ironmongery, boot, drapery, mercery, tailoring, and underclothing departments at the society's fine shops in Colombo Street. These shops and eight acres of land are the freehold property of the society.

Cook, Frank A., Grocer and Italian Warehouseman, 222 Colombo Street, Christchurch. Mr. Cook established himself in business in 1890, and he now fulfils orders from all parts of New Zealand. He has a branch establishment at Cheviot, and also a butter factory, where he makes clover-brand butter, which has gained four first prizes at agricultural and pastoral shows in Canterbury. For the year ending December, 1901, the output was sixty tons, all made from pasteurised milk.

Goode, William Edward, Grocer and Tea-Dealer, 103 Victoria Street, Christchurch. Mr. Goode was born in Warwickshire, England, and arrived in New Zealand in 1874. Educated at the St. Albans and Normal public schools, he was apprenticed to Mr. T. Kincaid, Christchurch, and served as journeyman for a short time after the completion of his term. In 1890, he was branch manager for Mr. Allan Smith in Newtown, Wellington, and afterwards in business for himself in that city for about twelve months, then came to Christchurch and established his present business in 1893. Being thoroughly conversant with the requirements of the trade, and a man of push and enterprise, he has been able to command a large measure of success. Mr. Goode is a direct importer, and has exceptional facilities for buying goods at the very lowest wholesale rates.

Jackman And Lord (E. J. Jackman and John Lord), Grocers and Provision Merchants, 142 Cashel Street, corner of Manchester Street, Christchurch.

Mr. Edwin James Jackman, Senior Partner in the firm of Jackman and Lord, was born in 1864, in Christchurch, and educated in the Colony. In his boyhood he had some experience in farming, and subsequently got a preliminary insight into mercantile life in Christchurch in the employment of the late Mr. T. H. Green, bacon curer, with whom he was for three years. In his nineteenth year, he joined the New Zealand Farmers' Co-Operative Association, and was appointed manager of the grocery department in 1886. It was then but a very small concern, and gave little promise of the large dimensions to which it has since grown. In the latter part of 1902 Mr. Jackman and Mr. Lord entered into partnership in their present business. Mr. Jackman was married, in 1891, to a daughter of the late Mr. Berry, of Christchurch.

Standish and Preece photo.
Mr. E. J. Jackman.

Mr. John Lord is referred to in another article as a member of the Woolston Borough Council.

Kincaid, Thomas, Grocer and Provision Merchant, and Proprietor of the celebrated Ceylindo Tea, 161 and 163 Colombo Street, Christchurch. Telephone, shop, 565; private house, 668; P.O Box, 180. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Cable address, Kincaid's.” Private residence, 34 Cashel Street. Bacon factory and cool stores, Lichfield Street East. From the time he commenced curing hams and bacon up to the present date (1902) Mr. Kincaid has obtained fifty-three first and special prizes for the excellence of the goods turned out by his firm. Mr. Kincaid is further reterred to in another article as having been for many years a member of the Christchurch City Council.

Moir and Co. (William Moir), Millers and Grain Merchants, 108 Manchester Street, Christchurch. Telephone 835; P.O. Box 289. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Private residence, Styx; Mills, South brook. This firm's large milling business was established in 1869 by Mr. Moir, who arrived in Otago in the ship “Alpine” in 1858. He had a short gold-mining experience, and was for two years in the trade before settling in Christchurch. The mill at South-brook is built of wood and iron, five stories in height, and contains about 15,000 square feet of floor space. The mill is driven by an eighty horse-power steam-engine, together with a fourteen horse-power water-wheel, and the plant comprises both stone and roller and oatmeal machinery. The firm's brands are “Zealandia” in flour and “Moir and Co.” in outmeal, and first prizes were gained against all comers at Sydney and melbourne Exhibitions for the latter, and at the Christchurch Exhibition of 1882 for flour. The Southbrook mill will produce about ten tons of roller flour and four tons of stone dressed flour each twenty-four hours, and about four tons of oatmeal. The product of the mill is shipped to all parts of New Zealand and to the Australasian Colonies. Mr. Moir, the proprietor, was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1833, and brought up to the trade by his father. He was married in 1863 to a daughter of Mr. John Kain, of Carlow, County Wicklow, Ireland, and has four sons and six daughters.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. W. Moir.

Papps, Tom Hale, Grocer and Provision Merchant, 195–197 High Street, Christchurch. Telephone 754. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, St. Asaph Street, Linwood, Mr. Papps, who is a colonist of about twenty-five years' standing, established himself in business soon after landing in Lyttelton. He was born at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, in 1856, and learned the trade with Mr. James Starling, grocer and provision merchant, of Birkenhead, Cheshire, About six years later he went to Bristol, and engaged in the same business there for two years. Mr. Papps then left England, in 1878, by the ship “Northern Monarch,” and reached Lyttelton in the same year. He was employed as salesman for Mr. Thomas Taylor, grocer, of Christchurch, for about a year, and then he decided to start in business for himself. A partnership was arranged with Mr. Arthur Taylor, and the firm opened in premises in High Street. The partnership was dissolved in its third year, but was renewed four years later, when Mr. Taylor and Mr. Papps took in as partners Messrs Hannibal and Ernest Brown. This firm lasted until twelve or thirteen years ago, and since then Mr. Papps has conducted the business alone. He is fully alive to the requirements of his customers, and keeps a first-class general stock of all lines. A specialty is made of hams and bacon, cured under Mr. Papps' own direction, and for which he has gained a wide reputation. The shop in High Street is brilliantly lighted and very attractive at night, the various lines of goods being displayed to the best possible advantage. Mr. Papps was married, in 1882, to a daughter of Mr E. Weston, of Birmingham, and has two children.

Mr. T. H. Papps.

Riccarton Roller Flour Mills (Richard Allen, proprietor). Telephone 858. P.O. Box 163a. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Riccarton. This mill was erected by Mr. W. D. Wood in the early sixties, and was subsequently conducted by the firm of Wood Bros., Limited, the present proprietor purchasing the business in 1895. It is a four-storey wooden building, prettily situated on the river Avon, and is driven by a turbine wheel of about forty horse-power. The plant has a capacity of six sacks per hour, and about nine hands are employed. Mr. Allen's trade brand is “Snowball,” and he does business throughout the Colony. Messrs. Quane and Co., of Christchurch, act as manufacturers' agent.

Sawtell And Wachsmann (Claude E. W. Sawtell and John F. Wachsmann). Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants, 134 and 136 Cashel Street, Christchurch. The business was established in 1888, since which it has grown in a really remarkable manner. Owing to the energy displayed in all departments the name of this firm is known favourably throughout the principal colonial markets and also in the great European centres. In 1897, Messrs. Charles Sharpe and Co., Ltd., the well-known seed growers of Sleaford, England, appointed Messrs. Sawtell and Wachsmann their sole agents in New Zealand.

Smith, Charles Henry, Grocer, Durham Street North (late of the Golden Teapot Stores, Victoria Street), Christchurch. Mr. Smith arrived from Kent, England, in 1879, having served an apprenticeship to the trade and gained general experience in the Old Country. On arrival in the Colony he obtained employment at his calling and for ten years was in the establishments of leading local firms. In 1889, he commenced business on his own account in Colombo Street, removing two years later to Victoria Street, where he built up a good connection under the style of the Victoria Tea Company. Mr. Smith subsequently changed his business address to the locality given above.

Stead, George G., and Co. (George Gatonby Stead and George Joseph Fisher Palmer), Grain and Export Merchants. Offices, Triaugle, Christchurch. Warehouse and Seed Factory, Addington. This important firm was founded by the senior partner in 1870. The offices comprise a portion of the ground floor of a three-storey building erected by the New Zealand Grain Agency Company, Ltd., which has since become the property of Mr. Stead. The firm has three large grain stores at Addington adjoining the railway, and these have a very large storage capacity; in one of them there is a seed-cleaning plant which page 345 is considered to be the best and most complete in the Australasian Colonies. Mr. Palmer was admitted a partner in the firm in 1897.

Mr. George Gatonby Stead, the Senior Partner, is one of the most prominent commercial men in Canterbury. He was born in 1841 in London, where he commenced his primary education, and subsequently completed his studies at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown. Returning to London in 1865 Mr. Stead left for New Zealand, per ship “Talbot” in the following year, and joined the staff of the Union Bank of Australia, in Christchurch, soon after his arrival. He remained in the service of that institution until 1870, when he entered into partnership with the late Mr. William Royse, under the style of Royse, Stead and Co., as grain and export merchants. The firm conducted a large and successful business till 1882, when they disposed of it to the New Zealand Grain Agency Company, Ltd., which, however, discontinued business in 1884. Mr. Stead has long been prominently connected with public enterprises in Canterbury; he is chairman of directors of “The Press” Newspaper Company, Ltd., and a director of the Christchurch Gas, Coal, and Coke Company, Ltd., S. Manning and Co., Ltd., and the New Zealand Shipping Company. He was a promoter and deputy-chairman of the Union Insurance Company up to the time of its purchase by the Alliance Assurance Company of London, of which he is now deputy-chairman in New Zealand. He was foremost in the formation of the Canterbury Club, has long been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was president during the years 1881-5-6, and took a leading part in the establishment of the Tai Tapu and Central Dairy Factories. Mr. Stead was the moving spirit of the Press Relief Fund and Winter Work Fund, which rendered such good service to the necessitous of Christchurch during two winters, and he assisted to forward the Brunner Relief Fund by his influence. It will be remembered that during the great maritime strike of 1800, Mr. Stead was active in organising the freelabourers in Lyttelton, and at the general election held at the end of that year, he became a candidate for the House of Representatives for the Avon constituency, but was defeated, owing to the labour party opposing his return, by a comparatively nar row majority of 160. Mr. Stead has long been conspicuous in racing matters in Canterbury, and has filled the office of treasurer of the Jockey Club for twenty-five years. He is one of the largest owners of racehorses in the Colony, and has been very successful as a prize-winner. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Stout-Vogel Ministry. It was he who initiated the patriotic movement which resulted in Canterbury providing and equipping a troop of 110 mounted men, who were despatched to South Africa by the s.s. “Knight Templar” in February, 1900. Mr. Stead was married in 1876 to a daughter of Mr. Wilkinson, of Yorkshire, England, and has three sons and one daughter.

Standish and Preece, photo
Mr. G. G. Stead.

Mr. Joseph George Fisher Palmer, Partner in the firm of Messrs Stead and Co., was born in Christchurch in 1864, and is a son of Mr. Joseph Palmer, for many years Chief Officer for New Zealand of the Union Bank of Australia. He was educated at Christ's College, and afterwards joined the Christchurch branch of the Union Bank, on the staff of which he remained for fourteen years. He then severed his connection with that institution to take up his present position as partner in the extensive business of Messrs Stead and Co. Mr. Palmer takes a great interest in sports. He is a member of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and has been in turn president and captain of the Christchurch Polo Club, of which he is still a member.

Mr. J. G. F. Palmer.

Treleaven, George and Co., Produce Merchants, Armagh Street. Christchurch. Telephone 77. This firm's large brick premises, which face Market Place and Victoria Square, and occupy a quarter of an acre of land, are stored with wheat, oats, barley, and the various other stocks appertaining to a general produce store. An extensive business is done in chaff-cutting, and pressing hay into bales. The motive power for this purpose is a Crossley and Otto ten horse-power gas page 346 engine, which gives every satisfaction. Mr. Treleaven's business is one of the oldest in Christchurch, and was started in 1862. It has now a large connection throughout New Zealand, and is one of the leading retail produce businesses in Christchurch.

Messrs G. Treleaven and Co.'s Stores.

Wood Bros., Ltd., Flour Millers, Grain and Produce Merchants, 198 High Street, Christchurch. Mills, Addington. Branch, New Plymouth. The important business of this firm has grown from a very small beginning made by the founder, Mr. William Derisley Wood, who erected the first windmill in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, on the Windmill Road. The plant was completed and operations commenced on the 25th of August, 1856, since which the firm has continuously supplied flour of a very fine quality to Canterbury settlers. It was not long before the capacity of the windmill was totally insufficient to meet requirements, and it became an imperative necessity that a much larger plant should be erected. Mr. Wood was successful in securing the lease of water rights at Ricearton, where a much larger mill was built and started in 1860. With the growth of settlement the demand for Wood's flour increased, and further extension of the milling premises and plant became necessary. Additional machinery was procured and the grinding power of the mill largely increased, the output of fine flour being fully doubled. Up to this time Messrs. Wood Bros.' mills were worked on the old stone system, but with the introduction of the roller process into New Zealand the firm decided to adopt it and keep pace with the times. Mr. Henry Wood visited England and America in order to acquaint himself with the different systems in use, and the result of his visit was the decision to erect the large steam-mill at Addington. The splendid structure is built of brick and four stories in height. Motive power is supplied by a magnificent steam-engine of 120 horse-power. The whole of the machinery, which was imported, is of the latest roller type, and the capacity of the mill when in full work is equal to the production of fifteen sacks of finished flour per hour. About sixty tons of coal are consumed per month in connection with the Addingon mill, which is considered to be one of the best in the Colony, and is admirably situated at Addington station at the junction of the North and South lines of railway, with the addington advantage of a siding whereby large supplies of grain brought in from the country are received direct from the trucks and waggons which also are loaded with outgoing freight. Messrs. Wood Bros., Ltd., have been exhibitors at all the principal foreign and colonial exhibitions, and have secured a large number of certificates. At the Industrial Exhibition of 1895 they had a well arranged show of their famous roller flour, wheaten meal, porridge meal, and semolina. Mr. W. D. Wood, the founder of the firm, landed in Lyttelton in 1850 by the ship “Randolph,” one of the “four pilgrim ships.” In 1892 the business, together with the grain, farm, and dairy export trade, was incorporated into a company under the style of Wood Bros., Ltd., of which Mr. Wood is chairman.

Woods, William, Grain and Produce Merchant. Lower High Street, Christchurch. Mr. Woods' business was established in 1885. He himself is referred to in another article as a former member of the Christchurch City Council.

Messrs Wood Bros.' Flour Mills, Addington.