Mr. Thomas Pashby, who was born near Hull, in Yorkshire, England, came to New Zealand in 1853. In 1855 he bought some of the Maori bush at Woodend, and started in the timber trade. He afterwards took up land in Kaiapoi Island, and initiated a scheme which confined the Waimakariri to its southern course, and thereby saved the land on the north bank of the river from destructive floods, which in the early days ruined many valuable crops. Mr. Pashby was a member of the North Waimakariri River Board for many years, and also chairman of the Farmers' Club, and of the Eyreton Road Board. He now (1902) resides on his farm at Woolston.