Mr. John Longman, J.P., Works Manager of the New Zealand Provision and Produce Company's Works at Belfast, is a native of London, where he was educated, and had charge of the stores department of one of the largest London sugar refineries, of which his father was the works manager. In early life New Zealand attracted his attention, and he arrived in Lyttelton, by the ship “Mermaid,” Captain Rose, in the year 1862. Finding things very quiet in Canterbury, Mr. Longman made his way to Wellington, by the three-masted schooner “Rifleman,” but finding no improvement in trade in that province, he returned, and followed various callings. Very soon after Messrs Holmes and Richardson secured the contract from the New Zealand Government for the completion of the Lyttelton Tunnel, and for the construction of the railway work between Christchurch and Ferrymead. As a sub-contractor under these gentlemen, Mr. Longman completed the covering-in of the first shed on the Canterbury railways, and so satisfied were they with the work, that he subsequently obtained the contract for the whole of the work. The goldfields of the West Coast then attracted his attention, and after working on them for some time without any marked success, he was engaged on the Government surveys of the district. In 1867 he was engaged by the Canterbury Meat Export Company, which had the first meat preserving works in New Zealand, as foreman of the tinning department. After holding that position for four years, he joined the late Mr. W. H. Mein, as manager and preserver at his new works, at Belfast. The factory was afterwards carried on by the late Mr. J. M. Watt, and at his death, was taken over by Messrs Wood and Gibbs, who entrusted Mr. Longman with the management of their soap works, where the well known Silkstone soap is manufactured During his thirty-one years' residence at Belfast Mr. Longman has taken a leading part in all social and educational matters. He was the first chairman of the school committee, under the present Education Act, and served in that posrtion and as a committeman for twenty years. Mr. Longman took a leading part in establishing the Belfast Town Hall and Public Library, and also the Wesleyan church in the township. In politics Mr. Longman is a Liberal, but in addition to presiding at the general elections for his own party, he has invariably presided for the opposing candidate so that his spirit of fair play has made him very popular. As a Freemason, he is secretary to the Lodge of Concord Papanui, and is esteemed, not only by his page 421 own lodge, but by all the craftsmen who know him. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace, in 1895. Mr. Longman married Miss Smith, niece of the late Mr. Charles Turner, in 1864, and has a family of nine children. His son Walter is a meat preserver, and has sole charge of the preserving department of the Smithfield Freezing Works at Timaru.