Bell, Jonathan, Farmer, Foston Farm, Rangiora. Mr. Bell was born at Foston, Lincolnshire, England, in 1843. He came to Lyttelton with his parents in the ship “Caroline Agnes” in 1855. The family was for two years settled on the Ferry Road, Christchurch, and removed to Rangiora in 1858. Mr. Bell has always been engaged in country pursuits, and for a number of years has farmed his property of 100 acres, just outside the boundary of the Rangiora borough. The adjoining railway station bears his name, and is known as Bells. Mr. Bell is an amateur engineer and photographer, and has fitted up a small workshop, with a forge, lathe, and other appliances. He has thus been able to do necessary work for the farm, besides frequently obliging his neighbours. Mr. Bell was married, in 1868, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Deal, of Rangiora, one of the early settlers, and has six sons and five daughters, besides seven grandchildren.

Brown, Jonathan, Farmer, “Pine Hill,” Rangiora. Mr. Brown was born in 1845, in Cumberland, England, where he was brought up to farming. In 1867 he arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Melita,” and settled in Rangiora. After seven years he bought Pine Hill farm, which has an area of fifty acres. He resides at “Pine Hill,” but farms altogether 215 acres of freehold, besides leasehold land. Mr. Brown is well known in the district as a breeder of Berkshire pigs, Leicester sheep, Shorthorn cattle, draught horses and Aylesbury ducks. He has been successful in winning a large number of prizes, during the page 471 quarter of a century in which he has been an exhibitor, and has carried off numerous trophies. In 1889 he gained the Chamipon Prize at Dunedin with his sow “May Queen.” Mr. Brown was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Captain Woolcock, of Penzance, England, and has had eight daughters and four sons, but all of the sons nave died.

Garew, Ponsonby May, Farmer, Rangiora. Mr. Carew was born in 1833 in Cork, where he was educated. He arrived in Lyttelton in 1851, and began dairy farming near Akaroa. At that time whaling was carried on extensively, and numbers of ships used to winter at Akaroa, and Mr. Carew made some ventures in the great sea fishery. A few years after, Mr. Carew engaged in sheep-farming, occupying about 2000 acres of land; he also bestowed attention on breeding blood stock, and the well known cross-country horses “Mousetrap” and “Musician” were from his stud. After a prosperous career at Akaroa, Mr. Carew visited Victoria, New South Wales, and England, remaining in the latter country for two years. On his return to Akaroa he disposed of his run and resided near Christchurch, but preferring an active life, he spent some years in prospecting the back ranges until a severe accident compelled him to live in retirement again. He was married in 1875, and has two sons and four daughters.

Mr. P. M. Carew.

Graham, David, J.P., Farmer, “Mowbray,” Rangiora. Mr. Graham was born near Ripon, Yorkshire, England, in 1838, and was taught the trade of a wheelwright, which he followed till he was twenty-two. After residing in Leeds for three years he decided to emigrate to New Zealand, and in September, 1864, he arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “British Empire.” Settling at once in the Rangiora district, he bought land at South-brook, where he lived fifteen years, during which he took an active part in the erection of a Wesleyan church and a district school, and was the first chairman of the school committee. Mr. Graham then disposed of his small farm to the late Mr. Steggall, and bought a larger place at Horrellville, where he lived for five years. Having let the farm to his son, he subsequently leased “Betshanger,” Rangiora, the estate of the late Mr. Boys, and worked it for four years. In 1869 Mr. Graham erected a comfortable residence in King Street, Rangiora, where he resided till 1901; but having acquired a farm midway between Rangiora and Woodend, he sold his property at Rangiora and built another residence, with modern conveniences, on his new place. He is now (1902) retiring from business, with a view to reaping the reward of a life of industrious toil. Mr. Graham was for five years a member of the Rangiora Borough Council, and also a member of the borough school committee. In addition to farming he has dealt in stock, and has had a bacon-curing establishment. He was married in 1860, to a daughter of the late Mr. Hutchinson, of Ripon, Yorkshire; this lady died in 1888, leaving one son. At the end of 1889 Mr. Graham was married to a daughter of the late Mr. Joseph Thompson, schoolmaster, who lived until he reached the age of ninety-four years.

King, Charles, Farmer, Ashley Street, Rangiora. Mr. King was born in 1883, in Surrey, England, and came out to Melbourne in 1854. He was over eighteen months in Melbourne, and for a time acted as foreman of works on the Bendigo railway line. Mr. King was for some years on the Australian diggings, and visited Beechworth, Yacandanga, Snowy River, Crooked River, and Lambing Flat, and had many exciting and hazardous experiences in travelling unexplored territory, in search of gold. He was afterwards a storekeeper at Kiandra for four years. After thirteen years of this life, Mr. King visited the Old Country. In 1869 he settled in Canterbury, and was for some time in Christchurch He afterwards purchased fifty acres of land between Flaxton and Kaiapoi. After selling this property, Mr. King bought land at Rangiora, and has for twenty-five years been engaged in farming. He was married, in 1868, to a daughter of the late Mr. Chatlen, of Norfolk, and has four daughters.

Mr. C. King.

Leech, Francis James. Farmer Woodend Road, Rangiora. Mr. Leech is a son of the late Mr. G. J. Leech, an old settler in the district. He was born in Rangiora in 1864, educated in the district, and page 472 was brought up to country pursuits by his father. Mr. Leech has been engaged in farming on his own account since 1889. His property consists of sixty acres of freehold land. Mr. Leech is a member of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Tolputt and Clarke, photo.
Mr. F. J. Leech.

Lehmann, John, Farmer, Oxford Road, Rangiora. Mr. Lehmann was brought up to farming at his native village in Germany, where he was born in 1822, and came to Lyttelton by the ship “Isabella Hercus” in 1856. He settled at Rangiora, where he bought land and has constantly resided in the district, except for two or three years, during which he was in Australia. He was married, in 1868, to a daughter of the late Mr. C. Kessen, of Germany. Mrs. Lehmann died in 1893, leaving one daughter and two sons.

Tolputt and Clarke, photo.
Mr. J. Lehmann.

Macfarlane, Malcolm, Sheep Farmer, “Coldstream,” Rangiora. Mr Macfarlane, who was for five years chairman of the Mandeville and Rangiora Road Board, on which he had previously served as a member, was born in Wellington, in 1849. He is the eldest son of the late Mr. John Macfarlane, of “Coldstream,” was educated at the old High School, Christchurch, and gained his experience of country life at “Coldstream,” where he resides and farms about 2200 acres. He raises cattle and sheep, and also engages in agricultural pursuits. In public life Mr. Macfarlane is a Governor of the Rangiora High School, and was for two years president of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, with which he is still identified. He was married, in 1883, to a daughter of the late Mr. William Chisnall, Fendalton, and has four sons and one daughter.

Mehrtens, Diedrich, Farmer, “Wai-kioru,” Rangiora. Mr. Mehrtens was born in Germany in 1846, and arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Eastern Empire” in 1865. He has been a settler in Rangiora since 1873. Mr. Mehrtene was married, in 1881, to a daughter of Mr. W. Wilke, of East Oxford, and has five sons and three daughters surviving.

Mehrtens, Henrich, Farmer, “Camside,” Rangiora. Mr. Mehrtens was born in Germany, in 1848, and was brought up to farming. In August, 1867, he arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Blue Jacket.” He worked for about eighteen months for the late Mr. J. Dixon, at Ashley, and afterwards found employment at Rakaia. In March, 1873, Mr. Mehrtens settled in the Rangiora district, and engaged in mixed farming on his farm of eighty acres at “Camside,” and on sixty-six acres at Bells station. He has been a member of the committee of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association for some years. Mr. Mehrtens was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Mr. M. Oldman, woolclasser, of North Canterbury, and has six sons and two daughters.

Miles, John, Orchardist and Farmer, “Spring Orchard,” Rangiora. Mr. Miles was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1844, and was brought up to farming on the property of Squire Starkey, of Spy Park, where his father was gamekeeper for forty years. He arrived in Lyttelton in 1858, by the ship “Roehampton,” and settled in Rangiora, the whole district being then covered with bush or high flax. Mr. Miles found employment in splitting and sawing timber, and fencing. In 1860 he had a turn at gold-digging at Gabriel's Gully, Otago, and was afterwards at Wakamarino, On returning to Canterbury he engaged in farming at Fernside for seven years, and in 1877 acquired the thirty acres, now known as “Spring Orchard.” He carried on business as a coal merchant for three years, from 1878, and in 1882 he started a brewery, which he carried on for twelve years. Since then he has, with the exception of a short period in 1895, when he visited England, resided at “Spring Orchard,” which covers five acres, from which he gathers about a thousand cases of apples, free from moth, and two hundred cases of lovely peaches, besides other fruit, each season. Mr. Miles was married, in 1868, to Miss Collins, of Lancashire, and has had ten daughters and two sons, of whom one son and three daughters are dead.

Tolputt and Clarke, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Miles.

Worner, George, Farmer, “Marchmont,” Rangiora. Mr. Werner was born at Martock, Somersetshire, England, in 1832, and was educated and brought up to farming in his native place, his father and grandfather having been farmers before him. In 1877 he came to Lyttelton by the ship “Rangitikei.” Later on he settled in Ashburton, where he was for eighteen years in business. Having had the misfortune to be burned out in March, 1898, Mr. Worner decided not to rebuild, but settled at Rangiora, where he leases a farm. Mr Worner was married, in 1860, to the youngest daughter of the late Mr. J. Gale, of Martock, near Yeovil, Somersetshire, and has had five daughters and five sons, of the latter of whom one has died.

Mr. G. Worner's Residence.
Tolputt and Clarke, photo.

Mr. Henry Fear Reece has been intimately connected with North Canterbury for many years. He is the second surviving son of the late Mr. Edward Reece, founder of the large hardware firm of E. Reece and Son, and was born in Christchurch in 1861. After being educated at the old High School and at Mr. Charles Cook's school, Christchurch, he learned sheepfarming on his father's station, “Mount Serrat,” where he resided altogether fifteen years. On his father's death he purchased the run, which has an area of 6000 acres. Mr. Reece made an extended tour through America and Europe, and on his return to New Zealand be was for two years a resident at Fendalton. At the general election of 1896 he unsuccessfully contested the Ashley seat in the House of Representatives, against Mr. Meredith, the sitting member. Shortly afterwards Mr. Reece went to England with his family, and was absent for three years. On his return in 1899 he settled at “Longhope,” Rangiora, a small farm of forty acres. During his residence at “Mount Serrat” Mr. Reece served as a member of the Waipara Road Board for several years. Mr. Reece stood for Hurunui at the general election of 1902, when he obtained 880 votes to Mr. A. W. Rutherford's 1577. He is a member of the committee of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, and of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.