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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Farmers

Farmers.

Kawarra Station (W. Macfarlane, proprietor), Culverden. This property comprises 26,000 acres of freehold, and is situated in the Amuri district, bounded by “St. Leonard's” and Cheviot, with the Hurunui river on its southern boundary. It formerly formed part of “St. Leonard's,” and was bought by the late Mr. John Macfarlane in 1877. The present proprietor was appointed manager in the same year, and under his supervision great improvements have been made. The whole property is subdivided into numerous blocks, by about seventy miles of fencing, including a substantial rabbit-proof boundary fence, as well as several interior subdivision rabbit fences. About 2500 acres are sown in English grass. For the purpose of ornamentation, shelter, and firewood, Mr. Macfarlane grew fifty acres of plantation, and his homestead now abounds with well grown trees. The station lies in two counties, and the boundary of Cheviot and Amuri runs through its centre. The whole station is worked from two homesteads—that on the Cheviot side being a working homestead; at the Amuri homestead there is a substantial and elaborate building well situated, in ornamental plantations, with the necessary working buildings close by. There are about 18,000 Merino and half-bred sheep on the station, and Mr. Macfarlane keeps a Merino stud flock, which is well known throughout the colony.

Mr. Walter Macfarlane, Proprietor of “Kawarra,” is referred to elsewhere as a member of the Cheviot County Council.

St. Leonard's Estate, Culverden. When Mr. J. H. Davison first settled on St. Leonard's in 1868, he found that there was little natural timber and determined to supply this want; therefore with great care and judgment he selected plants of the hard woods of Europe and America, as well as fourteen different varieties of pines. His plantations cover 200 acres and possess a present and future value which it would be hard to over-estimate. In 1877, Messrs. Rhodes and Wilkin, the owners of “St. Leonard's,” dissolved partnership and 96,000 acres were sold; Mr. Davison and the late Mr. R. Wilkin, becoming joint proprietors of the homestead and 28,000 acres of land. Ten years later Mr. Davison acquired Mr. Wilkin'e interest. The “St. Leonard's” estate comprises 28,000 acres of freehold land and carries nearly one sheep to the acre, besides a small herd of cattle. The flock consists of Merinos and Border-Leicester crosses, the proprietor having been one of the first to breed this variety; and as long ago as 1869 he commenced to boil down his surplus stock.

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Mr. J. H. Davison, J.P., Proprietor of St. Leonard's Station, Culverden, was born in South Australia in 1841 and was educated at St. Peter's College, Adelaide, where he gained a scholarship. He was brought up on cattle and sheep stations in South Australia, and crossed over to New Zealand in 1863 to manage the Levels station for Mr. Rhodes, retaining that position till the station was sold to the New Zealand Land Company. Subsequently, he managed “Race Course Hill” till it changed hands. Mr. Davison took an active part as member and chairman of the Amuri Road Board before it was merged into the County Council, and has been a member of the County Council for fully twenty years. He was married in 1881 to Miss Oliver, of Hawke's Bay, and has four daughters and four sons.