Mr. George W. McRae was born in 1838, in County Clare, Ireland, and came out to Nelson in 1849 with his parents. After leaving school he went to live on his father's station, which consisted of about 50,000 acres, and was situated on the north bank of the Hurunui river. The property has long been known by the picturesque name of the “Glens of Tekoa,” and for the high-class character of the improvements which have been made from the outset. The mansion house, which was erected in 1865, is of brick with a slated roof, and the grounds, tastefully laid out, are planted with trees and shrubs from every clime and country. Of the original leasehold, 22,530 acres of the best of the land have been converted into freehold, and surfacesown with carefully selected grasses, which give the best results. The station was first stocked with Merino sheep, and many years ago Mr. McRae established a small stud flock, with which he won many honours at the metropolitan and the northern shows. He also bred horses, which not only won honours in the show ring, but carried his colours frequently to the front on the racecourse. Greyhounds bred by him won three cups, and a large number of minor prizes. Mr. McRae who was a Justice of the Peace, was chairman of the Amuri County Council and Road Board, of the Hurunui Rabbit Board, of the Council of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the Hurunui and Culverden Racing Clubs, and the Canterbury and Northern Coursing Clubs. He died on the 13th of September, 1897, and is buried at Waiau. Mr. McRae was married, in 1868, to Miss Moore and left two sons and five daughters

Mr. John O'Malley was born in Galway, West of Ireland, and came to Lyttelton in May, 1861, by the ship “Rhea Sylvia.” He joined the Papal army in 1860, and fought at the siege of Spolato in September of that year. After a forty-eight hours' engagement the fort capitulated, and Mr. O'Malley, with the Papal troops, was confined in Genoa for six weeks. He received and now holds a medal from the Roman Government for bravery in action. After working for Sir Cracroft Wilson for a year, he entered the Armed Constabulary in Canterbury, and served under Mr. W. J. W. Hamilton for two years, when he joined the Dunedin force in 1863, under Commissioner St. John Branigan. Mr. O'Malley left the service in 1868 and went into the building trade in Christchurch, and was afterwards foreman of works for the city council for four years. He was overseer for the Amuri Road Board for fifteen months, and subsequently held a similar position under the Spreydon Road Board, of which he also became clerk. On his resignation. Mr. O'Malley was re-appointed to his old position on the Amuri Road Board, and on that body being merged in the Amuri County Council, he was appointed clerk and overseer to the council, from which he retired after eleven years' service, in favour of his son, when he applied for and was appointed to the position of clerk, overseer, and rate collector to the Geraldine Road Board. Whilst he was at Geraldine Mr. O'Malley was a member of the Geraldine Town Board. He now resides at Waiau, and is a trustee for the Waiau cemetery, and chairman of the Waiau Domain Board. He is a member of the Order of Foresters. Mr. O'Malley was married in Dunedin in 1865, and has three sons and two daughters.