Templeton is a large agricultural district on the Canterbury Plains. The township so named is nine miles southwest from Christchurch, on the main south railway line, and was named after Mr E. M. Temple, who owned a large run in the district. About 1860 several settlers arrived, and took up land. Amongst these were Messrs Charles Jeffs, Stephen Barter, George Marsh, William Rogers, James Rogers, E. Blake, John Marshall, John Maddison, and William Tosswill. A few thatched sod whares were the first habitations, and these often suffered considerable damage from the fierce nor'-westers which swept over the plains, with nothing to check their fury. In the winter time heavy dense mists invariably covered the plains for several hours each morning. Since the country has been cultivated, and large clumps of trees planted all over the district, the climate has changed decidedly for the better. The affairs of the district are governed by the Templeton Road Board, which has 33,000 acres under its control, of which 7,500 acres is sheep-grazing country, principally old riverbeds. The Board, established in 1864, held its first meetings at the George and Dragon—now the Islington Arms—Hotel. The offices were afterwards removed to Yaldhurst. The present members of the Board are Messrs G. Witty, M.H.R. (chairman), W. H. Manhire, W. Bailey, W. J. Guy, and W. Davies. Mr. F. J. Clarke is the Board's secretary. The Templeton domain is a large plot of ground, situated almost midway between Templeton and Yaldhurst, and there is another public reserve in the township. The Anglican church, which is served from Prebbleton, possesses a handsome building, capable of seating 140 worshippers. There is also a Methodist church. Templeton also has a public school, public library, roller flour mills, two bakeries, two stores, and a blacksmith's shop. The Christchurch Meat Company's extensive freezing works are situated in the old riverbed, adjoining Templeton. There is a post and telepraph office at the railway station, and, in addition to the railway service, there is a daily coach which plies between Templeton and Christchurch.

The Templeton Public School is situated in the centre of the township, within spacious grounds, on which stand also the public library, and the schoolmaster's residence. It is built of wood, and contains two lofty and well lighted rooms. There is a headmaster and an assistant mistress, and the number of scholars on the roll is ninety-five, page 719 with an average attendance of eighty-four. The members of the school committee are: Messrs Kissell (chairman), Benjamin, Maddison, Mangin, Witty, Davison, and Lucock (secretary).

Mr. David Sinclair, Headmaster of the Templeton school, was appointed to his present position in July, 1898. He is a native of Victoria, and came to New Zealand at an early age. Mr. Sinclair has been successively master at Livingstone (Otago), Otaio (South Canterbury), the public school at Burnham, and at West Melton.

Templeton Hotel (R. T. Day, proprietor), Templeton. This commodious hotel stands immediately opposite the Templeton railway station. The building is of two stories and the bedrooms are lofty and well furnished. A first-class table is kept, and every attention is paid to visitors. The tariff is exceedingly moderate, and there is ample stable accommodation. Situated on the main south road, nine miles west from Christchurch, in the centre of an agricultural village, the Templeton Hotel is a favourite place of call for travellers and visitors. The road from Christchurch is good, and a pleasant drive, or bicycle ride, through Riccarton, Sockburn, and Hornby, brings the visitor to Templton, whence the return journey may be made, either via Prebbleton and Halswell, or through Yaldhurst and Fendalton. Mr. Day is ably assisted in his duties by Mrs Day, who studies the comfort of her guests.

Mr. Robert T. Day, who took over the Templeton Hotel in May, 1902, was born in Okain's Bay, where his father was an old colonist. Mr. Day is well known throughout the province as a rider and owner of trotting horses. He owned “Gazelle,” “Hassan,” “Lady May,” “Millionaire,” “Tarawera,” and “Impulse.” Mr. Day rode “Impulse” to victory in the Trial Handicap, at Plumpton Park, in 1902. He also rode “Wenlock” when he won the Spring Handicap, at the New Zealand Metropolitan Meeting, in 1900. For the season 1901–2 he headed the list of winning riders in Canterbury, and he also won the largest amount of prize money.

Standish and Preece, photo.
M. R. T. Day.

Kissell, George Philip, General Storekeeper, Templeton. Mr. Kissell has taken an active interest in the welfare of Templeton, and ever since his arrival in the district has served on the school committee, of which he is now (1903) chairman. He has also been chairman of the library committee for several years. Mr. Kissell married a daughter of the late Mr. A. Sutherland, of Upper Riccarton, and has a family of three sons.

Bailey, William, Farmer, Templeton. Mr. Bailey, who has resided at Templeton for about forty years, is a son of Mr. Samuel Bailey, who is elsewhere referred to as an old colonist. He was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1854, and, at an early age, came out to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “Brothers' Pride,' landing at Lyttelton in 1863. He was brought up to farming on his father's estate, at Templeton, and has since farmed in the same district with much success. Mr. Bailey now owns and resides at the Spring Top Farm. This valuable property, which comprises about 1150 acres was originally part of Mr. Samuel Bealey's estate. It is all agricultural land, and, although of a somewhat light nature, yields an average of thirty bushels of wheat and forty of oats to the acre. Since 1893 Mr. Bailey has been a member of the Templeton Road Board, of which he was chairman for two years, and he has been a member of the Domain Board since 1895. For five years he served on the Templeton school committee, and he is a director of the Midland Saleyards Company, and of the Broadfields Shearing Shed Company, and a member of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Bailey joined the Canterbury Mounted Rifles as a trooper in 1895, served some years as quarter-master sergeant, and is now lieutenant quarter-master in the 1st Battalion, North Canterbury Rifles. For about five years he acted in the capacity of county valuer for the Commercial Union Insurance Company. Mr. Bailey married a daughter of the late Mr. Gilbert Mayo, sometime master of the Templeton school, and has a family of four sons and three daughters.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. W. Bailey.

Mangin, George Allen, Plumpton Park Farm, Templeton. Mr. Mangin took up this property in July, 1901. The farm, which comprises 200 acres, was the original Plumpton Park racecourse, and the present stables were formerly part of the grandstand. All the land has been put under crop, and yields an average return of about twenty-five bushels of oats to the acre. Mr. G. A. Mangin, the proprietor, is a son of the late Mr. George Mangin, an old colonist of Templeton. He was born at Prebbleton in 1868, but gained most of his farming knowledge at Greendale, where he first started on his own account. In 1894 he removed to Yaldhurst, and took up land there with his brother, working under the style of Mangin Bros. Mr. Mangin is a member of the Templeton Road Board and the Yaldhurst school committee. As an Orangeman he is connected with the St. Albans' Lodge, Christchurch.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. G. A. Mangin.

Maginness, Charles, Farmer, Templeton. Mr. Maginness is the eldest son of Mr. John Maginness. He was born at Templeton, in 1868, and was brought up on his father's farm. Of late years he has taken page 720 over the management of the property, and has very successfully carried on mixed farming. The yield of wheat averages from thirty-five to forty bushes per acre, and oats, about forty-five bushels. Mr. Maginness, senior, is referred to in another article.

Mr. Samuel Bailey, of Barton Farm, Templeton, was born in 1829, in Gloucestershire, England, and, accompanied by his wife and six children, came to New Zealand by the ship “Brothers' Pride.” Shortly after his arrival he removed to Templeton and started a blacksmith's shop, where he did a lucrative business for some years. He bought land in the district, and carried on farming in conjunction with his trade. After some years he relinquished the blacksmithing business, and devoted his increased attention to farming. Mr. Bailey imported three steam threshing machines, with which he carried on a flourishing business, and afterwards added a combine, the first made by J. Anderson and Co., of the Canterbury Foundry. After years of hard work and great prosperity, he now lives a life of ease on his handsome homestead at Templeton, where he still, for the sake of health and pastime, interests himself in his farm. Mr. Bailey was a member of the Templeton school committee for thirty years, for twenty-five of which he was continuously chairman. He was also a member of the Templeton Road Board for twenty-eight years, and for fourteen years its chairman, and only retired through failing health. Mr. Bailey was one of the directors of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association from its inception, and also of the New Zealand Farmers' Fire and Marine Association, and has held various other offices as a churchwarden and synodsman. Mr. and Mrs Bailey celebrated their golden wedding on the 5th of November, 1901, and have, living, a family of eight sons and one daughter, forty-one grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. S. Bailey.

Mr. and Mrs Bailey and Family: Golden Wedding Group.

Mr. Stephen Barter, one of the early settlers at Templeton, was born at Salisbury, England, in 1827. He arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Rochampton,” in 1858, and resided there, and at Christchurch, for a few months. Mr Barter then bought and settled on 101 acres of Government land at Templeton. It was tussock land, then in its native state, and he broke it up and fenced it, and planted all the trees on his property. Mr. Barter farmed the land successfully for many years, but it is now let to a tenant. He, however, still occupies the homestead, where he resides with Mrs Barter, whom he married before leaving the Old Country. For several years Mr. Barter was a member of the Templeton Road Board, and he also served on the Templeton school committee.

Mr. S. Barter.

Mrs S. Barter.

Mr. John Maginness, of Templeton, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1833. He arrived at Port Chalmers by the ship “Matoaka,” on the 4th of July, 1863, and a week later came on the Christchurch, where he remained for two years. He then removed to Templeton, where he took up fifty acres of Government land, and afterwards increased his holding to 150 acres. Mr. Maginness served three years on the Templeton Road Board, and was a member of the Broadfield school committee for about ten years. He was married in New Zealand to a lady whom he knew in the Old Country, and who arrived in 1864, by the ship “Indian Empire.” There is a family of five sons and three daughters.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Maginness.