Alford Forest, in the county of Ashburton, lies eighty-six miles westward from Christchurch, from which there is railway communication as far as Springburn, within five miles of Alford Forest, between which and Springburn there plies a daily mail coach. The sawmilling industry flourishes in the neighbourhood, which has a population of about 300 persons. The district has coal, lime and hematite formations, and there is probably an active industrial future in store for it. There is a local post office, with a postal note branch, but the nearest telegraph office is at Methven, distant eight miles.

Alford Forest Sawmills (Henry Havelock Sharplin and Hugh Boyd, proprietors), Alford Forest. Established in 1890. Messrs Sharplin and Boyd have about 1600 acres of forest in connection with their mills. They employ about fifty-six men when the season is on, but only fifteen when times are slack. About twenty-three horses are employed and fifty-four bullocks. There is a full sawmilling plant, with an engine of twenty-three page 848 horse power. The firm has cut up 20,000 sleepers and thousands of feet of planking for the Government.

Mr. Henry Havelock Sharplin, the Senior Partner, was born in Sunderland, England, and came out to New Zealand with his parents in 1858. His parents settled in Kaiapoi, and at Rangiora. Mr. Sharplin was brought up to the timber trade, and was at Oxford for some years. He has been all his life in the milling business, and in 1890 went into partnership with Mr. Boyd. The firm has been most successful with its mill, and has enough timber to keep it going for another twenty years. Mr. Sharplin is also interested in lime works at Alford Forest. He is a member of the Ashburton Lodge of Freemasons, and has been an Oddfellow since he was eighteen. He has always taken a great interest in athletics. Mr. Sharplin married Miss Gundry, daughter of the late Mr. Edward Gundry, a very old settler of Oxford, and has nine sons and two daughters.

Mr. H. H. Sharplin.

Grieve, C., Farmer, Alford Forest. Mr. Grieve was born in Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1845, and followed pastoral pursuits during his earlier years. He came out to New Zealand in 1867, in the ship “Mermaid,” and entered the service of the late Sir Cracroft Wilson, with whom he remained for a number of years. In 1879 he took up his first land at Alford Forest, and he now has 1300 acres of freehold and leasehold land. The leasehold is chiefly surface-sown, and carries a flock of the crossbred sheep so much in favour in the district. All the improvements on the place have been made by Mr. Grieve. They consist of a good dwellinghouse, and the necessary outbuildings, and substantial fences. Mr. Grieve was married, in 1867, to Miss Sinton, and they have seven sons.

McFarlane, Andrew, Farmer, “Glenara,” Alford Forest. Mr. McFarlane was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, in 1837, and was apprenticed to the blacksmithing trade. He came out to New Zealand in 1860 in the ship “Matoaka,” and worked for about two years with the late Mr. John Anderson, Christchurch, previous to commencing on his own account at Ashburton, where he was the first blacksmith in the county. In those days horses were sent from the Rangitata to be shod at Ashburton. Mr. McFarlane subsequently relinquished blacksmithing, and turned his attention to farming. He has now about 4500 acres of land, chiefly devoted to grazing and fattening sheep. He prefers half and three-quarterbred Leicesters for the purposes of the export trade. Mr. McFarlane served for a quarter of a century on the Mount Somers Road Board, and was for two terms on the Ashburton County Council. He is a member of the Mount Hutt Road Board and licensing committee, and chairman of the Alford Forest school, committee. Mr. McFarlane was married, in 1860, to Miss Higgie, and has four sons and three daughters.

McKenzie, Donald, Sheepfarmer, “Laggan,” Alford Forest. Mr. McKenzie was born in Scotland, on the estate of Glengarry, where his father farmed for seventy years. He followed pastoral pursuits in his early years, and served with Mr. Charles McCrosty, of Killean, for eighteen years, when the country was converted into a deer forest, and shepherds were not required. Mr. McKenzie came to New Zealand in 1877. He settled first at “Clent Hills,” and subsequently with Mr. Peach, at Mount Somers, and Mr. Heron, at Alford Forest. At Alford Forest he took up land, which he gradually increased to 7000 acres The farm is devoted chiefly to grazing and fattening sheep, and good crops of turnips and rape are annually raised. Mr. McKenzie was married, in 1873, to Miss McRae, and has three sons and four daughters.

Mitchell, photo.
Mr. and Mrs D. McKenzie.