Lill, William Thomas, Farmer, Willowby. Mr. Lill was born and educated in Lincolnshire, England, where he was farming for a number of years before he came to New Zealand. He arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Mermaid” in 1867, and shortly afterwards was engaged by Mr. Samuel Bailey, of Templeton, to take charge of his threshing machine. He was afterwards with Mr. Tosswill, of Templeton, for four years, and was on the Government railways for two years. He left his position, and took up 750 acres of land at Newlands, where he carried on general farming until 1890, when he sold out and bought his present farm of 187 acres at Willowby; later on he acquired a farm of 800 acres at Lyndhurst. Mr. Lill has taken an active interest in local affairs. He was for many years a member of the Newlands school committee, and at the time of his resignation was chairman of that body. He was a member of the Wakanui Road Board for four years, and was elected a member of the Longbeach Road Board in 1898, and a member of the Willowby school committee in 1890. Mr. Lill was married at Ashburton, in 1876, and has five sons and six daughters. He resides on his farm on the Longbeach Road, Willowby.

Mitchell, photo.
Mr. W. T. Lill.

Stoddart, Edward Thomas, Willow Farm, Willowby. Mr. Stoddart is a son of an old colonist, Mr. William Stoddart, of Lincoln, and was born in Christchurch in 1865, and brought up to farming on his father's farm. For a time he tried his fortune on the goldfields of Otago, and worked for the Island Block Goldmining Company. After five years' experience in mining, Mr. Stoddart took up his farm at Willowby; it is good land, and comprises 150 acres. He owns another farm of 150 acres in the same district, and all his property has been cultivated. His wheat crops occasionally average forty-five bushels per acre, and oats eighty bushels. Mr. Stoddart deals extensively in buying and fattening sheep for the markets. He is a Freemason and a member of the Thistle Lodge, Ashburton. In 1895 he married a daughter of Mr. Horsey, and old colonist, of Willowby, and has a family of four.

Williams, John, Farmer, Willowby. Mr. Williams was born in Wales in 1846, and has been connected with farming from early life. In 1869 he arrived in New Zealand by the ship “Mermaid.” After his arrival he was for four years contracting for Mr. Rhodes at Tai Tapu. He afterwards removed to Ashburton, where he worked at laying the foundation of the Canterbury mill and cutting the mill race. He then went into the employment of Mr. Rhodes on his estates in the country, and afterwards bought 140 acres of land at Willowby; at the same time he started a butchery business, which he conducted for ten years. He then bought an additional 100 acres adjoining his farm; and as his family grew, and his area was not large enough to give employment to all its members, he bought 160 acres at Eiffelton, which he works conjointly with his home farm. In 1879 Mr. Williams married a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Chapman, of Willowby, and has five sons and three daughters.

Mitchell, photo.
Mr. J. Williams.