Willowby, which is on the railway line six miles from Ashburton, is one of the best agricultural districts in Ashburton county. Field pipes have been largely used for draining the land, which is suitable for growing cereals and for grazing. The wheat crops average about forty bushels to the acre, and oats have been known to yield eighty bushels. There is a post office at Willowby, a Wesleyan church, and a public school with forty-two names on the roll. The nearest telegraph office is three miles distant, at Winslow.

Willowby Dairy Factory (Henry Osborne, proprietor), Willowby. This factory, which is situated in the centre of a rich agricultural district on Ford's Road, is complete in every particular. It was specially designed, and is built of brick with concrete floors. The receiving platform, which is about eleven feet from the ground, has a convenient hoist for lifting the heavy cans to the platform, where they are emptied into the weighing cistern, which is placed on one of Fairbank's patent scales. This cistern is connected with a large wooden tank, in which the milk is allowed to mature before being run through the Swedish pasteuriser, which is of the latest pattern, and has a capacity of 130 gallons per hour. The cream is then separated by an Alpha-Laval separator, with a similar capacity, and transferred from the separator to one of the latest page 850 box-pattern churns, which is capable of turning out 200lbs at a churning. From the churn it is placed on a revolving butter table, where it is salted and worked to free it from water, after which it is ready for packing. A three-horse power steam engine, which has a room to itself, is used for driving the machinery and pumping the water. The whole factory has an ample supply of water, and it is at once apparent that Mr. Osborne is carrying cut the work in a thorough manner.

Mr. Henry Osborne, Proprietor, was born on Banks' Peninsula, and was brought up on his father's farm at Tai Tapu. He visited England in 1885, and some months after his return he went to the North Island in search of a farm. Finding the climate unsuitable to his tastes he returned, and was engaged on contract farm work for some time. In 1897 he settled on the farm he now occuples, and which belongs to his father. He combines grain growing with dairy farming and for some years has been a large supplier of milk to the Flemington cheese factory. Mr. Osborne had attempted on several occasions to get an up-to-date butter factory started in the district, but without success. He decided, therefore, in 1901, to build one himself, and thus became the founder and owner of the first butter factory in the county of Ashburton.

Mitchell, photo.
Mr. H. Osborne.

Cass, Alfred, General, Blacksmith, corner of Boundary and Ford's Roads, Willowby. Mr. Cass is a son of Mr. Francis Cass, who arrived in New Zealand by the ship “Lancashire Witch.” He was born in West Melton, Canterbury, and educated at Wakanui, where he learned his trade. Mr. Cass went to Lauriston for a short time, and then to Ashburton, where he was employed by Messrs P. and D. Duncan, and gained considerable experience in connection with agricultural machinery. In 1894 Mr. Cass acquired his present business, which he has carried on successfully ever since. In his large workshop he has two forges, and the necessary machinery for his trade, including a powerful oil engine. The business includes shoeing, coach-building, wheelwright work, and agricultural implement making, and repairing.

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.