Foster, Philip, Builder and Contractor, Stafford Street, Timaru. Mr. Foster was born in Deal, Kent, England, in 1856, and accompanied his parents to Lyttelton, when he was three years of age. He was educated in Timaru. His father, who was one of the Deal boatmen, came out to work the surfboats at Timaru, and died in 1900, at the age of seventy-six. His widow still survives. Mr. P. Foster was apprenticed to the building trade, and found employment as a journeyman in Timaru till 1882, when he went to Australia and worked in connection with buildings in Melbourne till 1894, when he returned to his native town, and established his present business. The premises in Stafford Street consist of a substantial brick workshop, standing on a quarter of an acre of freehold land. Mr. Foster has erected a good many buildings in the district, and had the contract for re-instating the High School's woodwork, which was destroyed by fire. He served for three years as a volunteer in the old battery of Artillery, and as a Freemason he is connected with Lodge Caledonian, N.Z.C. Mr. Foster was married, in January, 1882, to a daughter of the late Mr. H. Thornton, builder and contractor, Timaru, and has one son and three daughters.

Hall, Emil, Builder and Contractor, Timaru. Mr. Hall was born on the 1st of October, 1838, at Copenhagen, Denmark, and was brought up as a bricklayer and plasterer. He came out to Victoria in 1853, and was page 997 attracted by the gold rush. To begin with he had good fortune; subsequently he conducted a publichouse at Deep Creek for two years. In 1867 Mr. Hall went to Hokitika, and remained on the West Coast till 1878. For a number of years he was proprietor of the Golden Hope Hotel at Ross, and had experience in gold sluicing, and as a building and mining contractor. On removing to South Canterbury, he decided to abandon goldmining, and confine his attention to general building and contracting. He has erected a good many buildings in the Timaru district, including part of the convent, the Marist Brothers' school, and many private and public buildings in town and country. Mr. Hall has always taken an interest in sports, and for many years acted as a director of the local Caledonian Society, of which he is a life member. He was married, in 1863, to a daughter of Mr. Timothy McHardy, of County Cork, Ireland, and has had three sons and six daughters, three daughters having died.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. and Mrs E. Hall.

Parks, John Hayes, Building Contractor, King Street, Timaru. Mr. Parks was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1841, and educated at the village of Benson. On leaving school he was apprenticed to the building trade, and, at the age of thirty-three, arrived in New Zealand. He was engaged as a carpenter at Christchurch until 1875, when he removed to Timaru. In 1901 he was elected to represent the South-west Ward in the Timaru Borough Council, having previously served a brief term as a member for the South-east Ward. Mr. Parks has always taken a considerable interest in matters connected with schools and churches. He was for some time a member of the South School committee, and is now (1903) a deacon in the Presbyterian church.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. J. H. Parks.

Palliser, Frank, Builder and Contractor, Corner of North and Wilson Streets, Timaru; Yards, Bank Street. Mr. Palliser was born at Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorkshire, England, in 1854. He learned his trade as a builder there, came out to New Zealand by the ship “Northumberland,” settled at Timaru, and at once founded his business as a builder. Among the many public and private buildings he has erected may be mentioned the Salvation Army Barracks, the Empire Hotel, Mrs O'Driscoll's residence, and Ellerton Grange, the residence of Mr. William Grant. He also erected the public school, post office, and Royal Hotel at Temuka, and the Winchester, Fairlie, and Pleasant Point Hotels. Before coming to New Zealand, Mr. Palliser was a volunteer life-boatman at Saltburn for fifteen years. He takes a great interest in sporting, fishing, and shooting, and has been for many years a member of the South Canterbury Fishing Club. When only fifteen years of age, he was successful in winning a gold watch and chain, in an angling competition. Mr. Palliser was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Warwick, of Dewsbury, and has seven sons and five daughters.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. and Mrs F. Palliser.

Pringle, Thomas, Builder and Contractor, Stafford Street, Timaru. This business was established in 1890, and since that time some of the most important buildings in and around Timaru have been erected by Mr. Pringle, such as the Empire Hotel, and shops adjoining; Mr. William Grant's residence, the residence of the late Mr. Thomas Driscott, and many others. Mr. Pringle, who was born in Newstead, Roxburghshire, Scotland, in 1847, was brought up to the building trade under his father. When twenty-four years of age, he went to America and remained in the States six years; he arrived in New Zealand in 1878, making Timaru his home. He is a member of the local Oddfellows lodge, is married, and has five children.

Mr. T. Pringle's Premises.

Tooth, Benjamin Rowland, Builder and Contractor, Charles Street, Timaru. Mr. Tooth was born in February, 1854, in Warwick, England, and arrived in Timaru by the ship “Peeress” in 1874. For some years he worked as a carpenter and joiner, and in the early eighties spent about three years at his trade in Auckland. He returned to Timaru in 1885, and three years later founded his present business there. Among other large contracts, Mr. Tooth has erected a splendid building for the Farmers' Co-operative Association, and made the additions to the Timaru Hospital in 1902. He has also erected many residences in town and country. page 998 Mr. Tooth was a member of the Garrison Band, and took part in the competition at Christchurch in 1882, when his band was successful in winning prizes. He is still devoted to his instrument, the solo tenor horn. Since 1872 he has been a member of the Order of Foresters, and is still a member of his Mother Lodge in England, being affiliated to the local court at Timaru. Mr. Tooth was married, in 1877, to Miss South, of Northamptonshire, England, and has two sons and one daughter.

Wallace, Frederick Lawrence, Builder and Contractor, Maori Hill, Timaru. Mr. Wallace was born in Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, in 1854, and came to Lyttelton with his parents when he was six years of age. He was apprenticed in Timaru, and has found constant employment in connection with his trade since 1867. Before establishing business on his own account in 1892 he was employed chiefly as a joiner. His yard and workshop are situated at the back of his residence at Maori Hill, where he owns an acre of freehold land. Mr. Wallace has erected a large number of residences and cottages around the district within a radius of forty miles. In the early seventies he served for about three years in the first Artillery Corps. Mr. Wallace was married, in 1873, to a daughter of the late Mr. Duncan Cameron, of Timaru, who was drowned while engaged in life boat rescue work. Mrs Wallace died in December, 1880, leaving two daughters. In 1883 Mr. Wallace was married to a daughter of the late Mr. John Cooper, of Muskham, Nottinghamshire, England, and has five sons and five daughters by this union.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. and Mrs F. L. Wallace.

Werry And Hunt (William Werry And William Henry Hunt), Builders and Contractors, Timaru. This business was established a good many years ago by Mr. Werry, who was joined by Mr. Hunt in 1895. The firm has done a great deal of work for the borough council in kerbing and channelling, and has erected many important buildings in town and country. Among these may be named the Farmers' Co-operative Building (brick and plaster work), the Pareora Buildings, the Arcade, Mr. William McKeown's buildings, and Messrs Thomson's Coronation Buildings. The firm has also completed contracts for extensive water-races in the North Island.

Mr. William Werry, Founder of this firm, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1845, and learned his trade under his father, who was also a builder. In 1876 he came out to Nelson, by the ship “Caroline.” Shortly afterwards he removed to Timaru, and afterworking at his trade, commenced contracting with two partners under the style of Cooper, Werry, and Richards. He was interested in the erection of bridges in the Levels district, and was joined by his present partner in 1895. Mr. Werry was married, in 1870, to a daughter of the late Mr. William Harris, of Truro, Cornwall, and has two sons and two daughters.

Mr. and Mrs W. Werry and Family.

Mr. William Henry Hunt, Junior Partner in the firm of Werry and Hunt, builders and contractors, was born in 1854, in Devonshire, England. He was apprenticed as a bricklayer, and worked at his trade until coming to Lyttelton in the ship “St. Lawrence,” in 1874. He went to Timaru on his arrival, and has been a settler in the district ever since. His firm has erected a considerable number of prominent buildings in the district, and has carried out large contracts for water-races in the Wairarapa, North Island. Mr. Hunt was married, in 1874, to a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Beswarick, of Cornwall, and has five sons and three daughters surviving.

Grandi, John James, Coach Builder and Wheelwright, Stafford, Turnbull, and Cliff Streets, Timaru. These large premises, which cover an area of a quarter of an acre, were erected by Mr. John Barrett in 1876, and with the business came into the possession of Mr. Grandi in 1890. The main building fronting Stafford Street is a two-storied brick structure with iron roof, and comprises show rooms and painters' shop, with the workshops at the back. Mr. Grandi has in use the latest and best machinery necessary for the trade, and imports all his material from England and America. He now (1902) also carries on farm implement making, and heavy work, in addition to coach building. In connection with this branch of his business, Mr. Grandi has secured the extensive premises and plant lately in use by Messrs Reid and Gray. He has a complete plant of the necessary machinery, and one of West's patent tyre-setters, for which he holds the sole right for South Canterbury. Mr. Grandi is elsewhere referred to as a former Mayor of Timaru.