Mr. John Hamilton , Chief Engineer and Manager of the Freezing Works, Mataura, is a native of Invercargill, and is the eldest son of the late Mr John Hamilton, of Avenal, page 1090 an old Southland pioneer. Mr Hamilton was educated at the Invercargill Grammar school, and was afterwards apprenticed to Messrs Joseph Johnson and Sons, of the Vulcan Foundry, where he learned the trade of a mechanical engineer, and remained eight and a-half years. Mr Hamilton joined the Southland Frozen Meat Company at its formation, when he was appointed third engineer at the Bluff works, second in 1891, and was promoted to his present position in 1893. He is a keen athlete andvice-president of the Mataura Cycling, Cricket, and Football Clubs. Mr Hamilton married Miss Catherine Tait, daughter of Mr Tait, of Fort William, Scotland.