Paraparaumu Public School, which is situated in Ruapehu Street, is a wooden building containing one large schoolroom, having an entrance and vestibule at each end. This convenient structure is erected on a section of four acres in extent. The first school was a small building which only held about fifteen children. The present schoolroom has accommodation for seventy-five scholars, and there is an average attendance of fifty-three. The headmaster is assisted by a pupil teacher.

Davies, Richard, Settler, Bloomsbury Farm, Paraparaumu. Mr. Davies is a native of North Wales, having been born in 1852. Educated at Timperley, near Manchester, he came to Wellington per ship “Halcione.” He was successively employed as carpenter, builder, and farmer, and was afterwards a partner in the Hawera Sash and Door Factory for several years. In 1890 Mr. Davies purchased 328 acres at Paraparaumu. The whole of this property has been felled and 600 sheep are depastured thereon. In local politics he is a member of the school committee. In February, 1876, Mr. Davies was married to a daughter of Mr. Wootton, of Nelson, and has had twelve children, of whom three sons and four daughters survive.

Howell, William, Sheepfarmer, Wharemanuku, Paraparaumu. The son of the late Mr. John Howell, the subject of this notice was born on board the ship “Lord William Bentinck” while passing through the Bay of Biscay on her way to the Colony in 1811. Mr. Howell was brought up to a country life, and become one of the first settlers in the Horokiwi Valley. When he came to Wharemanuku in 1878, the estate of about 2000 acres, which he acquired, was all swamp and scrub. Considerable improvements have been effected in the property, which now carries 2000 sheep. Mr. Howell was for some time a member of the local school committee, and generally takes a great interest in the district. In 1866 he was married to a daughter of the late Mr. John Gilbert, of Edinburgh, tailor, and has six sons and six daughters, his grandchildren numbering half a dozen.

O'Brien, Alfred, J.P., Sheepfarmer, “The White-lands,” Paraparumu. Born in 1853 in London, where he was educated, Mr. O'Brien was on the London Corn Exchange for twenty-four years, during eight of which he was in business on his own behalf. In 1891 he came to New Zealand via Australia, and purchased 420 acres of land partly improved, settling as above. Mr. O'Brien has laid down the whole in the test English grasses, the bush having been all felled. The residence, which is a credit to the district, is surrounded by well laid out lawns and flower borders, a fine orchard of 200 choice trees having been planted behind the house. The establishment supports 1000 sheep of the best Romney and Hampshire varieties, about fifty head of cattle, and some horses. Mr. O'Brien has some very fine Berkshire pigs, to the breeding of which he pays great attention. He has erected a substantial cowshed, woolshed, sheep-yards, and other conveniences, the whole property being in first rate-order. He takes considerable interest in local matters, being chairman of the school committee, and is a director of the United Farmers' Co-operative Association, and a member of the committee of the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Mr. O'Brien was married in 1888 to a daughter of Mr. T.F. Quin, of London and West Africa, merchant and shipowner, and has two sons and two daughters.

Travers, Henry Hammersley, Settler, Paraparaumu. The only son of Mr. W. T. L. Travers, solicitor, of Wellington, Mr. Travers was born in Hythe, Kent, in 1844. Coming to Nelson in 1850 with his parents in the ship “Kelso”, he was educated at Nelson College. After a good deal of experience in natural history, and some insight into the law, he chose a country life, eventually settling as above, his property comprising 150 acres, which is used for general agricultural and pastoral purposes. Mr. Travers made two trips to the Chatham Islands to collect botanical specimens, the first in 1864, at the request of Sir F. Von Mueller on behalf of the Victorian Government, Mr. Travers, sen., defraying expenses, and the second six years later on his own behalf when he supplemented his former researches, and paid considerable attention to ornithology, discovering a new genus, now extinct, and three new species. In New Zealand Mr. Travers has also spent a long time in similar studies.