Dillon, Patrick, Farmer, Domett. Mr. Dillon was born in County Clare, Ireland, educated at public schools, and brought up to agricultural pursuits. He came out to the Colony in the ship “Wiltshire.” Mr. Dillon's farm is 456 acres in extent, and was purchased in 1894. The property has been sub-divided into seven paddocks, and a good house, wool-shed, and other outbuildings page 550 have been erected. Mr. Dillon carries on grain-growing and sheep-breeding, finding the Merino and Lincoln cross the most suitable. He was married in 1895 to Miss Garvin, and has one son.

Mr. P. Dillon.

Denton, Albert Edward, Farmer, “Milburn,” Hurunui Flat, Domett. Mr. Denton, who was born at East Eyreton in 1869, has always followed outdoor pursuits. He settled at Cheviot in 1895, and there acquired 657 acres under a lease in perpetuity. His property has a carrying capacity of 1000 sheep. Mr. Denton has been chairman of the Domett school committee since 1901; he is a member of the Cheviot Settlers' Association, and of the Cheviot branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. He was married on the 26th of November, 1896, to a daughter of Mr. Lot Giles, of Eyreton, and has two sons

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Mr. A. E. Denton's Residence.

Gell, P. T., Farmer, “The Willows,” Domett. Mr. Gell was born in 1860 in the Isle of Man, where he was educated, and followed farming pursuits in his early years. He came to the Colony in 1881. Mr. Gell's property, 360 acres in extent, originally formed part of the Cheviot estate, and was purchased by him in 1894. The land is all under cultivation. Mr. Gell grows excellent crops of grain, turnips, and rape, and grazes a good flock of Lincoln-Leicester sheep, and raises fat lambs for the export trade. He was a member of the Cheviot County Council, but resigned on paying a visit to the Old Country in 1899.

Mr. P. T. Gell.

Geeson, William, Farmer, “Llandevery,” Hurunui Flat, Domett. Mr. Geeson was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1839. Before coming to the colony he worked a grazing farm. He arrived in Auckland in 1863, by the ship “Owen Glendower,” and was afterwards for some time at Hogburn on the Otago goldfields. In 1864 he settled in Canterbury, and worked as a blacksmith in Christchurch till 1871. For three years subsequently he was employed in mining at the Thames. On returning to Canterbury he resumed his former work at Christchurch, and afterwards at Hurunui, Waiau, and Culverden. He disposed of his business to become a settler in the Cheviot district, and claims to be the first settler to have put up a cottage on the block. Mr Geeson holds 292 acres under a lease in perpetuity, and also leases a reserve of thirteen acres. He has served as a member of the Hurunui school committee and also of the Domett school committee. Mr. Geeson was married, in 1880, to a daughter of Mr David Davies, of Llandevery, Carmarthenshire, Wales, and has one son and one daughter surviving.

Gurr, Alfred John, Farmer, “Teeneeninglee,” Domett. Mr. Gun was born near Adelaide, South Australia, in 1873, and educated there. He studied law at the Adelaide University, but owing to a breakdown in his health, he was obliged to abandon his profession, and came to New Zealand in 1897. Mr. Gurr studied at Lincoln Agricultural College, where he took his diploma in agriculture. He then decided to settle in the Cheviot district, and purchased the goodwill of 450 acres under a lease in perpetuity. His land already carries about 750 sheep, and he expects soon to increase the number to 1000. Mr. Gurr has served as a member of the Domett school committee.

Hannah, William, Farmer, Thistle Bank Farm, Domett. Mr. Hannah was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1854. He was brought up as a coalminer, and began to work as a trapper in the pit when he was only ten years of age. At the end of 1875, he left for New Zealand by the ship “Jessie Osborne.” After being a short time in Ashburton, he went to Sheffield in the Malvern district, and worked for a short time in Mr. Gibson's coalmine till 1882. In 1882 he went to the Woodstock “rush” on the West Coast, and in 1886 removed to Denniston, where he was again employed as a coalminer. On the opening of the Cheviot settlement he acquired 120 acres under a lease in perpetuity, and he has already got seventy acres into a state of cultivation. Mr. Hannah is a member of the Domett school committee. He was married, in 1874, to a daughter of the late Mr. E. Foster, of Hamilton, Scotland, and has six sons and two daughters.

Hole, Richard William, Farmer, Hurunui Flat, Domett. Mr. Hole was born in Christchurch in 1864, and educated at page 551 Spreydon, where he was brought up to agricultural and pastoral work by his father, Mr W. Hole. In 1894 he took up a grazing run of 1400 acres, which carries about 1200 sheep. About 300 acres of the property have already been ploughed, and sown down in English grasses. Mr. Hole is a member of the Cheviot branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union.

Martin, Benjamin, Farmer, “Tuni,” Domett. Mr. Martin was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1861. He came to Lyttelton at the age of seventeen by the ship “Lady Jocelyn,” and was for some years in the Waipara and Waikari districts. In 1894 be settled in Cheviot, having acquired 310 acres there under a leasehold in perpetuity, which he has reclaimed from the tussocks. Mr. Martin served in the Cheviot Mounted Rifles, and is now a member of the Amuri Mounted Rifles. He was married, in 1895, to a daughter of the late Mr. Edward Burne, of Medbury, and has three daughters.

Parkinson, Arthur, Farmer, “Waipuna,” Domett. Mr. Parkinson was born at “Kailuna,” Banks' Peninsula, on the 7th of September, 1869, and was brought up to country life. He commenced farming on his own account in 1881. After a short time he returned to Kaituna station, where he remained for three years. He then went to the North Island, and found employment on a station in the Wairarapa district for a few months, and was also engaged in butchering. Mr. Parkinson was a stockman at Hokitika for three years, and afterwards worked a gracing lease for ten years at Gebbie's Valley. In 1901 Mr. Parkinson bought the good-will of “Waipuna,” which consists of 420 acres under a lease in perpetuity, and on this estate he runs about 900 sheep. He was at one time chairman of the Big Bay school committee. Mr. Parkinson was married, in March, 1883, to a daughter of the late Mr. S. Manson, of Teddington, and has five sons and two daughters.

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Mr. and Mrs A. Parkinson and Son.

Puschel, C. N. C. H., Farmer, “Twist Fort Farm,” Domett. Mr. Puschel was born in 1853 in Denmark, where he was educated. He came to New Zealand in the ship “J. P. Bouverie” in 1864, and entered into partnership with Mr. Neilson in wool-scouring and tanning at Fernside and Avonside. Mr. Puschel's farm contains 324 acres and was acquired in 1894, he being the first to settle on the Hurunui Flat. He has made substantial improvements, the whole property being under cultivation except forty acres of surface-sown pasture. The farm carries 400 sheep besides cattle and horses, and one-third of the kind is in crop. Mr. Puschel was married in 1887 to Miss Cliff, who died leaving one son and one daughter. In 1896 he married his deceased wife's sister, and by this union has one son.

Mr. C. N. C. H. Puschel.

Puschel, John, Farmer, Domett. Mr. Puschel is a native of Silesia, Germany, and was taken when an infant by his parents to Denmark, where he was educated. After spending his early years in working for his father, he emigrated to New Zealand, arriving in the ship “J.P. Bouverie” in 1864. He entered into business in Christchurch as a tanner and wool-scourer in conjunction with his brother and Mr. Neilson. In 1894, he purchased 485 acres on the Cheviot estate upon which he has effected substantial improvements, including a good house and out-building, orchard, garden, plantation, and seven miles of fencing. Mr. Puschel has raised very good crops, having threshed 100 bushels of oats and fifty bushels of wheat to the acre. The greater part of the farm has been brought into cultivation, or laid down in permanent grasses; the hills, surface-sown, carry a large flock of crossbred sheep. Mr. Puschel is well known in musical circles as a popular tenor soloist.

Mr. J. Puschel.

Zuppicich, John S., Farmer, “Eltham,' Domett. Mr. Zuppicich was born in 1866 at Woodend, where he was educated and brought up to farming. In 1890 he removed to the North Island, and was there engaged in farming for three years. His present farm, which was originally part of the Cheviot estate, contains 490 acres and was purchased in 1894. It has a good dwelling house and substantial out-buildings, with garden, orchard and plantations, and four miles of fencing. Among other improvements, over 250 acres have been ploughed and cropped with good results. The sheep are half-bred Leicesters crossed with Shropshire rams. Mr. Zuppicich was married in 1890 to Miss Doyle, and has one son and one daughter.

Mr. J. S. Zuppicich's Residence.