Hanmer Springs Post And Telegraph Office, Hanmer. The postal department of this office was established in 1889, at the residence of Mr. Rogers, caretaker of the Springs, and four years later telegraph communication was established between the Springs and Christchurch. In 1901 the present neat and compact building was erected. It is centrally situated, and built on part of an acre section with a well grown plantation surrounding it. The building contains a public office, an office for the postmistress, and a telephone bureau, as well as three comfortable rooms for the use of the resident postmistress. From the 1st of October to the 30th of April, which is a busy season, mails arrive and depart daily, and in the winter months there is a tri-weekly service.

Miss Josephine M. Brown, Postmistress in charge of Hanmer Springs Post Office, was born at Turakina, Rangitikei, and is a daughter of Mr. John Brown, postmaster at Paeroa. She was educated principally at Paeroa, where she entered the postal service in 1896, and was a cadet under her father until she was appointed to her present position in 1901. Miss Brown has sole charge of the Hanmer Springs post office, and carries out her duties most efficiently.

See page 598.
Miss J. M. Brown.

The Presbyterian Church, Hanmer Springs, was built in 1892, and rebuilt in the following year in consequence of being overthrown by a hurricane. From 1874 onward, monthly services were held in the settlement by the minister stationed at Waiau, but in 1899, during the tourist season, more frequent services were provided, and now regular services are conducted by a resident minister; and a Sunday school is held in the church. The manse at Hanmer was completed in January 1902, and stands on a portion of the section of three acres of land, not very far from the church.

The Rev. William R. Campbell, B.A., Presbyterian Minister in charge of Hanmer and Waiau, was born in India, in 1840, and was educated at Edinburgh, where he graduated at the University. After serving in the Free Church of Scotland, and the Presbyterian Church of England, he came out to New Zealand in 1873, and took charge of the Presbyterian Church at Timaru. In 1874 he resigned that charge, and was appointed to Amuri and Cheviot. Since that time Mr. Campbell has resided within the district, most of the time at Waiau, and removed to Hanmer in March, 1902.

The Public School at Hanmer Springs was first established in 1896. The building, which is of wood and iron, was ereoted in 1901, and contains accommodation for thirty. There are twenty-eight names on the roll, and the average attendance is twenty-two.

Miss Irene M. Hare, Teacher in charge of Hanmer school, was born in Invercargill. She was educated at the Christchurch Girls' High School, and served her pupil-teachership at the East Christchurch School. After being three years in charge of the Hurunui school, she was appointed to her present position in June, 1902.

Amuri Grange (Mrs E. Lahmert, proprietress), Hanmer. This accommodation house was first established by Mrs Lahmert with her late husband, in Jack's Pass, in 1885, and carried on for the convenience of travellers and drovers between Christchurch, Blenheim, and Nelson. It was taken down in 1899, and rebuilt on a site close to the Hot Springs. Many improvements and additions have been made, and it now contains twenty-eight bedrooms, a smoke room, two dining rooms, and two sitting rooms. The house, which is well conducted by the proprietress, has every convenience and comfort for visitors.

Mrs Elizabeth Lahmert, Proprietress of Amuri Grange, is the widow of the late Mr. Augustus Lahmert. She was born in 1850, in the parish of St. Veep, Cornwall, England, where she received her education, and engaged in nursing. Mrs Lahmert came to Lyttelton with her brother in 1876, by the ship “Edwin Fox.” She engaged in nursing in Christchurch until her marriage in 1884. In 1885 she went with her late husband to Jack's Pass. Mrs Lahmert was for fourteen years at the Pass, before removing to her present abode. She is much respected, and is the oldest lady settler on Hanmer Plains. Mr. Lahmert died in November, 1895, leaving one son and one daughter.

Jollie's Pass Hotel (R. W. Hood, proprietor), Hanmer. This hotel is situated in Jollie's Pass, about two miles from Hanmer Springs, and was established about the year 1862, by the old Provincial Council, for the benefit of travellers between Christchurch and Nelson. For the first few years it was carried on by the Government, and was afterwards leased successively by Count Delapasture, Mr. G. T. Russell and Mr. G. Fry. In 1882 it was taken over by Mr. Idle, who carried it on until 1895, when the present proprietor entered into possession. The building has fifty-five rooms, including a billiard room, sitting room, etc., and has a cosy appearance, being situated among trees at the foot of the pass and mountains. It is much patronised during the season by visitors to the Hot Springs. The hotel is the station for the Culverden-Hanmer coaches, and ample stabling is provided.

Hanmer Lodge (R. W. Hood, proprietor), Hanmer. This Lodge is situated close to the Hot Springs, and is well furnished, and fitted up with every convenience and comfort for visitors. It was built by the present proprietor in 1895, and contains sixty rooms, including four sitting rooms, a page 598 drawing room, smoking room, writing room, and office. The building has an attractive appearance, and stands in a section of eleven acres, with a plantation of trees surrounding the back and side, while the front is nicely laid out in lawns and gardens. There are good stables, and paddocks in connection with the Lodge.

Mr. Robert W. Hood, Proprietor of Jollie's Pass Hotel, and Hanmer Lodge, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1853. At the age of three years he was brought to New Zealand by his parents, who settled in Auckland, until going to Adelaide in 1859. After four years in Australia they removed to Tasmania, where Mr. Hood received his education, and engaged in gold digging and farmwork. Mr. Hood was for four years at Ballarat, where he was very successful. In 1875 he came to Dunedin, and worked as a carrier between that city and Queens-town for two years, and subsequently started hotelkeeping at Pigroot. He has since had hotels at Timaru and Gerardine. In 1895 Mr. Hood took over Jollie's Past Hotel, and three years later bad the Hanmer Lodge built. He also has a farm of 1000 acres, which carries a flock of crossbreds. Mr. Hood has been prominent in racing circles, particularly in trotting races at Timaru and Geraldine, where he owned a number of valuable horses. At Geraldine he had charge of the construction of the cycling track, which was yerv successfully finished under has supervision. Mr. Hood was married, in 1897, to a daughter of Mr. George Currie, of Naseby, Otago, and has two sons and four daughters.

Mr. R. W. Hood.

St. Helen's Estate, Hanmer. This is the property of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company. It comprises about 18,000 acres of freehold and about 200,000 acres of leasehold, and is situated in the Amuri district, bounding the Hanmer river, with Leslie Hills on its southern boundary. The station was formerly the property of Mr. W. A. Low, and was taken over by the Loan and Mercantile Company in 1897. Mr. Low worked the property for twenty years, and had acquired the back part from the late Mr. Thomas Carter, of Marlborough, and the front portion from Count Delapasture. The homestead is on the Hanmer Plains about one mile from the Hanmer Springs; it is surrounded with a plantation of trees, while substantial and commodious outbuildings and stockyards are at a convenient distance. About 120 miles of fencing have been erected, and 1200 acres have been cultivated and sown in English grass. The stock consists of 42,000 Merino and 2500 half-bred sheep, about 150 head of cattle, and seventy horses.

St. James's Station (J. McArthur, proprietor), Hanmer. This station, which comprises 199,000 acres of leasehold and about 4000 acres of freehold, adjoins St. Helen's. It was previously owned by Messrs Jones and Pavitt, and was taken over by Mr McArthur in 1873. It is nearly all pastoral, with only about 2000 acres of good agricultural hand, of which 600 acres have been sown in grass. The property has been well improved by the erection of two homesteads, about sixty miles of fencing, bridges, sheep-yards, and dip, and a woolshed, capable of accommodating sixteen shearers. The station is worked in conjunction with St. Helen's, and runs a flock of 26,000 Merino, and 2000 half-bred sheep, as well as 600 head of cattle, and about 160 horses.

Mr. John McArthur, Proprietor of St. James's, and Manager of St. Helen's station, is referred to elsewhere as a member of the Amuri County Council.

Coates, Samuel, Farmer, “Renton,” No. 3 Drain Road, Rangiora. Mr. Coates was born in December, 1856, at Durham, England, where he was brought up as a coalminer. He followed this occupation till 1877, when he came to Lyttelton by the ship “Waitangi.” For the first six years of his colonial life he was employed in the Amberley and Cust districts, and bought his farm, now 276 acres in extent, in 1883. As a volunteer, Mr. Coates served two years in the Rangiora Rifles, and is at present (1903) an honorary member of the band of that corps, in which he has served altogether fourteen years. He was married, in 1887, to a daughter of Mr. W. Keele, of Rangiora, and has four daughters and two sons.

Mr. and Mrs S. Coates.