Albury is situated on the Timaru-Fairlie branch line of railway, and is twenty-nine miles from Timaru. It is surrounded by fine mountain scenery, and is on the way to Mount Cook. There are about 100 people in the township, which has a telegraph office, a daily mail service, railway station, a church, a public school, a hotel, and a blacksmith's shop. Albury is also the name of a riding in the Mackenzie county. The entire population of the riding, which includes Burke's and Mackenzie's Passes, is 523. Since the continuation of the railway to Fairlie the township of Albury has gone back somewhat. The local railway station is 751 feet above sea level.

Albury Railway Station And Post Office was established in 1876, when the line was opened. The building contains a ladies' waiting room, a vestibule, and the stationmaster's office. Mails are received and despatched daily. On five days of the week there are two trains, and four on Monday. Albury was the terminus of the line for five years, after its opening. The goods sent away include grain, wool, fat lambs and coal.

Mr. Charles Pilkington, Stationmaster and Postmaster, at Albury, was born in Lancashire, England, in 1871. In 1874 he arrived at Port Chalmers with his parents, and was educated in Dunedin, where he entered the railway service in 1887. He was transferred to Albury in 1900. Mr. Pilkington was married, in 1898, to a daughter of Mr. John Cable, of Port Chalmers, and has one son and one daughter.

The Albury Public School, which is centrally situated in the district, was established in 1881. It has accommodation for thirty-six children; the number on the roll is forty-two, and the average attendance, thirty-five. A residence for the local teacher stands on the property, which consists of five acres, and the buildings are well sheltered by a fine plantation of trees.

Albury Hotel (F. West, proprietor), Albury Established 1867. This hotel is situated close to the Albury railway station, and contains twenty-one rooms, of which thirteen are well furnished bedrooms. The dining-room is large and well ventilated, and has seats for thirty persons. There are two sitting rooms and a commercial room, and the billiard room is fitted up with one of Alcock's tables. The stables are large and have numerous loose boxes, and there are well watered and secure paddocks for travelling stock. The “Albury” is patronised by settlers, contractors, commercial travellers and passengers by the trains.

Mr. F. West was born in Richmond, Victoria, but educated in Canterbury. He entered the “Lyttelton Times” office when young, served there for over twenty years, and took over the Albury Hotel in 1898.

Stewart, Donald, Storekeeper and Butcher, Albury. Mr. Stewart is a son of the late Mr. John Campbell Stewart, of Pleasant Point, and was born in Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1864. He came with his parents to New Zealand in the steamship “Kaikoura,” in 1884. They landed at Port Chalmers, and Mr. Donald Stewart went to the Pareora estate, where he worked for three years. He then went to Albury and engaged in farming with his brother. A few years later he started, in conjunction with his brother, a general store and butchery at Albury, and they do a large country trade which is still increasing. Mr. Stewart was secretary and treasurer of the Albury Racing Club while the club was in page 947 existence, and is now secretary and treasurer of the Albury Collie Dog Club. Being very energetic and popular, Mr. Stewart is generally entrusted with the secretaryship or management of social events in the Albury district.

Mr. D. Stewart.

Albury Coalpit (J. M. Willetts, proprietor). This coalpit is about six miles from Albury, and was formerly the property of Mr. J. S. Rutherford. It was discovered in the sixties, but has only been steadily worked since 1895. The seam of solid coal is flat, and about twenty feet thick. It is used principally for household purposes, and is taken from the mouth of the pit by traction engine, and delivered as far as Pukaki, Orari, and Temuka. The demand for the coal is increasing, and in 1902 orders were received for 1100 tons.

Mr. John Morris Willetts, Proprietor of the Albury Coalpit, was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1863, and came to Lyttelton the same year with his parents. After being in Christchurch for a time his father went prospecting for coal, opened the Prince Alfred mine at Papakaio, and carried it on for thirty years. Mr. J. M. Willetts received his education at Papakaio, and worked with his father until 1893, when he took over the management of the Albury Coalpit, which he leased five years later. Mr. Willetts was married, in 1890, to a daughter of Mr. John Henderson, of Awamoko, Oamaru, and has five sons and one daughter.