Berry, Walter, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. Berry was born on the 16th of October, 1856, in Clifton House, Sheply, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. When he was three years of age his parents went to Cranston, Derbyshire, where they remained for nine years, and then removed to Sutton Hills, on the Sutton-Scarsdale estate. He was page 733 educated at the Sutton Academy and at Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and when he was fifteen years and nine months old he joined the Fifth Dragoon Guards. Subsequently he bought his discharge and joined the Queen's Royal Lancers, but again purchased his discharge and settled down to farming. This he afterwards left to enter a butchering business, which he carried on successfully for eight years. Then he took to breaking in and training horses, and he remained in this business till he left for New Zealand in the s s. “Aorangi,” on the 28th of April, 1893. He landed on the 16th of June, and after a good deal of travelling he took up his present farm at Halkett in November, the same year. Mr. Berry was married, in 1880, to Miss Fisher, youngest daughter of Mr. Jonathan Fisher, of South Cove, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and has family of two.

Davis, Arthur Ephraim, Lyppiatt Farm, Halkett. Mr. Davis settled at Halkett in the early sixties, and was one of the pioneers of the district. He was born at Stroud, in Gloucestershire, England, came to New Zealand by the ship “William Miles,” and landed at Lyttelton in 1860. He bought a small property at Riccarton, and resided there for two years, after which he went to Eyreton. Eighteen months later he removed to Halkett, and took up eighty acres of Government land, with a purchasing clauses. This holding he has since increased to 373 acres of freehold, and recently bought an additional 479 acres of the Aylesbury estate. The crops give good extensively carried on, Mr. Davis helped to promote the establishment of the public school at Courtenay, and served on the committee for three years, and he was also a member of the Courtenay Road Board. He was a member of the Halkett school committee for about twenty years, and was chairman part of the time. He has served as churchwarden in connection with the local Anglican church. Mr. Davis is the oldest member of the Courtenay Agricultural and Pastoral Association, of which he is now an honorary member, and he attended its first meeting. He is the agent at Halkett for the Commercial Union Assurance Company. Mr. Davis was married in the Old Country to Miss Amelia Kite, of Stroud, and they had nine daughters and seven sons, of whom six sons and seven daughters survive; and there are thirty grandchildren.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. and Mrs A. E. Davis.

McKay, George, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. McKay is a son of Mr. Alexander McKay, formerly of Halkett, but now (1903) of Spreydon. He was born in the colony, in 1862, and was brought up to farming under his father. Subsequently he took charge of his father's property at Halkett, where he has since resided. Mr. McKett, where he has since resided. Mr. McKay now owns the adjoining farm, a property of 150 acres, which average returns. As a rule he carries on mixed farming. He has served as a member of the Halkett school committee. Mr. McKay married a daughter of Mr. John Thompson, of Halkett, and has a family of four sons and three daughters.

Roper, Robert Spencer, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. Roper is the youngest son of the late Mr. Roper is the youngest son of the late Mr. Robert Roper, and was born at Halkett in 1880. Since his father's death he has had the management of Pine Grove Farm, where he carries on mixed farming. The property has all been under cultivation, and has produced some of the best average yields in the district.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. R. S. Roper.

Turner, William Frederick, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. Turner is the only son of the late Mr. William Turner, of Halkett, and was born in Christchurch in 1869. He page 734 was brought up at Halkett, and trained to agriculture on his father's farm. Mr. Turner owns a farm of 295 acres, all good agricultural land, which he has successfully cultivated. For several years he has been a member of the Halkett school committee, and has been a churchwarden, and is now a vestryman in connection with the English church. Mr. Turner is a member of the Courtenay Court of Foresters, and has held the office of Chief Ranger. He is also a trooper in the Wairied a daughter of Mr. John Watson, an old settler of Halkett, and has two sons and two daughters.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. and Mrs W. F. Turner and Family.

Watson, John, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. Watson was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1837, and was brought up to a farming life. In 1867 he arrived at Lyttelton, by the ship “Blue Jacket.” In the same year he went to Halkett, where, two years later, he bought land. Mr. Watson now owns a farm of 160 acres, and carries on mixed farming. He has served as a vestryman in the Anglican church, and has been a member of the local school committee. Mr. Watson was married in the Old Country, and has a family of six sons and two daughters.

Whyte, William, Farmer, Halkett. Mr. Whyte was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1840. He came to New Zealand, with his father, in the ship “Sebastopol,” and arrived at Lyttelton in 1863. Mr. Whyte worked in various parts of the country, and was for some time on Mr. William Boag's farm at Fendalton. In 1868 he removed to Halkett, where he took up fifty acres of land, and afterwards increased his holding to 180 acres The land has been successfully cultivated, and sheep and cattle are kept with success. Mr. Whyte was a member of the Halkett school committee for some years, and he has been connected with the local Presbyterian church. He married Miss Mary Ann Pigram, of Surrey, England, and has a surviving family of six sons and two daughters.

Whyte, Peter, Fairview Farm, Halkett, Mr. Whyte was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1842, and came to New Zealand with his parents by the ship “Sebastopol,” which landed at Lyttelton in 1863. For a year the family were settled at Yaldhurst, when they removed to Halkett, where Mr. Peter Whyte has since resided. Fariview Farm is 200 acres in extent, but Mr. Whyte owns another farm of 225 acres near Aylesbury, and works the two in conjunction. The oat crops average from thirty to thirty-five bushels per acre, and wheat about forty bushels. Turnips and rape are also grown extensively for fattening sheep. Mr. Whyte is married, and has a family of four sons and four daughters. Mrs Whyte is a daughter of the late John Butler, of Dunsandel.