Kyle, in the county of Ashburton, is fifty-three miles from Christchurch, with which it is connected by a daily postal service. The nearest telegraph office is at Chertsey, twelve miles distant. There are good roads in the district, which is devoted to agriculture and sheepfarming.

Watson, John, Farmer, “Willow Grove,” Kyle. Mr. Watson was born near Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, and came to New Zealand by the ship “Huntress,” in 1863, accompanied by Mrs Watson. After their arrival he and Mrs Watson were employed as a married couple by Mr. Weir, of Lincoln Road, for eighteen months, and Mr. Watson was also for a similar period manager for Mr. John Walker, of Lincoln. He afterwards took up a small farm in the Southbridge district, where he remained for eight years. Mr. Watson then let his farm and took up at Leeston the well known property now owned by Mr. Hay. He prosperously carried on farming there for eleven years, when he bought a farm at Brookside, where he remained until he removed to his present farm at Kyle in 1887. He had bought the place five years previously; it consists of 842 acres, and he annually fattens about 800 sheep. Mr. Watson has been a member of the Kyle school committee for some years, and also of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He has a family of two sons and three daughters.