Harrison, Henry James, Sheep-farmer, “Holly Forth,” Dorie. Mr. Harrison was born in County Wexford, Ireland, and was employed upon his father's farm until he left for New Zealand by the ship “Soukar” in 1875. For some time after his arrival he was engaged in harvesting, and later on in contracting on the Killinchy swamp. On removing to Rakaia he was joined by his brother, page 808 Mr. William Harrison, who had arrived a year after his elder brother in New Zealand, and the partners took up a farm of about 100 acres, on which they started cropping. As success followed their efforts, the brothers were able to buy adjoining lands, and add to their area. The Messrs Harrison bought a steam threshing machine, with which they did so much work on the surrounding farms, that they were soon able to purchase a traction engine. At the end of eight years the partnership between the brothers was dissolved. Mr. Harrison now has an estate of 4,500 acres, on which he conducts mixed farming. He has for over seven years been a member of the South Rakaia Road Board, and is also a member of the Dorie school committee. As a colonist in sympathy with the church, he presented the site for St. Patrick's Anglican church at Dorie. He has been a successful breeder of both carriage and buggy horses, Border Leicester sheep and Berkshire pigs, and has been a prizetaker at the Christchurch and Ashburton shows. Mr. Harrison is a member of the Canterbury and Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Associations and of the Canterbury Jockey Club. As a Freemason he is a member of the Lodge Rakaia 31, New Zealand constitution. He married Miss Richards, a sister to the Messrs Richards, of Dorie, and has three sons and five daughters. Mr. and Mrs Harrison visited the Old Country in 1897.

Mr. H. J. Harrison and Family.

Richards, Edward, Sheepfarmer, “Ardamine,” Dorie. Mr. Richards was born in Wexford, Ireland, where he was employed in a general store until he went to America in 1867. After farming successfully for seven years in the United States, he returned Home to revisit his parents. He remained in Ireland three years, and arrived at Lyttelton by the ship “Opawa” in 1876. For some time he was engaged in a general store at the Port, and afterwards drove the mail coach between Greytown and Masterton in the North Island. After returning to the South Island, he was employed for two years on a large station in Otago, the property of the late Hon. Robert Campbell. In 1880 Mr. Richards removed to Rakaia, and started cropping on a portion of his present farm. The season was good and the price of wheat high, with the result that Mr. Richards was able to buy the freehold of about 300 acres of land. Since then he has added 370 acres to the homestead block. He has also 1300 acres near the sea coast devoted to the grazing of sheep and the growing of grain. Mr. Richard's homestead is finely situated on rising ground, well planted with trees. The land is so good that it yields forty bushels of wheat and sixty of oats to the acre. Mr. Richards has been a member of the Ashburton County Council and the South Rakaia Road Board for a number of years. He is chairman of the Dorie school committee, and has been a vestryman of the Anglican church for over fifteen years, and a churchwarden for six years. He is also a member of both the Ashburton and Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Associations. As a Freemason he belongs to Lodge Rakaia 31, New Zealand Constitution. Mr. Richards married Miss Harrison, of Dorie, and has five sons and six daughters.

Mr. E. Richards.