Mr. William Birdling, sometime of “Lansdowne,” Halswell, was a very old and prominent colonist, who arrived in New Zealand by the ship “London” in 1842. He was born in Frome, Somersetshire, England, in 1822, and brought up to farming. At the age of twenty he left home to seek fortune in the distant and then little-known colony of New Zealand, and when he landed at Wellington in 1842, that town consisted of only a few huts. By that time, however, the brothers Rhodes had established themselves in the infant colony, and the young colonist engaged with the late Mr. Bernard Rhodes to look after the cattle and other interests of his property on the Akaora Peninsula. There he settled in 1842, when he and the late Mr. George Rhodes were, apart from whalers and Maoris, the only inhabitants in the whole district. Wages were not high in those days, and during the first two years Mr. Birdling was paid at the rate of only twenty pounds a year. He remained for ten years with Messrs Rhodes, in looking after their cattle on the Peninsula. In 1852, when, by great self-denial and hard work he had got together a considerable sum of money, Mr. Birdling purchased the first portion of the fine estate now so well known as Birdling's Flat, near Little River. At first he bought only a small area, but the estate now consists of about 5,000 acres of the choicest and richest land in the district. On this property, as it was increased from time to time, work that was never given up, but was extremely hard and almost herculean, had to be done and was done by Mr Birdling and his family, in order to convert the wilderness of tussock, flax and swamp, into its present state of high cultivation and settled workableness. Mr. Birdling's first house belonged to the order of page 668 architecture known as wattle-and-daub, which seldom if ever provided for more than one storey, never many rooms, only a thatched roof, and walls made of rough upright posts, interlaced with branches, or saplings, or palings, and filled in and built up with clay mixed with chopped grass, and made cohesive and adhesive by being watered and worked to the necessary consistency. Primitive houses thus made were never classic in outline, but they were sometimes picturesque outside, and generally comfortable enough within. About the year 1877 Mr. Birdling retired from the active management of the Birdling's Flat estate in favour of his sons, and for fourteen years he farmed at Duvauchelle's Bay, and for five years subsequently at Shirley. In 1896 he bought “Lansdowne,” at Halswell, where, after a long and very active life, he enjoyed his well-earned ease. Mr. Birdling never took any active part in public affairs, although for a number of years he was a member of the Little River Road Board. When pressed by his many friends to contest the Parliamentary seat of Akaroa, he found that, owing to the many calls on his time, he would be unable to devote the necessary attention to such an important position. In the days of his activity Mr. Birdling was recognised as a thorough judge of cattle, and his own well-known breed of Shorthorns commanded the highest prices at the Addington sales. He also had a high reputation as a breeder of draught and carriage horses. Mr. Birdling was married, in 1842, to Miss Jane Laveridge, of New Plymouth, and when she died in 1900 she left a family of seven sons and one daughter. Miss Birdling married Mr. James Rule, of Spreydon. Mr. Birdling himself died at “Lansdowne” on the 22nd of May, 1902.

Mr. Charles Benjamin Candy, formerly of Halswell, has been well known in connection with the important industry of cheese making. For many years in succession he was the chief prizewinner for cheese at the Canterbury Metropolitan Show, at which, on some occasions, he gained all three prizes. In 1886 he won the first prize for cheese at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition held in London. Mr. Candy is the eldest son of the late Mr. Thomas Candy, farmer, of Somersetshire, England. He was born in 1825, educated at a well known college, in Bath, and afterwards trained to farm work under his father. In 1855 he took up land at Mumbles, near Swansea, in South Wales, and farmed there until 1860, when he sailed by the ship “John Lawson,” for New Zealand. On landing at Lyttelton he tramped his way over the Port Hills to Christchurch, and was engaged there for a few months at agricultural work near where Ward's Brewery now stands. Shortly afterwards he became manager of a large station in Central Otago, and held the position for four years and a half. At the end of that time he returned to Canterbury, where he had a farm near Lake Ellesmere, and carried on mixed farming for about four years. He then took up property at Halswell, and commenced dairy farming, which he carried on with great success until 1896. In that year he disposed of his property, and has since lived in retirement on the South Belt, Christchurch. Mr. Candy was married, in 1855, to Miss Saxby, of Exeter, and has six sons and one daughter.

Mr. C. B. Candy.

Mr. John Ferguson, J.P., Melrose, Halswell, was born at Liscansey, near Cookstown, in the county of Tyrone, Ireland, in 1830. He was brought up to farming, and had special experience with cattle. When about seventeen years of age he went to America where he remained five years, two years in New York, and three years in the state of Ohio, where he was engaged principally in carting produce to Dusky City at Lake Erie. Ill health compelled him to return home, where he settled down for five years. About 1858 his desire to travel again overcame him, and in that year he landed in Melbourne in Australia. On leaving town he shouldered his swag, walked to Bendigo, and tried his fortune at gold-seeking for twelve months, without success. He then for a time followed the less exciting pursuit of dairying at Castlemaine, but on the breaking-out of the Otago diggings, in 1861, he left Melbourne by the “Greyhound” for Dunedin. He tramped it to Queenstown, with an eighty-pound swag on his back, and for a short time did comparatively well at the Moa Creek diggings. At that time a reward was offered for the discovery of a practicable bridle track from the head of Lake Wanaka to the West Coast, and Mr. Ferguson determined to secure it. He and two companions set out with that end in view, but on reaching the top of the ranges at the head of Lake Wanaka a heavy fall of snow compelled them to return to the lower ground. Heavy storms continued, accompanied by high-flooded rivers, and for a long time the three adventurers were unable to quit their camp. Their provisions ran out, and for more than seven days they lived on woodhens caught by a faithful dog which accompanied them on their journey. After undegoing great privations the party returned to Queenstown, unsuccessful, though Mr. Ferguson had spent all his earnings from the Moa Creek diggings in providing for the journey. He again turned his attention to the gold diggings, and took up a piece of ground on the Shotover. There, however, ill fortune still pursued him, for during a disastrous flood, whereby many men lost their lives, Mr. Ferguson escaped with a blanket, having lost his clothes and all else possessed by him. After that, he started packing goods between Queenstown, Shotover, and Moa Creek, and carried on the business for eighteen months. He then left Queenstown with five pack horses, a considerable amount of money, and renewed confidence in his future, and travelled to Christchurch, where he sold four of his horses. From Christchurch he travelled to Greenstone by way of Taylor's Saddle and the Teremakau, and was soon engaged in packing between Greymouth and the Greenstone, via the Teremakau. On that journey he was accompanied by a former mate of his, Mr. W. C. Buchanan, who afterwards became a successful and influential man in the North Island, a member of Parliament and the owner of an extensive estate in the Wairarapa. When the possibilities of Hokitika as a remunerative goldfield began to be talked about, Messrs Fergrson and Buchanan and Captain Leech, so well known at Westport, and then captain of the old s.s. “Nelson,” walked from Greymouth to Hokitika, and at low water marked with poles the channel of the river. Captain Leech proceeded to Nelson where he filled his steamer with such articles as he considered necessary for the new diggings, and then returned and successfully navigated the river, his steamer being the first to enter the Hokitika. Messrs Ferguson and Buchanan determined to start storekeeping in the new field, and, obtaining the frame of a store from Nelson, they erected it on what is now known as Revell street, alongside the river. This business was most prosperous, and after two years, the friends dissolved partnership, Mr. Ferguson coming to Canterbury in 1866. He then started in the stock trade, buying cattle and forwarding them to the West Coast. Since his first connection with this business Mr. Ferguson has bought and sold hundreds of thousands of cattle. In 1878 he bought his beautiful property at Halswell. It was then a swamp in its native state, covered with flax, but is now known as one of the finest estates around Christchurch, and famed for the fertility of its soil. Mr. Ferguson afterwards transferred his stock business to his son, and now occupies his time in looking after his large flock of dairy cattle. He has been a most successful exhibitor of fat cattle at the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's shows since 1870, and has won numerous gold medals and silver cups. He has been a member of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association since 1874, and was president during one of the years of Lord Onslow's governorship. Mr. Ferguson is member of the finance committee of St. Paul's Church, Christchurch; he was one of the founders of the Addington saleyards, and was member of the directorate until compelled to resign through ill health. He has been a member of the Halswell Road Board, and of the school committee for eighteen years, during twelve of which he was chairman. He was one of the first to advocate the establishment of the Central Dairy Factory, and was on the board of directors till compelled to retire through ill health. Mr. Ferguson page 669 married Miss Harris, of Christchurch, but in 1898 he was left a widower with two sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Mr. John Eccles Ferguson, continues to carry on the large stock business of his father, with great success, and the second son, Lieutenant George Weir Ferguson, made a name for himself in the South African war, to which he went with the Fifth Contingent, and secured a commission before reaching the age of seventeen. After seeing active service for one year and four months, he returned to New Zealand, but only to take charge of a troop with which he returned to South Africa for further active service

Mr. Daniel Day, Somerset Cottage, Lincoln Road, Halswell, was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1823, and followed the trade of a bricklayer in his earlier days. He came to New Zealand by the ship “Glentanner,” in 1857, and found employment for two years and a half with Messrs Washbourne Bros, for whom he erected their first wooden homestead. Mr. Day began farming on his own account at Ladbrooks, where he bought about ten acres of land, on the site now occupied by Ladbrook station. He improved his holding, and after adding twenty acres to it, and keeping it for seven years, he sold it at a very large profit. He then bought a farm of about 203 acres in the Springston district, where his only neighbour then was the late Mr. Thomas Shand. The land was totally unimproved, but its natural fertility soon repaid the toil and expense of improvement. About 1870 Mr. Day retired, and leased his farm, which is now occupied by his son-in-law, Mr. Henry Kimber. Since his retirement Mr. Day has lived in Lincoln Read, and, notwithstanding his age, he has until lately been in the habit of taking his exercise on a bicycle. Mr. Day married previous to his departure from England, and has had one son and one daughter.

Mr. D. Day.