Brown, Robert and Co. (Robert Brown), Drapers, Clothiers, Mercers and General Merchants, the Polytechnic, Thames Street, Oamaru, Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand, Private residence, Avon Street, This large business was originally founded in the early days by Messrs Hood and Shennan. In 1891 the present proprietor, in conjunction with Mr. Edward Gibbard, acquired the business and carried it on under the style of Brown and Gibbard. The premises comprise three leasehold shops, and the business is divided into departments for millinery, haberdashery, ribbons and laces, gloves and hosiery, Manchester, dress, clothing, and men's mercery, Regular shipments are received from the best markets of the old world, and the firm employs a London buyer. Sixteen hands are employed in connection with the business, and the trade extends through North Otago and South Canterbury, The trade conducted for about ten years by Mr. William Grant, has been acquired by the firm and incorporated in its business.

Mressrs J. H. Milligan and Co,'s Premises.

Mr. Robert Brown , the Proprietor, was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1847, and edúcated at Hamilton grammar school. He served an apprenticeship to the soft-goods trade, and came to Port Chalmers in 1868; by the ship “William Davie.” For twenty-five years, Mr. Brown was well known in Dunedin, and during most of that time he was in business on his own account in George Street. He was married in 1872 to a daughter of Mr. Macfarlane, of Glasgow, and has had seven sons and three daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have died.

Hood, Norman Mcleod , Tailor and Clothier, Thames Street, Oamaru, This business was founded by the present proprietor in 1901. A first-class cutter is employed, so that customers may rely upon thoroughly expert workmanship; and a general stock of tweeds, clothing, and mercery is maintained. Mr. Hood was born in 1866. in Oamaru, where he attended school, and served an apprenticeship with his father's firm. Messrs Hood and Shennan. He subsequently gained experience in other houses, and was with Messrs J. H. Milligan and Co. for six years and a half before leaving to start on his own account in 1901.

Mr. N. M. Hood.

Milligan, J. H., and Co. (James Houston Milligan), Merchant Tailors and Gentlemen's Mercers, Waterloo House, Thames Street, Oamaru. Telephone 96. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Exe Street. Mr. Milligan founde this largo business in December, 1868. His commodious premisos are in the best part of the chief retail thoroughfare of Oamaru, and are Mr. Milligan's freehold property, The building is of two stories, of Oamaru limestone, and has a large and handsome verandah, page 536 which extends the full width of the footpath. The ground floor is occupied as a shop and for the offices of the firm, and there are two convenient and well-lighted cutting and fitting-rooms at the back. There are large plate-glass shop windows, and the work-rooms are on the first floor. Between thirty and forty persons are employed by the firm, whose business is entirely an order trade so far as the tailoring department is concerned, and many customers in all parts of the colony send their orders by post. In the cutting department, Mr. Milligan is ably assisted by his son, Mr. R. Milligan, who was trained in the London Tailors' Cutting Academy and School of Art, and received a first-class diploma of merit with honours Locally, the trade extends from the Waitaki to Waikouaiti, and inland as far as Naseby and St. Bathans. The firm is a large importer of tweeds, cloths, tailors' trimmings, and mercery, in which it maintains a well-selected and thoroughly up-to-date stock, and as it has special facilities for buying, it is able to meet customers in regard to both price and quality. The firm of J. H. Milligan and Co. is justly considered to occupy a place in the front rank of the softgoods houses of Oamaru.

Mr. Tom Roskilley , Cutter to Messrs J. Bullied and Company, Oamaru, was born on the 24th of February, 1873, at St. Just, Cornwall, England; he removed to Penzance in 1875 and there learned his trade as a tailor, with Messrs J. Tancock and Sons. Thence he went to Camborne, where he was with the firm of Messrs Hugh Allen and Co., in whose employment he remained two years and a half. He came to Christchurch, via Wellington, by the s.s. “Rimutaka,” in October, 1895, and was employed for three years and a half by the Cash Tailoring Company. Then he entered the service of Messrs J. Ballantyne and Co., with whom he continued for eighteen months. In 1900 Mr. Roskilley returned to England, to learn the art of cutting at the London Tailor and Cutter Academy (J. Williamson and Co.), where he secured a First Class Diploma for proficiency in the art. He returned to New Zealand in September, 1901. and rejoined Messrs Ballantyne and Co. in Christchurch. Soon after Mr. Roskilley accepted a position as cutter in the Timaru branch of that firm, and was cutter there for six months. In September, 1903, he removed to Oamaru as cutter to Messrs Bullied and Co. Mr. Roskilley was married, in March, 1900, to the third daughter of Mr. George Goodman, of Sydenham, Christchurch, and has one son.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. T. Roskilley.

Snaddon, George , Tailor, Itchen Street, Oamaru. Bankers, National Bank. Private residence, Awamoa. Mr. Snaddon was born at Kirkcaldie, Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1849, and was educated and apprenticed to his trade in his native land. He landed at Port Chalmers, by the ship “Taranaki,” in 1879, and on coming to Oamaru he found work with Mr. Gemmell, with whom he remained until he established his present business in 1896. He is an honorary member of the Endeavour Lodge, United Ancient Order of Druids, and has for a long time been a director of the Oamaru Caledonian Society. Mr. Snaddon was married, in 1873, [gap — reason: illegible] a daughter of Mr. J. Wyllie, of Kirkcaldie, and has two sons and two daughters.

Mr. G. Snaddon.