Holdaway, James, of Lowland Farm, Dillon's Point Road, near Blenheim. Mr. Holdaway was born in Hampshire, England, on the 9th of October, 1836. He came to New Zealand in February, 1842, and landed in Nelson, his father, who was in the service of the New Zealand Company, having landed in the previous year. Mr. Holdaway was educated at a private school in Nelson, and was afterwords employed for some time at various kinds of work in Nelson. Subsequently, for about three years, he worked on large stations in the Waihopai and other places, as a general farm hand, carpenter, etc., and during the succeeding nine or ten years he was employed for most of the time as shearer. In the year 1864, Mr. Holdaway went to the Wakamarina rush, in order to obtain sufficient capital to start a farm. He was very successful, and made £500 in about seven months. He then returned to the Wairau, where he took up his present farm. This property comprises about 214 acres, in two blocks, of rich, agricultural land, and is one of the finest farms in the district. It is devoted to the cultivation of crops—chiefly barley and peas, and to sheep grazing. Mr. Holdaway was one of the first contributors to the local Methodist church, and is a trustee, and an office-bearer. He married Miss Eyles, of Blenheim, and has eight sons and six daughters. For some time five of his sons were simultaneously members of the Blenheim Garrison Band.