Three miles further up the Hunterville Branch Line, at a distance of thirty-four miles east of Wanganui, the flag station named Rata is passed. Situated in the Paraekaretu Riding of the Rangitikei County, and in the Rangitikei Electorate, the station is 637 feet above sea-level. The village has a population of 195. Mails are received and made up daily, with an extra mail four days each week, at the local post-office, which is also a telephone bureau; and there is a public school in connection with the Wanganui Education Board.

Rata Post-Office, which is also a Telephone Bureau, is situated at the store of Mr. J. B. Pybus. Daily mail communication with all parts is maintained.

Rata Public School, a two-roomed building which will seat seventy children, is replete with the most modern conveniences. The building was completed in 1889; the number of scholars on the roll is seventy-one, with an average attendance of forty-two. The master has the services of an assistant mistress.

Mr. Percy Kine, who has charge of Rata School, came to New Zealand from his birth-place—Lincolnshire—in 1866. After three years as a pupil teacher at Brookside, he studied at the Normal School, Christchurch, and afterwards at Canterbury College. In 1886 he became master of Fernside School, and was afterwards at Westerfield, near Ashburton, before removing to Rata in 1894.

Star of Rata Lodge, I.O.G.T., meets every Wednesday at 7:30 o'clock. The officers for 1896 were:—Chief Templar, Mr. J. W. Salisbury; secretary, Mrs. D. Gill.

Cuff, Joshua, Barrister and Solicitor, Te Hou Hou, Rata. Born in London, Mr. Cuff came to New Zealand in 1853, and was admitted to the bar in 1868, having served his articles with Mr. Slater, of Christchurch. He has practised his profession in various parts of the Colony, and has likewise been engaged in sheepfarming.

Pybus, John B., General Storekeeper, Rata. Born in London in 1853, Mr. Pybus is the eldest son of Mr. John Pybus, of Ladbrooke Grove, London. After a thorough education at King's College, London, he entered the office of a broker on the Stock Exchange, with whom he remained over five years. Hearing so much of New Zealand, he resolved to seek his fortune in this paradise of the Southern Hemisphere, and landed in Wellington in 1877. Finding nothing of a paradise in the Empire City, he removed to the country, and was engaged in various occupations in the Manawatu until going into business at Halcombe as a general storekeeper. Here he remained for over sixteen years; then, selling out at Halcombe, he bought Mr. A. Bell's store at Rata, where he has been engaged ever since, conducting a most successful business. In 1881 Mr. Pybus married a daughter of Mr. J. Nicholls, of Richmond, England, and has one son. During his four years' residence in Rata, he has made himself very popular, all regarding the genial storekeeper as a straightforward and kindly man. For ten years he has been a Mason, and also takes a keen interest in football and cricket.

Rhodes, Clive H. E., Farmer, Rata. Mr. Rhodes was born in 1860 at Clive Grange, Clive, Hawkes Bay, and educated at Napier Grammar School and Christ's College, Christchurch Upon leaving school, he gratified his desire for a farming life by placing himself as cadet at Spring Hill, Ruataniwha. Here was laid the foundation of that knowledge of farm work which has enabled Mr. Rhodes to produce from a state of chaos quite a model farm. As soon as he left Spring Hill he took up land on the Rangatira Block, and was the first settler on that block of land. Since taking up the 508 acres in 1883, the whole has been cleared and fenced, and twenty five acres are already under the plough. He is also proprietor of a small farm on the Te Ngei road line to Hunterville. There is a fine large dwelling upon the property, and splendid woolshed and other out buildings. Mr. Rhodes grows wool principally, the farm carrying nearly four sheep to the acre. The subject of this sketch is the fourth son of Mr. J. Rhodes, a brother of the late Mr. William Barnard Rhodes, well-known as one of Wellington's oldest identities, and was married in 1890 to a daughter of Mr. W. H. Holmes, of Wellington, late headmaster of the Te Aro Public School.

Mr. C. H. E. Rhodes.

Utiku Potaka, Farmer, Rata. A Maori chief, Mr. Utiku was born at Otamakapua, Rangitikei, in 1836, and is of the Hauiti-Ngatiraukawa tribe. During his boyhood, which he spent at Waikato and Rotorua, he came but very little in contact with Europeans, and therefore he clings to the old Maori forms and ceremonies. The farms owned by him he leases, subjecting his tenants to certain improvements. He started a sawmill at Utiku (formerly called Kaikora), which he has also leased. When a young man, Mr. Utiku was several times fighting in the tribal wars, the last one of which was during the forties, at which time he met Sir Donald McLean. He also fought against the Hau Haus, and was with Colonel Whitmore's party. In 1870 he married a daughter of Ihakara, by whom he had one daughter, but was unfortunate in losing his wife two years later. In 1874 he married a sister of Mr. Broughton, of Hawkes Bay, and at the time of writing (1896) has a family of ten — six of whom are boys. Mr. Utiku sees the great advantage of intercourse with Europeans, and is giving all his children a good education at the best schools. He has built a large ten-roomed house at Rata. and furnished his best rooms regardless of expense. The property at Rata, which is all cleared with the exception of a small clump reserved for firewood, timber, etc., is fenced and subdivided. Mr. Utiku also claims land in the Waikato, Kaikoia, on both side of the Hautapu, and the left side of the Rangitkei River.

Mr. and Mrs. Utiku Potaka.