Mr. Thomas Charles Webb, the Agent for the Agricultural Department, Tinui, Las a very large district under his charge, a district extending from the Whareama River northward to the top of Puketoi Ranges on the Hawkes Bay boundary, and from the east coast to a line drawn from Taueru to Alfredtown. This area embraces some exceedingly rough country, roads being few and bad and bridges hardly dreamt of. The swollen condition of the rivers and streams during the rainy seasons often renders travelling highly dangerous. Floods and fires, however, seem to have no effect in checking the increase of rabbits, and it is necessary therefore for the agents of the Agricultural Department to persistently cover the areas under their charge at all seasons, and at all hazards. From conversations with runholders and others best able to give a reliable opinion, the writer is able to record the interesting fact that the rabbit pest in Mr. Webb's districts has, during the two years of his control, steadily abated. There are now thousands of sheep living on pasture lands which hitherto were incapable of supporting half the number. Mr. Webb was born in Monmouthshire, England, in 1861. He is the son of the late Mr. Thomas Webb, of Oamaru, and nephew of Mr. M. R. Millar, the well-known auctioneer of Napier. Educated at Oamaru and Dunedin, Mr. Webb became a cadet in the service of Mr. J. Gemmall, of Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, with whom he remained some nine years, continuing as manager of the estate after its sale to Messrs. Mein Bros. He afterwards managed an estate known as Prior Park in the Hawkes Bay district for the Bank of New Zealand for about two years. After a term in the employ of the Assets Company as buyer, Mr. Webb was appointed to his present position in 1894. Though his principal duties are connected with the extermination of the rabbits, he is expected to advice farmers and runholders in all matters appertaining to their lines of life, and for this part of his work his long experience particularly fits him. Mr. Webb is a member of the Tinui School Committee, a Past Chief Ranger in the Order of Foresters, and an energetic member of the Tinui Amateur Dramatic Club. In 1881 Mr. Webb was married to Miss Sargent, daughter of Mr. Henry Sargent, of Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and his family consists of two girls and a boy.

The Waitiwhiti Estate is situate some fourteen miles north of Tinui, and adjoins the run of Messrs. Williams and Beetham, known as Annedale. Its area is 6560 acres, mostly good pastoral land, though some portions are still covered with bush, scrub, and toitoi, and there is a large swamp known as Tent Flat, at present useless for stock-carrying, but which, when drained, will provide about a thousand acres of rich agricultural land, than which no better could be found. Notwithstanding that so much of the estate remains in its natural condition, it carries 3500 page 989 sheep, a great increase in its stock-carrying power being recently effected by the prosecution of most rigorous means of exterminating the rabbits. On this estate alone the clearance of the rabbits has enabled the owners to more than double the number of their sheep. The breeds in favour on the Waitiwhiti estate are a cross between the Romney Marsh and Merino and the Romney Marsh and Lincoln. The Waitiwhiti estate is the property of Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co., of Wellington. The former owner, Mr. James Stewart, met his death by the accidental discharge of a gun carried by a servant in his employ. The estate is managed by Mr. George Galbraith, who has, during his term of management, effected many ind considerable improvements.

Mr. George Galbraith, the Manager of the Waitiwhiti Estate, was barn in the agricultural county of Berwick-shire, Scotland, on the 3rd of March, 1857. Educated in his native land, he came to New Zealand in 1874, per ship “Canterbury,” landing at Lyttelton. After a year in the employ of Mr. Macfarlane, of Coldstream, near Rangiora, Mr. Galbraith removed to Kaikoura, where he was for sixteen years with Messrs. Bullen Bros., occupying the position of under-shepherd for two years, that of head-shepherd for seven years, and that of manager of a smaller estate belonging to his employers for the remaining seven years, Leaving the South Island in 1891, Mr. Galbraith went into farming on his own account near Feilding in the Rangitikei district; but some two years later was induced to accept his present position. In 1885 Mr. Galbraith was married to Miss McFadzen, daughter of Mr. McFadzen, the manager for Messrs. Budden Bros., of Green Hills, Kaikoura. Mrs. Galbraith died in July, 1894, leaving two sons and one daughter.