Tyree, Alfred, and Co. (Alfred Tyree), Boot, Leather, Grindery, and Machinery Merchants, Importers. Indentors, and Manufacturers. Head office, Lichfield-Street, Christchurch. Telephone 358; P.O. Box 96. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Cable address. “Tyree, Christchurch.” Codes: A1 and A.B.C. London office, 41 Bow Lane, E.C. Auckland branch, Queen Street. Private residence, “St. Lawrence,” Papanui Road. The large and important business of this firm was originally established in 1873, by the late Mr. Gavin Gibson, who was the proprietor until his death in June, 1888, Mr. Tyree having been manager of the concern for some years previously. From that time till 1896, the business was carried on under the style of Gavin Gibson and Co., the members of the firm being Messrs. F. Gibson, A. C. Bunting, W. W. Cabena, and A. Tyree, the latter of whom was the managing partner. In the month of June in that year, the style was again changed to Alfred Tyree and Co., the gentleman whose name appears in the title having acquired the sole proprietorship of the business. The premises occupied by the firm in Christchurch consist of a fine three-storey brick building with basement, having a total floor space of fully 12,000 square feet. The floor of the basement is of solid concrete, and is used for the storage of Colonial, American, and English page 321 sole leathers, which take up the greater portion of the space, the remaining part being devoted to grindery. On the ground floor at the Lichfield Street entrance are the private and public offices, which are of a particularly handsome description. The public office is a fine apartment, with an accountant, several clerks, and three typewriters fully engaged. Mr. Tyree's private room is connected by one of the most modern telephones with the various departments of the establishment, as well as with the Christchurch Telephone Exchange. A large strong-room has recently been constructed on this floor for the safe custody of the books and documents of the firm. Adjoining the public office is a convenient indent sample-room, and behind the offices and sample-room is the leather department, where a very large stock of English, American, and Continental leathers is maintained, embracing French calf, East India kip, coach leathers, moroccos, chamois, chrome leather, saddle and harness leathers, American buffs, Levant, calf, and glacé kids. There is also a large stock of shoemakers' tools of all descriptions, and of silk threads, dressings, etc. Ascending by a splendid staircase to the first floor, the visitor is at once struck with the Immense stock of imported boots and shoes in all varieties, including mining boots, goloshes, plimsolls, tennis shoes, English, Continental, and American goods in almost every conceivable style and quality. At one end of this floor are two sample-rooms, one of which is specially set apart for-indent purposes, Samples of the goods of no less than 120 of the principal manufacturers of the world being appropriately grouped for the convenience of customers. The other room is known as the stock sample-room, the goods displayed representing manufactured and imported goods. The indent office adjoins these sample-rooms. The top floor building is devoted entirely to the stock of colonial made boots and shoes, and is also used for packing purposes. At the time of the writer's visit, the counters, which extended the whole length of two sides of the building, were covered with piles of boots and shoes which had been gathered together for the purpose of executing orders, and would in the course of a few hours, be packed up and despatched to various parts of the Colony. Every floor of this fine warehouse is connected by means of a large lift, which occupies an erection added to the main premises, from which it is separated by Iron fire-proof