Mr. Archibald Earshman, Proprietor of Hitchen Hill Estate, was born, in 1841, in Dumfries-shire, Scotland, where he was educated and brought up to shepherding. He came to Lyttelton, in 1863, in the ship “Epsom Downs,” and was engaged as head shepherd for thirteen years at St. Leonard's station, Culverden. In 1877 he leased the Educational Reserve of 4000 acres at Hurunui, and worked it as a sheep farm for fourteen years. He subsequently took up 3300 acres on deferred payments, and then bought 2400 acres. All his property is situated on the south side of the Hurunui river, and is used for pastoral purposes. Mr. Earshman was for three years a member of the Waipara Road Board, and has been chairman of the Hurunui school committee since 1895. In 1900 he took a pleasure trip, extending over nine months, to England. Mr. Earshman was married, in 1881, to a daughter of the late Mr. R. Waller, of Ireland, and has one son and four daughters.