Delargy, Henry, Sheepfarmer, “Fettercairn,” Hakataramea. “Fettercairn” consists of 6000 acres held under the Crown as a grazing run, on which 3000 halfbred sheep are depastured. Mr. Delargy resides in the township. He was born at Kumara, Westland, in 1880, and accompanied his parents to the Hakataramea district at the age of three years. His school days were spent in Kurow, and at St. Patrick's College, Wellington. Mr. Delargy was brought up to sheepfarming by his father, and has been in business on his own account since 1899. He is a member of the Hakataramea school committee and also acts as secretary. Mr. Delargy is also secretary of the Hakataramea cemetery and racecourse trusts. He has taken a keen interest in sporting matters, and is treasurer of the Kurow Jockey Club.

Hakataramea Downs, Hakataramea. This station, formerly the property of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, is now owned by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company. It comprises 27,000 acres of freehold, in addition to leasehold, and the flock consists of Merino and Border Leicester sheep. The estate has 100 miles of fencing, of which seven miles are rabbit-proof. About 3000 acres have been cultivated, and a large area has been surface-sown. The homestead is situated 1900 feet page 1101 above sea level; it is substantially built of stone and iron, and overlooks the Hakataramea Valley. The woolshed and the quarters for the shearers and men are all that could be wished for. There is a small hospital containing four beds, and there, in the event of sickness, patients are isolated if it is deemed advisable, and are carefully attended. The buildings are well-sheltered from the fierce 'nor-westers by a plantation of well-selected trees.

Mr. E. James, formerly manager of the Hakataramea Downs station, was born in South Australia in 1849, and was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. In his early years he followed a pastoral life; he joined the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's service in 1879 and was appointed manager of Hakataramea Downs in 1887. Under his care and keen observation the sheep on the property were greatly improved in various ways. Mr. James was married, in 1886, to Miss Scouller.

Mr. E. James.

McKenzie, Donald, Sheepfarmer, Hakataramea. Mr McKenzie was born in Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1851, and was brought up as a shepherd. He came to Port Chalmers in the ship “Hydaspes” in 1872, and settled in the Hakataramea district, where he was shepherd at Station Peak for the first few years. For twenty years he served the well known firm of Robert Campbell and Sons, Limited, and was head shepherd for most of the time. For the last ten years Mr. McKenzie has worked a grazing run of 3000 acres, on which he keeps 1500 sheep. He has resided in the Hakataramea township since 1891, on a freehold of two and a quarter acres, where he has a convenient house surrounded with a pleasant garden. Mr. McKenzie has been for many years chairman of the local school committee, is chairman of the Hakataramea hall trust, and a trustee of the local cemetery and racecourse. He is also a prominent member of the committee of the Gaelic Society, and of the Waitaki Collie Dog Club. Mr. McKenzie was married, in 1881, to a daughter of the late Mr. Kenneth Macdonald, of Ross-shire, Scotland, and has six sons and one daughter.

Mr. and Mrs D. McKenzie.

Station Peak (Robert Campbell and Sons, Limited, proprietors), Hakataramea. This property consists of about 40,000 acres of freehold, and 6,700 acres of leasehold land. It extends along the north bank of the Waitaki river for about ten miles up to its junction with the Hakataramea, along the eastern bank of which it extends for thirty miles. About 30,000 halfbred sheep, and from four to five hundred head of cattle are depastured on the estate, and sufficient grain and turnips are grown for feeding purposes. The station buildings and offices are situated on the Waitaki river bank, about five miles below Hakataramea. Three miles further down the river there is a large woolshed, and the station's wool-scouring is also done at that point. There are four out-stations on the estate, and two woolsheds.

Mr. Edward Harris, General Manager of Station Peak, and Inspector of Otekaike, Burwood, Buscott, Galloway and Benmore stations, has been with the company since 1901, prior to which he had, for five years, managed Mount Parker estate. Mr. Harris is a son of Archdeacon Harris, and was born in Christchurch in 1870, and was educated partly in New Zealand and partly in England. He has always followed a pastoral life, has had experience on several stations, and has exhibited stock at various shows. Mr. Harris was married, in 1902, to a daughter of Mr. William Campbell, chairman of Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons, Limited.

“Windsor Downs, ” Hakataramea. This is the property of Mr. Alexander McCaw, and was originally part of the Hakataramea run. It was bought by Mr. McCaw in 1895, and contains 1500 acres. The land is devoted chiefly to the rearing and fattening of lambs for the export trade, and for this purpose Mr. McCaw uses crossbred ewes and Border Leicester rams. Like other settlers in his part of the colony, Mr. McCaw finds it necessary to renew his artificial pastures pretty regularly, and in this process he has raised good crops of grain. The improvements consist of a good dwelling-house and the necessary outbuildings, which are sheltered by a well-grown plantation of ornamental and hardwood trees. The property is divided into ten paddocks.