Seddon is a small township situated twenty miles from Blenheim, and was formerly a portion of the Starborough estate, which was purchased by the Government for closer settlement. It is situated immediately opposite the Starborough homestead, which still retaines the old name of the estate. The township has been cut up into half-acre and quarter-acre sections, and considerable building has been going on. Seddon is at present (1905) the terminus of the railway from Blenheim, but it is expected that by the year 1907 the line will be extended to Flaxbourne. A large town hall has recently been erected, and business has increased in every direction. There are three stores, two blacksmith-shops, a saddlery, a boarding house, and an hotel in the township. The business of the post and telegraph office is conducted at the railway station. A large State Nursery on the bank of the Awatere river, has been very successfully conducted; and the main south road from Blenheim, after crossing the Awatere by a fine steel and iron bridge, runs through the township. Seddon is the terminus and starting point of the Kaikoura-Blenheim coach, which runs twice a week.

Starborough Hotel (William A. Fuller, proprietor), Seddon, Marlborough. This hotel was established in the year 1897 by Mr. John Barrett, and was acquired by the present proprietor on the 1st of March. 1905. It is a two-storied wooden building, and contains twenty rooms, including eight double bedrooms—exclusive of those used by the family and servants—four parlours—three of which contain pianos—and a bathroom with hot and cold showers. The dining-room is capable of seating twenty-four guests, page 437 and the menu is first class in every respect. The bar is stocked with the choisest brands of wines, liquors, spirits, and ales, and the service is everything that could be desired. The hotel throughout is furnished with excellent taste, and the comfort of the guests is the first thought of the proprietor. Mrs Fuller ably looks after the comfort of lady guests. Horses and traps are on hire, and there are good stables, and a coach-house in connection with the establishment. The Starborough Hotel is the terminus and starting point of the Kaikoura-Blenheim coach, which leaves Seddon twice weekly, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Mr. James Fuller was born at Picton, and is the second son of Mr. James Fuller, an old settler of Marlborough. He was educated in Picton, and afterwards entered the service of Mr. Greensill, a general store-keeper at Picton. After six years, Mr. Fuller was appointed manager of a branch store at the Mahakipawa goldfields, Marlborough, where he remained for eleven years. While at Mahakipawa he was a member of the local school committee. Mr. Fuller is a member of the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and the Marlborough Racing Club, and a steward of the Awatere Racing Club. As a Freemason, he is a member of Lodge Wartohi. Picton, No 111, New Zealand Constitution, and as a Forester he is a member of the Picton Court.

Schwass, Frank, Contractor, Seddon. Mr. Schwass was born in Germany, in 1840, and came to Nelson in 1843 with his parents. He resided in and about Nelson for eighteen years, during which he followed various occupations. After that he removed to Marlborough, where he was engaged by Mr. Eyes and other settlers, and latterly he has been leasing and cropping land as well as doing contract carting. Mr. Schwass keeps two waggon teams and a ploughing team going constantly; and owns in all twenty-seven horses. He is married, and has seven sons and three daughters.

Dick, John B., Farmer, Seddon. Mr. Dick, who farms a section of 594 acres of the original Richmond Brook estate, near Seddon, was born at Tua Marina, on the 31st of August, 1872, and is a son of one of the early settlers. He was educated at the Tua Marina public school, and was afterwards engaged in farming with his father, until the sub-division of the Richmond Brook estate, when he successfully applied for his present holding. This property is, for the most part, undulating, and is well adapted for pastoral purposes. There is a permanent flock of 600 ewes, and about 1500 sheep are annually fattened for the market. A few head of cattle are also kept, and about 100 acres are annually put down in green crops. Mr. Dick is a member of the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and is also a member of the Awatere school committee. He is married and has five children.

Macey, photo.
Mr. J. B. Dick.

Heard, George Thomas, Farmer, “Lion's Beck,” Seddon, Marlborough. Mr. Heard has an area of 436 acres, held on a lease in perpetuity from the Government. His stock includes 600 sheep, chiefly half-bred Merinos and Leicesters, and the lambing has averaged ninety per cent. The land is nearly all undulating, the soil being of a light loamy nature, and about thirty acres is devoted to the cropping of oats. Mr. Heard was born at Addington, Canterbury, in the year 1868, and is a son of Mr. George Heard, an old Canterbury settler. He was educated at Addington, and afterwards entered the workshops of Messrs Booth and Macdonald, of Christchurch, where he remained for two years. Mr. Heard was subsequently engaged in shepherding on the St. James Station, Hanmer Plains, and the Highfield station, in the Waiau. He acquired his present holding in April. 1899, and has since built a residence, and effected many improvements. Mr. Heard is an Oddfellow of many years' standing. He married the second daughter of Mr. William Dickens, an old settler of Cust, Canterbury, in June, 1893, and has one son.

Meehan, Patrick, Farmer, Glenriff farm, Seddon. Mr. Meehan was born in December, 1856, in Donegal, Ireland, and is the eldest son of Mr. Thomas Meehan, formerly a stonemason, but at present (1905) a farmer in Ireland. He was educated at a public school, trained to agricultural and pastoral farming in his native place, and in the year 1875 came to New Zealand. For about six months Mr. Meehan was employed at various work in Auckland, and then went to Marlborough, where he finally settled. From that time till 1899 he termed several properties held under leasehold title in the Wairau, and, on the subdivision of the Starborough estate for close settlement, obtained his present holding, which includes two sections, situated about one mile apart, and contains, in all, 723 acres. The property is well and systematically worked, and is devoted chiefly to sheep-farming and cropping. Mr. Meehan is a member of the Wairau Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the Awatere Road Board, and is a vice-president of the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Association. While in the Wairau, he was a member of the Wairau River Board, and during his term of office the flood-escape channel was carried out by that body. Mr. Meehan married Miss Henrietta Morrin, of Tua Marina, in July, 1885.

Schwass Brothers (Arthur Schwass and Herbert Schwass), Farmers, Waggoners and Contractors, Starborough, near Seddon. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand, Blenheim. The Messrs Schwass have a portion of the original Starborough estate. It has a frontage to the main road, and is all fanced and subdivided. The whole is open country, and is well watered even in the driest seasons. Throughout three or four hundred acres the soil is light and loamy, highly suitable for grain growing, and the Messrs Schwass propose to crop two or three hundred acres annually and stock the rest with good strains of crossbred sheep. The Messrs Schwass are prominent waggoners and contractors in Marlborough, and keep twenty-three horses in the collar, and have others in reserve at grass. Three large waggons are kept steadily going on the road, carting station produce and requisites for the run-holders, with whom they hold contracts. The Messrs Schwass were born in Nelson, have resided in Marlborough since their boyhood, and have followed waggoning and contracting since 1887. As footballers, the brothers do good work for the teams they represent from time to time.

Mead, Henry, Farrier and General Blacksmith, formerly of Awatere. Mr. Mead was born at Motupiko, Nelson, in 1869, and was brought up to his trade under Mr. R. Coleman, with whom he was for four years. Prior to taking over the Awatere business, he was engaged at Hillersden and Birch Hill stations, and was also in business on his own account at Blenheim. Mr. Mead left Awatere some time ago, and went to settle in the North Island.