180 THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND.ton
Board and other local bodies, and very much respected. He died in 1881, at the age of forty two years, leaving a widow, two daughters and four sons. Mrs. Peacock is a daughter of Mr. Frank Bee, formerly of Wellington, and now of Gisborne.
Mr. WILLIAM IRVING PEACOCK, third son of the late Mr. Gavin Peacock, and manager of Brooklands, was born in Hawke’s Bay in 1869, educated at the Napier High School, and was brought up to sheepfarming. He is a first-rate cricketer and footballer, as well as a good golf and polo-player. He is a member of the Wharerangi Polo team, which was “runner-up” for the Senior Cup at the New Zealand Tournament, held at Hastings in 1898.
MOTEO STATION, Hawke’s Bay, owned by Mr. Lawrence Higgins, is a fine run of 4000 acres of mixed flat and hilly limestone country, stocked with 10,000 Lincoln sheep, 200 head of shorthorn cattle, and a few horses. The land has a considerable frontage to the Tutaekuri river. It is well watered in every part, and contains a large quantity of rich swamp soil, which is being drained and scientifically treated.
Mr. LAWRENCE HIGGINS was born in Ireland in 1853, and is a son of Mr. Francis Higgins, a farmer and stock dealer, and was educated in his native town. Mr. Higgins came to this Colony in 1866, per ship “Strathallan,” Captain Paddle, and entered into business in the boot trade, at which he did very well for five or six years. He then went to Gisborne, and built the Shellbourne Hotel at Makaraka. He conducted the “Shellbourne” for about four years, and then sold out to Mr. George Saunders. In 1878 Mr. Higgins took up his present property, which was unimproved native land, which he has cleared, ploughed and sown in grass and also fenced and subdivided.
PUKETAPU ESTATE, the property of the late Mr. John Heslop, and held in trust, is a block of grazing country, 5600 acres in extent, well-improved, and containing about forty miles of fencing.
Mr. JOHN HESLOP, a farmer of Bellingham in Northumberland, was born in 1812, and at one time was caretaker and had charge of some 200 horses of the Ridsdale Ironworks, and subsequently worked as a miner at Netherton, near Newcastle. Coming to the Colony in 1856, per ship “Indian Queen,” Captain Jobson, his first employment was on the road from the Lower Hutt to Waiwetu [Waiwhetu]. He next had charge of a farm near the Hutt Bridge for Mrs Bircham but, being advised by Mr. Purvis Russell to try Hawke’s Bay, he accepted the management of that gentleman’s run until 1859, when he was employed by the late Mr. Lowry at “Okawa” Estate for about a year, afterwards leasing and ultimately purchasing the run at Puketapu, which consists of upwards of 1100 acres. Some years after, when his son William bought the Omaranui property of 4000 acres, the two went into partnership and worked both runs conjointly. On the two estates there are now about 11,000 sheep, 300 head of cattle of the shorthorn cross, and about forty horses. Prior to this partnership the subject of this sketch had been in partnership with his twin brother, Mr. George Heslop, of the “Chesterhope” Estate, which, on the dissolution of the firm, was retained by the latter. In 1894 Mr. Heslop, senior, died, and since then the estates have been partially managed by trustees.
Mr. WILLIAM CARSWELL, the Manager, was born in Fifeshire in 1839, and his father, Mr. John Carswell, a well-known manufacturer, came to Wellington with his family early in 1852. Mr. Carswell, whilst still a lad, worked for Mr. Gillies, of Otaraia, and afterwards for Mr. Robert Russell, of Whangamoana, Wairarapa. After four years of colonial experience he left for Castle Point, where he was a shepherd on Mr. J. V. Smith’s run, and was next manager at Mataikuna for a further period of four years. Mr. Carswell then moved to Hawke’s Bay, where for two years he was manager for Mr. Samuel Begg, of Mangawhare. After this he was associated with others in leasing from the natives the Te Haroto Block of 30,000 acres, but sold his share to his partners about three years later. At this time the country was disturbed by Te Kooti’s rebellion, and for two years Mr. Carswell was employed in the difficult and dangerous work of packing from Petane to Taupo for the Government. He next leased the Puketitiri Estate for about six years, after which period he was engaged by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company as manager of the Seafield and Eskmount Estates. Then he managed “Awamate,” in the Wairoa district, and afterwards “Lochinvar,” [Lochinver] at Taupo, for the Bank of New Zealand. In conjunction with his son James, Mr. Carswell acquired “The Incline” property, which is managed by the former. This estate consists of 1603 acres of open country, partly ploughed and grassed, and stocked with 2500 sheep, besides cattle and horses. It is situated on the Tutaekuri river, about four hours’ ride from Puketapu. Mr. Carswell was a member of the Wairoa County Council for some three years, and has held seats on the Petane School Committee and Board of Trustees of the Petane Cemetery. He was married in 1860 to Miss Orrock, of Scotland, and has four sons and four daughters living; the eldest son, John, died at Petane at the age of twenty-seven.
ESKDALE.
ESKDALE is a farming district ten miles from Napier, with which there is a daily mail service and telephone communication.
COUPER, DONALD McLEAN, Sheep-farmer, “Glenora,” Eskdale. Mr. Couper’s estate consists of some 1135 acres of good land, which with “The Ridge,” another property of 1450 acres, depastures altogether about 3500 sheep and 150 head of cattle. “Glenora” is fully improved and has been in occupation for about twelve years. The homestead is on this property. Mr. Couper was born in Napier, and is a son of the late Mr. William Couper, a well-known colonist of Hawke’s Bay. Educated at the Napier Grammar School and Nelson College, Mr. Couper entered the mercantile office of Messrs. J. G. Kinross and Co., with whom he remained two years. After a short stay on his father’s, property, Mr. Couper purchased “Glenora.”. In public matters he has done much for the welfare of the district and benefit of the settlers. Mr. Couper married a daughter of the late Mr. J. Le Luesine, and has three sons and four daughters.
HEDGLEY STATION, Eskdale. This fine property consists of about 6300 acres, and is one of the model estates in the district. The station can winter about 12,000 crossbred sheep and 250 head of cattle, besides horses. The necessary appliances and sheds are thoroughly up-to-date. The woolshed is a fine, substantial building, and accommodates ten shearing hands.
Photo captions –
THE LATE MR. G. PEACOCK.
MR. W. CARSWELL.
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