Buchanan, Neil, Farmer, Rongotea. Born at Loch Awe, Argyllshire, Scotland, in 1831. Mr. Buchanan passed his early years in his native district, and joined the 92nd Regiment of the Gordon Highlanders when under sixteen years of age, serving with that regiment for the next five years in Ireland, during page 1265 the Smith-O'Brian troubles. On receiving his discharge he went to America, but, returning to Scotland, joined the police force at Glasgow, serving two years. He then joined the Liverpool police, and served three years. Emigrating to Now South Wales, he was with the police force in that colony for five years. He then tried his luck at gold-digging, with variable success. On the breaking out of the New Zealand War, Mr. Buchanan joined as a volunteer and crossed the Tasman Sea. Having received a grant of land at Hamilton East for military service, he settled there with his family, but soon afterwards proceeded to the goldfields of the West Coast of the South Island. After a short stay he returned to Hamilton, and once more tried his luck on the Thames diggings, prospecting and working for ten years. He subsequently came to Wellington, and at a later date to the Oroua Downs, where he took up his present holding in the Featherston Block. In 1853 Mr. Buchanan married Miss Burke, of Liverpool, and had thirteen children, ten of whom are living, two sons and eight daughters, all being married except one. There are thirty-eight grandchildren, and one great grandchild.