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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Laery and Co., Limited

Laery and Co., Limited (F. B. Farmar, managing director), Grain and Produce Merchants, Auctioneers, Commission, Land, and Estate Agents, etc., Willis Street, Wellington. Auctioneers, H. J. and A. J. Reid. Telephone 192; P.O. Box 13. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Cable address, “Laery, Wellington,” Code, ABC, fourth edition. Managing director's private residence, Clermont Terrace. London agents, Gilbert J. McCaull and Co., 27 Wallbrook, E.C. This very large business was established in 1873 by Messrs. Laery and Campbell, who jointly conducted it for some years. In August, 1886, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, and Mr. Laery continued it alone under the title of Laery and Co., while Mr. Campbell started as Noble Campbell and Co. These two businesses were conducted for several years with great success. In February, 1892, Mr. Farmar accepted an appointment in the firm of Messrs. Laery and Co., and in the following year he purchased the goodwill and business of Messrs. Noble Campbell and Co. Soon after this, Mr. Farmar bought out the business he had been managing, and in November, 1893, the present Company was established. The buildings occupied are of wood and brick, and are erected on leasehold land. The total floorage space of the premises amounts to nearly 13,500 square feet. Messrs. Laery and Co. hold daily sales of fruit and produce, monthly sales of furniture, fortnightly sales of skins, hides, etc., and special sales to suit the requirements of their patrons. In addition to these sales, the firm conducts a horse sale at the saleyards situated in Dixon Street, behind the Nag's Head Hotel, twice a week, viz., on Wednesday and Saturday. The trade of the firm is a most extensive one, not only throughout the Colony, but it also extends to the Australian Continent, the South Sea Islands, and the United States of America. Messrs. Laery and Co., Limited, are large importers of general merchandise, including jute goods, such as corn sacks, etc., which come from Calcutta. They are agents for the celebrated seedsmen, Messrs. Sutton and Son; For the Cheltenham Dairy Company; for Freeth and Co.'s New Zealand wines; for the Austin Manufacturing Company, Chicago; for C. J. Gascoigne's patent wool press; and for many other firms too numerous to specify here. They export in large quantities the produce of the Colony, such as wool, butter, mutton, cheese, hams, bacon, seeds, grain, and sheepskins. Mr. Farmar, the energetic managing director, was born in Nelson, and was educated at the Potora Grammar School in Marlborough, and other private schools. He was brought up to a mercantile life, and joined the firm of Messrs. N. Edwards and Co., Nelson, with whom he remained for a period of three years. He then removed to Blenheim, where for two years he was in the employ of Messrs. Fell Bros, and Co. Subsequently Mr. Farmar went to Dunedin, and for the next fifteen years was an officer of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, holding a responsible position in connection with this firm. He was for some considerable time in the produce department, but before leaving the firm, had risen to the charge of the accountant's department in Dunedin. Messrs. Laery and Co. issue a very comprehensive market report each week, which is distributed gratis amongst their customers and others, and is full of reliable information in connection with farm produce, etc.