Mr. Frederick Augustus Cooke . Senior Partner in the firm of Messrs Cooke, Howlison and Co., was born in February, 1870, and is the second son of Mr. W. R. Cooke, for many years dispenser at the Christchurch Hospital, and now carrying on business as a chemist in High Street, Christ-church. He was educated at the East Christ-church school, and afterwards spent twelve months under his father. He subsequently travelled through the North and South Islands, and then entered the employment of Mr. F. W. Gough, cycle manufacturer, of Manchester Street, Christchurch, where he spent three years, gaining a thorough knowledge of the building of the old high “Ordinary” machine which was then in use. In 1887 Mr. Cooke began to work with Messrs T. and D. Danks, of Tuam Street, with the intention of qualifying himself in engineering and brass finishing, and for this purpose he attended Canterbury College for five years, during which he made a special study of engineering, and mechanical and perspective drawing. In 1892 he went to Sydney, where he spent six months in the well known engineering firm of Messrs Bennett and Speechly, and then went on to Melbourne, where he was engaged in bicycle manufacturing for a further six months. Mr. Cooke returned to Christchurch in 1893, and after two years with the Adams' “Star” Cycle Company—then known as Messrs Adams, Curtis and Co.—he came to Dunedin, and established his present business in partnership with Mr. Howlison. When in Christchurch Mr. Cooke was a member of the Lancaster Park Cricket Club, and was captain of the junior eleven during three of its most successful years. He was also a member of the Carisbrook Cricket Club, and now belongs to the Otago Bicycle Club. Mr. Cooke was married, in 1897, to Miss Burgess, of Christchurch, and has one son and one daughter.