Mr. Daniel Durbridge was born at Stonehouse, Devonshire, England, in 1833, and was educated in Sheffield. Some time in the early forties he came to New Zealand with his father, Mr. Charles Durbridge, afterwards Clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court, Onehunga, Auckland. In 1852, he left Auckland for New South Wales and tried his fortune on the “Hanging Rock” diggings, and subsequently at Bendigo. In consqunce of illhealth, however, he returned to New Zealand about the time of the discovery of geld at Coromandel by Mr. Charles Ring. In 1854, Mr. Durbridge became manager of the late Colonel Nlxon's farm at Tautauroa, Mangere, retaining the position until 1856, when he removed to Collingwood, Nelson, to engage in mining. Subsequently he returned to Auckland, and carried out the duties of Deputy-Returning Officer at Te Awamutu, Waikato, for two years. He left Auckland in 1859 for Christchurch, and became a cadet on the Mount Ida Valley station, owned by his brother-in-law, Mr. Thomas Newton, and others. In the following year, he was appointed manager of a station property at Pahia, near Orepuki. About 1874, he went to the Auckland Islands, and on his return was appointed an Inspector on the New Zealand Railways, and held the position until 1897, when he became engineer to the Wallace County Council; this office he resigned in 1898. Mr. Durbridge was elected a member of the Riverton Borough Council and of the Harbour and Domain Boards in 1896. He was initiated into Freemasonry in Lodge Aparima, No. 77, N.Z. C., in 1887, and after filling all the subordinate offices was elected worshipful master in 1889. Mr. Durbridge was married in 1861 to the only daughter of the late Mr. Robert Meldrum, of Invercargill, and has four sons and four daughters. The eldest son is manager of the West Australian Bank, Menzies, north of Coolgardie, and the remaining three are engaged in mining.