Sexton, Silas , County Serfaceman, Lumsden. Mr Sexton was born in 1849, in Devonshire, England, where he was educated and brought up as a baker. He came out to New Zealand in 1873, by the emigrant ship “Asia,” in which he was engaged as ship's baker. Mr Sexton worked at his trade in Dunedin for eight months, when he removed to South Canterbury, where he engaged in road contract work in the Timaru and Wai-mate districts till 1880. He then removed to Southland, where he was employed for four years in rabbiting at Mararoa and Linwood stations, and afterwards commenced business as a baker in Lumsden. He subsequently relinquished this business, and found employment as a carrier and coal merchant for two years. Mr Sexton was appointed county surfaceman by the Southland County Council, for the Lumsden district in 1896. His district extends from Athol to Nokomai and Lumsden, and in another direction as far as Black bridge, near the Mararoa river. Mr Sexton has served on the Lumsden school committee, and is a member of the Loyal Lumsden Lodge of Oddfellows. He was married, in June, 1894, to a daughter of Mr John Maxwell, of Dumfries, Scotland, and has four sons and two daughters.

Lumsden Post Office And Railway Station is one of the most important in Southland, being the junction of the Invercargill-Winton and Dunedin-Gore lines. A short branch line runs from Lumsden to Mossburn, a distance of twelve miles, and taps the Mararoa and Western Lakes. The principal exports from Lumsden are wool, grain, rabbits, and dairy produce. The station is well appointed, and contains waiting, refreshment, and reading rooms. It has also an engine shed, stationmaster's residence, and quarters for the employees.

Mr. John Fraser , Stationmaster and Postmaster at Lumsden, was appointed to the position in 1904. He was born in 1869, at Sydenham, Christchurch, educated in his native town, and entered the railway service as a cadet. He served four years in the railway telegraph office, and five years in the goods department. Then he was appointed stationmaster at Jackson's, on the West Coast, and, three, year later, was transferred to the West Oxford station, Canterbury. Mr Fraser is a member of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute, and also of the Lumsden Masonic Lodge. He was married, in 1893, to a daughter of Mr Samuel Campbell Doyle, of Doyleston, Canterbury, and has two daughters and one son.

Lumsden Public School was originally conducted by Mr. McPherson, the first master, in the stable-loft of Mr. Fletcher, the pioneer settler of Lumsden, and the owner of the original Elbow Hotel. It now occupies a fine and suitable building. The number of scholars on the roll is about 150, with an average attendance of over 130.

Miss Jane Hamilton Thomson , Mistress of the Lumsden Public School, was born in Dunedin, where she was educated at the Arthur Street public school and Otago Girls' High School. She served as a pupil teacher at the Union Street school and attended the Normal Training School for two years, when she was appointed sole teacher at Moutere. Miss Thomson was afterwards mistress of the Papa-Raio school for a year and nine months, when she became assistant at the George Street school, Dunedin. After serving in that capacity for four years and a-half, Miss Thomson was appointed to Lumsden in 1901. She is a member of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

All Saint's Church . Lumsden, was opened in 1884. It stands on a section of two acres of land. The building is of wood and iron, and has accommodation for 110 persons. A Sunday school, with forty children, is held in the church, under the charge of four teachers. The church is in charge of the Vicar of Winton, and services are held every fortnight.

Pope, W.E. , Baker and Confectioner, Lumsden. Head office, Invercargill. The Lumsden branch of this business was opened in 1904, and is conducted in commodious premises in Diana Street. A general bakery and confectionery business is carried on, and goods are delivered by cart and rail to all parts of the district. The manager has one assistant.

Mr. Thomas Albert Henry , the Manager, was born in 1879, at Geelong, Victoria, where he served his time as a baker, and afterwards worked as a journeyman. He came to New Zealand in 1900, and engaged in general work for a year, before entering Mr Pope's bakery business at Invercargill. On the opening of the Lumsden branch in 1904, Mr Henry was sent to take charge. During his residence in Victoria, Mr Henry was an enthusiastic footballer. He is a member of the Acorn Lodge of Druids, Invercargill. Mr Henry was married, in March, 1904, to a daughter of Mr George Morris, dairyman, Invercargill.

Fraser, Donald , Coachbuilder, Farrier and General Blacksmith, Lumsden. Mr Fraser was born in 1850, in Inverness-shire, Scotland, and was educated at Errogie school, Stratherick. He was brought up as a coachbuilder at Gortherlick, and came out to New Zealand by the ship “Peter Denny,” in 1873. Mr Fraser settled at Switzers, where he worked at his trade till 1885, when he removed to Lumsden and established his present business. Mr Fraser's premises consist of a wood and iron building, with two forges, boring, screwing and other machinery; and all other classes of vehicles are constructed by him. He has made a special study of veterinary surgery, and keeps a large stock of horse and cattle medicines. Mr Fraser is a member of the Lumsden school committee, and of the committee of the Caledonian Society, and, as an Oddfellow, is connected with the Lumsden Lodge. He was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Mr Robert Ross, of Otama, and has six sons and four daughters. Mr Fraser's eldest son was for ten years in one of the Government offices in Wellington. His two eldest sons volunteered for service page 1012 in South Africa, the first in the Second Contingent, in which he served in the Hotchkiss battery, and the second as farrier-sergeant in the Ninth Contingent.

Payne, Joseph , Saddler and Harness Maker, Lumsden. Mr Payne was born in December, 1880, at Caroline, Southland, and was educated at Fernhills. He was brought up to the saddlery business at Centre Bush, and in 1902, he removed to Lumsden, where he set up in business for himself. Mr Payne's premises consist of a wood and iron building, containing shop and dwelling. He is a member of the Loyal Lumsden Lodge of Oddfellows, and of the Lumsden Racing Club.

Reid And Brook (Thomas Reid and Arthur Harford Brook), Wool Scourers and Wool Classers, Lumsden. This firm was established in 1899. Its works occupy a site of five acres of leasehold land on the banks of the Lumsden Creek, and the buildings, which are of wood and iron, contain the usual plant and machinery required in the trade.

Mr. Thomas Reid , Senior Partner of the firm of Reid and Brook, was born in 1858, in Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1859, he was brought to New Zealand by his parents in the ship “Victory,” and was brought up to farming in the Tokomairiro district. He was afterwards employed in the wool business for five years by Mr Thomas Holt and Mr James Scanlan, now woolbrokers, of Milton, and settled at Lumsden in 1887. Mr Reid's residence stands on a freehold section of two acres and a-half, on a knoll overlooking the township. Mr Reid has served as a member of the Lumsden school committee, and is connected with the Loyal Lumsden Lodge of Oddfellows, in which he has passed all the chairs. He was married, on the 3rd of December, 1887, to a daughter of Mr Samuel Paddon, of Lumsden, and has two sons and four daughters.

Small, Andrew , Farmer, Oreti Island and Dane's Paddock, Waimea Plains, Lumspen. Mr. Small was born at the Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, Scotland, in 1850, and emigrated to New Zealand, in 1870, by the ship “E. P. Bouverie.” On arrival at Port Chalmers, he obtained employment with Mr. Joseph Culling, farmer, at Moeraki. He afterwards engaged in gold-digging at “Twelve Mile,” near Queenstown, where he remained for some years. Subsequently, he settled at Lumsden, where he engaged in dairy farming and contracting. Mr. Small purchased his present properties in 1892, and has since that time been successfully carrying on dairying and mixed farming on his six hundred acres of fine arable land. He uses an Alexandra cream-separator, with which he produces butter of the primest quality and for which he finds a demand as far as Skipper's diggings, in the Lake district. Mr. Small is a prominent member of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, and district lodge deputy of the Independent Order of Good Templars. He is also an elder in the Presbyterian church, and chairman of the Lumsden school committee. Mr. Small was married, in 1875, to Miss Alice Howorth, and has a family of fourteen children.