Patangata lies forty-three miles south from Napier, and is seven miles from the railway station at Kaikora North, with which it is connected by coach. It has one hotel, a store, a post office, and telephone bureau, and there is a bi-weekly mail service. The Elsthorpe station, a large property in the district was cut up by the Government for closer settlement in the year 1896, and the settlers who were fortunate in securing sections have prospered amazingly, and speak in glowing terms of the richness of the land, and the splendid facilities offered for sheep farming. Elsthorpe, one of the Government townships in Patangata county, has a post office and telephone bureau, an accommodation house, two stores, and a public school with thirty-two pupils on the roll. Tamumu, another district in the same county, has a bi-weekly coach service, a school, post office, and a library. The roads are suitable for cycling and motoring, as the streams are bridged, and the grades easy of ascent. Good trout fishing is to be obtained in the Tuki Tuki river, and hares are abundant in the surounding country.

The Patangata County Council his its head-quarters at Waipkurau, and was incorporated in the year 1885. The county is bounded to wards the south by the Wairarapa, and Weber county, on the north-west and north by the Waipawa and Hawke's Bay counties, and on the east by the sea. The total area is 652 square miles, and there is a population of 2,376. All rates are levied on the capital value, which amounts to £2,745,656, and the annual total amounts to £7,230. The county is well roaded throughout, and Wanstead is the largest township within its boundary. Members of the Council for the year 1906: Messers William White (chairman). George Hunter, D. H. Potts, L. H. McHardy, S. McNutt, C. H. St. Hill. J. G. Speedy, A. M. Williams, and H. B. Williams.

Mr. Edward Gilbertson, Clerk Treasurer, Road Overseer, and Rate Collector of the Patangata County Council since its formation, was born in London, England, in the year 1855. He was educated partly at the Highgate Grammar School, and afterwards studied in Germany and France. Subsequently for six years he was a member of the London Stock Exchange, and in 1879 came to New Zealand. He took up land in Hawke's Bay, where he was for several years engaged in sheep farming, and in 1885 accepted his present appointment.

Mr. Edward Watts, who was a member of the Patangata Road Board for many years, is a native of Kent, England, and was brought up to farming on his father's farm. He came to New Zealand in the ship “Oriental,” in the year 1841, and was engaged, in pioneer work. He took up his present property in the rough state, but it has since been greatly improved, and depastures about 2,3000 sheep. Mr. Watts was one of the earliest settlers in Hawke's Bay, and the first to erect a homestead in the district. He has all the latest agricultural machinery, including steam-threshers, convenient sheds for storing grain, shearing, etc. Mr. Watts is married, and has eight sons and two daughters.

Mr. E. Watts.

Patangata General Store (H. H. Bone, proprietor). This store contains a large stock of groceries, draperies, ironmongery, crockery, and general merchandise. The local post office, and telephone bureau is operated by the proprietor, in conjunction with the hotel and store.

Buchanan, John Stockman, Sheep-farmer, “Kahuru,” Elsthorpe, Patangata. Mr. Buchanan is the son of Mr. John Buchanan, a former member of the House of Representatives for Napier, and was born in Hampshire, England, in the year 1837. He came to New Zealand with his parents, in 1861, from Sydney Australia, in the ship “Montezuma,” and landed in Napier. The family settled at Elsthorpe station, a property which Mr. Buchanan managed for his father until the run was acquired by the Government in 1896, and cut up for closer settlement. He subsequently acquired “Kahuru,” which is a portion of the original Elsthorpe estate.

Elmshill Station (F. J. Tiffen, proprietor), Patangata. This fine property comprises 5,951 acres of freehold land. Originally the station was much larger, but in recent years several blocks have been sold or leased. “Elmshill” is chiefly undulating country, and is well watered by the Makara stream, the Tuki Tuki, Mungarara, and Wharemati rivers, and dams. There are 700 acres of rich peat land, containing six miles of drains, and exceptional crops of rape have been grown in this valley, while for fattening purposes it is the finest land on the property. It was originally a huge swamp, but by systematic draining it has become a very valuable piece of land. There are also 364 acres of native bush, which contains some splendid totara, white pine, and matai. The stock on “Elmshill” comprise 11,977 Lincoln-Leicester cross-bred sheep—of which 6,000 are ewes—and lambing averages eighty-five per cent. English Leicester rams are also bred on the station. There are in addition 650 head of shorthorn—and upwards of thirty horses. A comfortable dwelling house is pleasantly situated on a rise, and the woolshed contains sixteen shearing stands and has accommodation for 900 sheep in the night pens. There are also four whares, stables, a store, and a concrete dip. A lake covering sixty-two acres, provides splendid duck shooting.

Mr. Frank Louis Tiffen, manager of “Elmshill,” is the fourth son of Mr. F. J. Tiffen, and was born on the station. He was educated at Nelson College, and at Warwick House School, Christchurch, and then returned to “Elmshill,” where he has since resided. Mr. Tiffen is a trustee of the Elsthorpe Domain. In duck shooting he has proved himself to be an exceptionally good shot, having bagged sixty-eight in one day. He is also an enthusiastic motorist.

Sheep Diping, Elmshill Station.

Mr. F. L. Tiffen.

Kittow, William, Farmer, “Glentui,” Tamumu, Patangata. Mr. Kittow's property, “Glentui,” consists of 1,800 acres of freehold land, chiefly undulating country. About 3,600 Lincoln and English-Leicester cross-bred sheep are depastured, 1,500 of which are breeding ewes, and the lambing averages eighty per cent. There are also over 100 head of short-horn cattle, and a number of horses on the property. Some good crops of oats have been grown, also rape, and root crops. The wool-shed, containing four stands of Wolseley sheep-shearing machines, driven by a Brown and May oil engine, is a commodious and substantial building, and there are also stables, grain loft, implement shed, and whares on the property. There are also three dwelling houses the whole being surrounded with a veritable forest of huge blue gum and fir trees. Mr. Kittow was born in Cornwall, England, in March, 1839, and was brought up to farming and cattle dealing. He came to New Zealand in the ship “Helen Dinney,” and landed in Napier, in 1873. He first found work on the railway, and after wards with Mr. J. N. Williams at “Frimley” and “Apley.” Subsequently he spent many years in dairy-farming in Puketapu, Meanee, and Clive, and later took up some land at Waima, near Omahu, where he was engaged in dairying for nearly twenty years. Mr. Kittow was the first to establish a cream separator plant in Hawke's Bay. In 1809 he bought his present property, where he has since resided. He has been a member of the Meanee, Taradale, and Clive School Committees, has been a member of the Patangata Road Board since 1900, and is also a member of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society. Mr. Kittow married a daughter of Mr. Thomas Tucker of Cornwall, England, and has three sons and one daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Kittow and Family.

Pepper, Thomas, Sheep-farmer, Lone Hand Farm, Elsthorpe, Patangata. Lone Hand Farm is a portion of the original Elsthorpe station, and comprises 600 acres of land, held on a lease in perpetuity. The farm is chiefly undulating country, and is well watered. There are 1,500 sheep, of the Romney Marsh-Border Leicester breed, of which 550 are breeding ewes, and the lambing has everaged eighty-six per cent. About thirty-five head of short-horn cattle and a number of horses are also depastured. There is a fine modern residence, a large wool shed and other substantial buildings on the property. Mr. Pepper was born in Lincolnshire, England, in the year 1863, and was brought up to an agricultural and pastoral life. He arrived in New Zealand in 1884, and subsequently, in conjunction with his brother, operated a traction engine and threshing mill in the Hastings district for sixteen years, and later, secured his present property. Mr. Pepper has been a member of the Patangata Road Board and the local school committee, and is a member of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society. In 1905 he took a trip to the Old Country, finally returning to the Colony. Mr. Pepper married a daughter of Mrs. Cocks, of Hasting, in 1892, and has one son and six daughters.

Mr. T. Pepper.

Mrs. Pepper.

“The Oaks” (D. M. Gollan, proprietor), Tamumu, Patangata. “The Oaks” is a leasehold property of 2,000 acres of hilly country, and contains some rich patches of land. Sheep to the number of 4,000 of the Lincoln-Romney cross, are depastured, 2,500 of which are breeding ewes; and the lambing averages ninety-five per cent. A herd of 100 head of cattle also find good grazing on the run. A small on, chiefly for home use. There is a fine two-storeyed homestead on the property, also several substantial outbuilding, sheep yards, dip and other conveniences.

Mr. Donald Matheson Gollan, proprietor of “The Oaks,” was bron in Linlithgowshire, Scotland, in the year 1812, came to New Zealand, accompanied by his parents, in the ship “Philip Laing,” and arrived in Wellington on Christmas Day, 1856.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. D. M. Gollan.

Bunting, photo.
Mrs. Gollan.

page 497 Mr. Gollan, senior, took up land in the Waiwera, Hawke's Bay, but in 1870 the family settled at Tamumu, where the subject of our notice has since resided. Mr. Gollan is a member of the Tamumu Road Board, the Tamumu School Committee, and the Framers' Union, and is an Oddfellow of thirty years' standing. He married Miss Harriet Bourne, in 1875, and has two sons and four daughters.

“Wautukai” (F. J. Witherow, proprietor), Patangata. This is a freehold property of 700 acres, nearly half of which is flat land, capamble of vielding good crops of oats and rape. The property when first taken up was covered with native bush, and over run with native bush, and overrun with wild pigs, a fact hard to realise at the present time, all the land being in a high state of cultivation. The stock number about 1,500 pure-bred Lincoln sheep, of which 600 are breeding ewes, and the lambing average ninety per cent. There are also about forty head of short-horn cattle and a dozen horses on the farm. A twelve-roomed homestead is also pleasantly situated, and there are also a number of substantial outbuildings, sheep yards, and other conveniences. Mr. Frederick John Witherow, proprietor of “Wautukai,” is a son of the late Mr. Joseph Witherow, who is referred to as an old colonist.