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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Wimbleton

Wimbleton.

Wimbleton is a sheep-farming district in the county of Patangata, eighty-six miles south-west from Napier. There is a triweekly coach service from Danne-virke, or the railway line can be reached through Porangahau and Wallingford. Wimbleton is six miles from the coast, on the banks of the Wainui river, and was at one time all dense bush country. The land is now mostly cleared, and is developing into good sheep and cattle country. Wimbleton has an hotel, a store, post and telegraph office, and a telephone bureau.

Sargent, John, Sheep-farmer, Lake Farm, Wimbleton. Mr. Sargent was born in Lincolnshire, England, in the year 1839, and was brought up to farming. He came to New Zealand in 1874, in the ship “Pearl Clarence,” and landed in Napier. For many years he was engaged in pit sawing at “Oakburn” and Wimbleton, and was employed as a bullock driver by Mr. Price,. at Whangaehu station. Mr. Sargent took up Lake Farm in July, 1886. In 1905, accompanied by his wife, he took a trip to the Home land, and visited the scenes of his early life. He is a member of the Farmers' Uni[gap — reason: illegible]. Mr. Sargent married in England, in 1859, Miss Elizabeth Oakes, and has three sons and four daughters. He has another farm, which, with the help of his sons, he works in conjunction with Lake Farm. The two properties, aggregating 1,082 acres, all educational reserve, are held on a thirty years' lease. The winter stock comprises 2,000 Lincoln cross-breds and forty head of short-horn cattle. The wool shed is fitted with three Wolseley shearing machines. Mr. Sargent has erected a dwelling house, outbuildings, and spacious sheep and stock yards.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Sargent.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Sargent.

Wimbleton Farm, the property of Mr. Thomas C. Hales, contains two adjacent holdings, one of 1,200 odd acres, and the other of 490 acres; all educational reserve, held on a long lease. At one time the farm was all dense bush, but during recent years this has been cleared, and it is now good hilly sheep country. About 4,300 Lincoln cross-breds are wintered, including 1,200 breeding ewes (their lambing average being 100 per cent.), and upwards of 150 head of mixed short-horn cattle. Many improvements have been effected since the property was taken up, including fencing, the erection of a homestead, a wool-shed, with six stands for shearing, a three-roomed whare, a stable, a cow shed, sheep and stock yards, and two sheep dips.

Mr. Thomas Charles Hales, proprietor of Wimbleton Farm, was born in the Wairarapa, in the year 1858, and is a son of the late Mr. Thomas Hales, an old colonist of that district. He was educated privately, and afterwards gained his first lessons in farming with Mr. J. Morrison, an old settler of the same district. In the early “seventies” he removed to Hawke's Bay, and was for many years engaged in contracting and fencing page 527 on “Blackhead,” “Motuotaraia,” “Oakburn,” “Tautane,” “Papakihana,” and other large sheep stations. Subsequently he bought a small section in Porangahau. Mr. Hales afterwards conducted the Herbertville Hotel for a year, then returned to Porangahau for twelve months, and in 1887 took up his present holding, where he has since resided. Mr. Hales is an enthusiastic member of the Wimbleton Rifle Club. He is a member of the Wimbleton School Committee, of which he was chairman for seven years, a member of the Porangahau Racing Club, and the East Coast Dog Trial Club, and is vice-president of the Wimbleton Football Club. Mr. Hales married a daughter of Mr. Alfred Lambert, of Porangahau, in May, 1880, and has two sons and two daughters.

Mrs. Hales.

Mrs. Hales.