Early Staff Personnel.

It was agreed to take over from the the contractors such of the operating staff, including the mining gang working in the tunnel, as wished to accept service under the Government. Among those who did not remain was Mr. G. Fitzmorris, Stationmaster at Lyttelton, who resigned and returned to Victoria. He was succeeded at Lyttelton by Mr. William Packard from Christchurch Goods. Before joining the Railway service Mr. Packard had been in the shipping and forwarding business at Lyttelton and Heathcote. Some of the earliest members of the staff at stations on the South Line were: Geo. Cronin, Addington, also in charge of Lincoln Road gate; Mrs. Knight, Middleton (at first called Riccarton) in charge of Riccarton Road gate; B. Sword, Racecourse, South Road gate; A. Blackburn, stationmaster, Templeton. previously in Christchurch Goods; P. Gilmore, stationmaster, Rolleston. When the line was opened to Rolleston, Mr. Gilmore, then clerk at Ferrymead, was made stationmaster, and on extension of the line was transferred to the charge of Selwyn. Mr. W. Bourke, who succeeded Mr. Gilmore as clerk at Ferrymead, again succeeded him as station-master at Rolleston.