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Lyttelton. Messrs. Thos. Oldridge and Stephens owned them, being partners. They came to Le Bon’s about 1860, and soon afterwards went to Laverick’s, returning to Le Bon’s some years afterwards. Mr. Stephens, it will be remembered, lost his life on the brigantine Lizzie Guy. The ketch Maria Ann was sold afterwards in Lyttelton, and the Gipsey, on her way from Lyttelton to Le Bon’s, was run down by a steamer off Long Look-out. A man well known (a Dutchman), by name Charlie Smith, commanded her at the time. No lives were lost. These two vessels carried an immense amount of timber to Lyttelton. The vessels anchored in the Bay, and punts and rafts were floated down the creek laden with the timber from the mill, which was situated about a mile from the sea.

Some years afterwards, during a great storm, two vessels were wrecked—the Breeze and the Challenge. The Challenge was sunk while at anchor. The Breeze was driven into Nor’-west Bay and smashed up. Their crews managed to get ashore. At a quite recent date the Gipsey and Diligence, which replaced them, were also wrecked; and the Hero, well-known from her several narrow escapes, met her fate also in Le Bon’s.

Messrs. Saxton and Williams took the mill from Mr. Cuff about 1861, but only worked it for six months. Mr. John Cuff, son of the owner, then managed it. Messrs. Oldridge and Stephens ran the mill for some time, and after that Mr. Drummond McPherson, well known in Canterbury, bought it. A man named Rouse bought it from him. In 1865 Mr. John Smith took it over. He had a great many men working for him, who are now settlers in the Bay. He also introduced the Danes, who now own among them a good portion of the land in Le Bon’s Bay. Mr. John Smith got the contract from the Provincial Council for building the old jetty