The Hon. Joseph Hawdon was called to the Legislative Council by the Stafford Ministry in 1866, and held his seat until the date of his death. He was born at Walkerfield, Durham, England, in 1813. Arriving in Australia in the early days, with the pioneers of that country, he took up large tracts of land, and was the first settler in page 88 Dandenong in Victoria, where he established a run. The head station of the Dandeneng run was located on the site of the present town of that name. This estate was subsequent'y disposed of to Captain Lunsdale in 1838, and a tract of country north of [unclear: Mount] Beckworth was sold to a Mr. McCallum. Mr. Hawdon also owned the Tallarook station and Banyule estate, near Melbourne. The first herd of cattle brought from Sydney to Port Philip overland was brought over by Mr. Hawdon and Mr. Gardiner. He was also interested in exploration work with Sir George Grey, and the Hawdon Plains in Australia are named after him. On coming to New Zealand he took up the Craigieourn and Grasmere runs, between Christchurch and Westland, where the Hawdon river and Lake Hawdon perpetuate his name. Mr. Hawdon revisited England, and lived for same years at K[gap — reason: illegible]dale Hall, in Yorkshire, but subsequently returned to New Zealand, and resided in Christchurch up to the time of his death in 1870. He was buried at Riccarton, near Christchurch.