AN INTERESTING BUSINESS CHANGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 11

AN INTERESTING BUSINESS CHANGE.

, A busings change of ~fconsiderabl« in- * tenet and importance has just been com- » Je , d between two old-established. New , Zealand firms. Under it Messrs. Wright i Stephenson and Company, Ltd., the wellknown South Island firm, who have; dur-' . nig recent years, opened up in the North . island, have now added to . their North , Island connection by acquiring a considerable holding of shares, with limited voting 1 ?°^ erS ' . Messra Abraham and Williams" i-td. This arrangement brings together > ™ Vffl 2r old stock auctioneering firms. [ Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Company, t Ltd., started business in Ihinedin in the " 1861—over 58 years ago—and have ( gradually spread until, in addition to the , Dunedin business, they now have branches in Invercargill, Christchurch, Gore, Oamaru, Edendale, Kelso, Ashburton, and Blenheim, in the South Island; and Wellington, Auckland, Wanganui, and Master- . ton, in the North Island. They also have [ a branch in London. Messrs. Abraham | and Williams, Ltd., have their head office in Palmerston North, where the business ; was opened up in 1882 by the late Mr. John Stevens, who sold out his interests in 1884 in the firm of Messrs. Stevens and * Gorton to Mr. R. S. Abraham. Later on " the' firm of Stevens and Gorton was dis- ■ solved, Colonel Gorton retaining the * Rangitikei business, whilst Mr. Abraham » carried on the southern portion of the 3 business, in partnership with Mr. Alex. 3 Williams, of Hawke's Bay. When Mr. I Williams dropped out, Mr. Abraham took " into partnership with him the late Mr. ' 0. C. Cooper and Mr. 0. H. Porritt, of ' Palmerston North. The business was f formed into a company in 1901, under the 3 style of Abraham and Williams, Ltd. "Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., i in addition to their stock and wool busi- ', ness, have for many years been an im- - portent factor in the New Zealand proi duee, manure, and seed business. Messrs. i Abraham and Williams, Ltd., now intend > to enter largely into these lines also, and i have appointed as manager of this department Mr. F. J. C. Wilson, of Invercargill, who has held an important position in ! the produce department of Messrs. Wright. Stepenson, and Company's Invercai'giU "branch. Messrs. W. D. Hunt and J. T. Martin, two of the directors of Messrs. Wright. Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., have joined the board of directors of Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and Mr. R. S. Abraham, founder and present chairman of Messrs. Abraham and Williams, joins the board of directors of Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd. The two firms will still continue to carry on their business independently of each other.