hundred only lasted until 1865, when it was changed to Highway Trustees. Mason bought the first flour windmill built in 1843 by John Bycroft in Auckland at Epsom (on the corner of Mindmill Rd and St Andrews Rd). Because it was some distance from the wheat farmers in the Howick district, some of them made simple mortars and pestles to grind their own flour. Later Mason moved the mill to Princess St. Onehunga in 1854, where there was a natural spring. When The Royal New Zealand Fencibles arrived at Howick in September 1847, they were very isolated. The Howick Fencibles established several routes to Auckland. One went to Bucklands Beach, where they were taken by a ferry across to Pt England by a farmer, Mr Stephens. In 1852 the cutters Alert and Thetis provided a regular service between Auckland and Panmure stopping at Mr Masons at Bucklands Beach and Point England, two or three times per week. A return ticket was 4/-(shillings). Alfred Buckland, who had 21 children, bought the farm in 1861 for 2,500 pounds plus 150 pounds per annum to go to Mason and his wife Sarah, who lived another 35 years. Buckland was a successful businessman. The beach was named after him. At one stage he owned land in the area, and also owned land situated at what is now the commercial district of Newmarket. In the late 19th century and around the turn of the 20th century, Buckland farmed ostriches at Bucklands Beach. The feathers were sold for hat decoration. The Bucklands also had a brickmaking plant at the north end of Little Bucklands Beach near the old Bucklands Beach Yacht Club house in 1869. The brick works was owned by a Mr Spencer and managed by John Granger, who had arrived in New Zealand in 1865 to try his luck at the Thames goldfields (LaRoche 1991). He was a brickmaker by trade. Part bricks and field tiles can still be found at the northern end of Little Bucklands Beach, although many were buried by the dumping of material between the rock retaining wall and the roadside grass strip. It is possible that both bricks and field tiles were being made. The bricks were possibly used to line wells in the area. Various old wells can be found around Bucklands Beach such as at 31 and 42 The Parade, 23 Hattaway Ave next to the R.O.W.,