William Robinson, known as 'Ready Money' because he usually paid in cash, developed a great estate at Cheviot in North Canterbury in the nineteenth century. Born in Lancashire, the son of a farm bailiff, he first emigrated to South Australia, where he began to amass assets as an overlander, droving stock across state lines. He established an impressive estate at Hill River but moved to New Zealand in 1856, drawn by the more temperate climate. Robinson had an important role in setting up the first telegraph in North Canterbury, selecting the main north road, building the Hurunui bridge and an ambitious slipway as a 'port' on an inhospitable coast. He also spent 20 years in the Legislative Council.

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