William Skinner was the son of pioneer settlers in Taranaki. He trained as a survey cadet and surveyed much of the bush-clad areas of Taranaki. From 1888, ill-health required a change in roles to draughtsman and inspecting surveyor.
Born in England, Edward Phillips-Turner grew up in Tasmania before settling in New Zealand in 1884. He trained as a surveyor and worked in various parts of New Zealand as well as in Tasmania and New South Wales.
Stephenson Percy Smith (seen here with Elsdon Best) grew up on a family farm in Taranaki from 1850, trained as a survey cadet and worked as a professional surveyor throughout much of the northern half of the North Island.
John Marchant settled in New Zealand in 1863 and practised as a surveyor in Invercargill. He joined the Department of Lands and became surveyor for Wellington in 1879, a Commissioner of Crown Lands in 1884 and surveyor-general in 1902.
