KEEN OF EYE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 230, 27 September 1940, Page 8

KEEN OF EYE.

VETERAN RIFLEMAN.

MR. WELLESLEY COX, AGED 90

Said to 'be the oldest living rifleman in New Zealand, Mr. W'cllesley H. Cox, of 8, Rossgrove Terrace, Mount Albert, who celebrated hie 90th birthday to-day, is just a* keen of eye and as alert of brain as he was when he won his first prize 78 years ago. That's a long time ago, but Mr. Cox has no trouble in fixing dates. Born in Portdown, Northern Ireland, on September 27, 1850, he arriTed in Auckland with his parents on October 10. 1855. in the vessel Joseph Fletcher, which was under the command of Captain Foster.

The passengers landed from their 98day voyage at Commercial Bay—a bay that has since been eliminated and is now built over by Auckland's, modern buildings. "Our first taxi was a bullock wagon, which took ns up to Hobson Street and a mud cottage near St. Matthew's Church." Mr. Cox said today. His father, Mr. Robert Cox, built the first grocer's shop, which was situated at the corner of Welles ley and Hobson Streets. That was in the year 1856 and later the elder Cox took up farming in various places in and around Auckland.

After finishing his education at Wesley College. Mr. Wellesley Cox worked at various trades. After a period of farming with his father, he took part in mining activities all over Xew Zealand and was connected with the timber industry and etorekeeping before eventually taking up building as a trade. He retired from active business some 15 years ago.

Memories of War. He retains memories of the days when the Auckland Volunteers and Militia were stationed at Papakura with the Regulars and he used to take fresh provisions down 'by coach to his brother. In 1883 Mr. Cox married Miss Elizabeth Murphy at Whangarei, the Rev. W. H. Hawkes performing the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have a, family of four boys and three girls, all of whom are living. They are:—Mesdames W. K. Morton (Silverhope) and J. Raine (Wellington). Mies M. E. Cox and Messrs. W. H. Cox, R. H. Cox. John Cox and T. N. Cox. all of Auckland.

Since he arrived in the Dominion So years ago, Mr. Cox has been out of the country only for a period of two years, when he was in Melbourne. He has also lived in Wellington for 10 years and in Christchurch for a brief period.

As a rifle shot he was outstanding and won the Seymour Thorne George Medal for four consecutive years, from 1881 and 1884. When he was 75 years of age he won the first prize at the Suburbs Defence Rifle Club competition in Wellington. He had surprised everybody a few years previously -by winning the competition held at the Auckland Exhibition of 1913-14, after 'being out of practice for years. In his time, too, he was a middle distance runner and was also prominent in the quarter-mile hurdles and steepleehasing. He has also been an enthusiastic cricketer.

He recently suffered the only serious illness of a long life, and to-day he was talcing the opportunity to enjoy the sun on the front porch. He said he had always had an active life and it was a disappointment to him that he could not move round more actively.