SIXTY-EIGHT YEARS A COLONIST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 810, 5 March 1910, Page 4

SIXTY-EIGHT YEARS A COLONIST.

That the climate of New Zealand is favourable to longevity is proved by Mr William Thomas Dunn, who, on Tuesday celebrated the 68th anniversary ol his arrival in the Dominion. Mr Dunn is now 80 years of age and is still in the enjoyment of good heilth. With his father and mother and his brothers and sisters he arrived in Wellington in the good ship “ Rurman,” 500 tons, under the auspices of the New Zealand Company on isi March 1842, having sailed from Deptford on 16th October 1841, as nearly as Mr Dunn can recollect. Mrs Maxton is his sister aged 82 Mr Kdward Dunn, Mr John Dunn, and Mr Henry Dunn are his brothers.

Replying to a leading question pul to him by our reporter, Mi Dunn became reminiscent. “On trying to make Port Nicholson," he said, “the captain saw the pilot at the head of Palliser Bay making signals, which appeal could not be understood. The pilot then came alongside wiihhis boat and ordered ship about. She would not answer her helm, and two boats from the ship with tin pilot boat pulled her head round to sea, and towed her out with the turn of the tide. Had this not been done the ship would have gone ashore, but not knowing the danger, we were glad to see the land. The fact was that the ship was in Palliser Bay and would have become a total wreck had it not been for the pilot’s signal. After being towed out, a favourable breeze sprang up, enough to carry us to Wellington and we dropped down below Kaiwarawarra. Next day we landed in the ship’s long boat, which had already been fitted up for this purpose during the voyage. The boat was taken along the shore down southwards from Kaiwarawarra to Wellington and I saw the rocky shore, which frightened me ; it looked so inhospitable, the bush then being down to the edge ot the shore. We then went ashore at a place called “ Cook’s Store,” which had been engaged for the “ Burman ” emigrants as the immigration barracks were full. The “Cook’s Store” was near to where the “Golden Bazaar ” in I.ambton Quay now stands, and was afterwards converted into barracks for the 58th Regiment, who were then stationed in Wellington.” The first ten years after landing in New Zealand, Mr Dunn resided in Wellington, in various occupations. After that he proceeded to the Victorian gold-fields, and followed the occupation of a goldminer, with the usual varying success, hut on the whole he was successful. Returning from Victoria, Mr Dunn landed at Karori. Then the Otago gold-fields attracted him in 1861, and he spent two years there. Coming back to Wellington from Otago after a few years, he followed various occupations, and ultimately started baking in the Wairarapa in 1872, where he has resided ever since, part of the time in Featherston and part in Greytown.—Wairarapa Standard.