OUR PIONEERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2831, 8 January 1925, Page 3

OUR PIONEERS.

SOME OF NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST BORN. According to Captain W. H. Hargraves of Wellington, there are three New Zealand-born white women living in the Bay of Islands who are older than Mrs Holland, whom was recently claimed to be the oldest New Zealand born white person •of either sex alive to-day. One of the women, Mrs Beddgood, a grandaunt of Captain Hargraves, is stated to be well over 90 years of age, while the captain’s mother is 87 years of age. Mrs Kemp, old identity, will shortly celebrate her 87th birthday. Both Mrs Hargraves and Mrs Kemp were members of Dr. Marsden’s missionary party. In regard to the claims made as to the oldest living white person born in the Dominion, the record i for longevity of the New Zealandborn seems so far to be held by Mrs Edwards, of Feeding, mother of Messrs J, and T. H. Edwards, of Levin. Mrs Edwards, whose maiden name was Sarah Jane Ray, first saw' light in Wellington on January Ist, 1839, and is therefore in her 87th year, says the Chronicle. She still . enjoys good health and presided over a happy family gathering at Feilding at Christmas time. The claim of Mr G. H. Shute, of Masterton, who celebrated his 82nd birthday on Christmas Eve, to he the oldest New Zealand-horn white man in the Dpminion, has now to be placed a close second to that of an old Identity now living in New Plymouth. Mr G. Hollard, of Fi'llis St., celebrated his 82nd birthday on 26th November, and is therefore a month older than Mr Shute. Both Mr and Mrs Hollard are still hale and hearty, and carry their years well, says the -“Taranaki Herald.” Mr Shute and his father were known to them many years ago during the Maori war and the years following. If Mr Hollard can claim to be the oldest New Zealand-bom white man in the Dominion, then his wife has a better claim to be the oldest New Zealand-bom white woman or even -the oldest New Zealand-bom white person of either sex, as she is older than her husband. Her 83rd birthday was celebrated on 23rd June last. Both were bom in Wellington. Mr Hollard’s father, Mr Charles Hollard, came to New Zealand in the Arab in 1841. Mrs Hollard’s mother was a daughter of Charles Hunt, who came out to New Zealand with the survey party oy the Adelaide in 1840. She' was married to Charles William Keys, who came out in the Cuba, in 1840, the marriage being the second that was performed in the colony. After living in the Wairarapa for a time, Mr and Mrs Hollard settled at Kaponga, where they remained for 32 years. They have been living in New Plymouth for the past 11 years.