OTAGO CENTENARIAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 6 August 1929, Page 8

OTAGO CENTENARIAN

MR JOSIAH KEYS

AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER

Mr Jpsiah Keys, of Toiro, Utago, the veteran whoso fiundiedth birthday was celebrated on Tuesday, discoursed with a representative of the "Otagu Daily Times" concerning some of the most colourful incidents in a. life which, in lii.s younger diiys, was by no means devoid of adventure. *

Mr Keys) was burn in Doneiniina, County Tyrone, lroluud, on 3Qtli July, 1829. His father was a fanner, and had been a linen manufacturer in a. .small way, employing nino hand-loom workers, who did the weaving in their home!,, the employer supplying Lho material. Wages were poor* indeed, ill those days, ablebodied men employed as labourers being able to earn oVly 6d a day and food.

THE POTATO FAMINE Ireland was a poor country in-those days, with a population of some 9,000,000, since reduced to half by emigration and famine. Mr Keys can well remember the great potato "rot" of '46, and the dreadful famine that followed in its wake. The "rot" came in a night. Mr Keys and his brother were out among their crop, remarking how fine the potatoes looked, when next morning they lay blackened, and in, three days every potato had rotted in tho ground. The poor people, who were dependent on potatoes for their main sustenance, suffered and died in thousands, while thousands, more emigrated, chiefly, to America-. .

Jn 1847/when about 18, Mr Keys left Ireland for America. . When • they ar-. rived at New York (there was no Ellis Island in those days) they were allowed to land immediately, without quarantine of any kind. -Mr Keys went by rail to tho one-time Quaker city of Philadelphia, where ho had an uncle. He began in Philadelphia as an apprentice to uie engineering trade, at a wage of five dollars a week. When lie was 21 he Was. "free," it being the rulo iu Philadelphia that when an apprentice attained his, majorjty'he was entitled to rank as a journeyman, ho matter how many years ho had served. Mr. Keys's wage was increased to nine dollars weekly, and he was made a "gang" boss for the firm of P. Morris and Co., Port Richmond, ironworks. Later ho was promoted to bo foreman of the machine shop, and there remained until- 1062.

Mr Keys was thus resident m tho North when the, trouble with 'he Southern .States started, over the burning question-of slavery. Lincoln was-.elected President in 1860, and the Civil War really broke gut in 18.61. Having received all offer to go to Cuba to fit up machinery, Mr Keys- accepted it for health reasons. Ho then, went back to the. States, and subsequently returned to Cuba, and took a. job as superintendent of the sugar boiling operations and engineer on the- Sante Fo plantation. For this he received a salary of- 1500 dollars per half year. For six years he held this job, and then took a tvjp back to Ireland to see his relatives, going by way of the United States, and staying three months. When he went back to Cuba lie found tho island in, a state of civil war, a powerful party having revolted against tho might of his Spanish Majesty. That was in 1868, and the spasmodic lighting did not interfere with Mr Keys pursuing the even tenor of his way. in, search of employment and dollars. "LIFE WAS GOOD"

"Life was good iu those days," said tho old man, with kindling eyes, "hut my life would not have been worth a snap of the fingers if it had. been in anyone's interest to 'do mo in.' " The Governor'of .his district was a man named O'Donnell, a descendant of an Ulster family, who had gone to Spain and attained influence there. A friendship sprang up between these two young men so dissimilarly placed, and it was to prove of great advantage to- the subject of this sketch. .Determining to leave Cuba, Mr Keys proceeded to the town of Guantanamo, his friend the Governor proving of great assistance. Next day the town was besieged by rebels, and Mr Keys went to work again iu the railway shops. They were lively times in the Cuban town, and it was quite a common sight to see a. party of drunken soldiers running amuck and shooting innocent residents. It.was so easy to get drunk in those days,- when the word prohibition, as applied to liquor, was unknown. In Guantanamo it was the pleasant .practice of storekeepers to set a cask of rum in the street outside thenpremises, knock the top off, and place a pannikin obligingly beside it, so that the soldiers could help themselves. The result was sometimes dangerous for peaceful citizens going about their lawful avocations.

ARRIVAL IN NEW ZEALAND Eventually Mr Keys got clear of Cuba, with its perils and delights, and arrived in London on lsl June. 1870, and for two yeai-s was idle, having reached the conclusion thai, lie had earned a good holiday. Tiring of this he went to work for tho Irish North-Western Railway Company in Londonderry at 28s a week. At this time Gladstone had disestablished tho Irish Church, and the rector at Donemana, being unable to find a curate, Mr Keys leased the manse property, - which belonged to tho Duke of Aberroru. Later Mr Keys purchased 35 acres adjoining for £3OO, lived there for eight years, and made it pay. His son, William J. Keys, since deceased, had gone to New Zealand in 1877, and wrote asking his father to join him. Nothing loth, the old wanderer sold his little Irish. estate for £SOO, and sailed for Now Zealand in the ship Nelson, which reached herd: on Christmas Day, 1880." Mr Keys commenced a search for land in the Southland district, and had selected an area of 500 acres, but ill-health in the family prevented him carrying his iutention'into effect, and ho finally settled at Toiro,'in the Clu'tha district. The railway station at Toiro is in the centre of the farm he took up. lii 1890 Caterhopo estate was subdivided, and lie purchased 224 acres adjoining his original farm, which he leased to his son William some years.subsequently. After his wife's death Mr Keys lived at Toirc for some time, and .then' removed to Balclutha. leaving Ihe farm !o the-care of his son. While in BiilcluMia he was a familiar figure on the local bowling green, taking a, keen .interest in the

game, and making many friends, , who were delighted to meet u man over 99 years of age possessing such-keen Mite! ligencc, » retentive memory, and able to dip at will i.:t.» reminiscences of a. most interesting career. Like-many men re-rriKi-kuhlc for longevity. Mr Keys h;ualways bceri an onthuKiaslie garonne*,

and even now is neve;' so happy as whui pottering shout in the garden of his dnughtejMn-hiw at Toiro.. In appearance he is spare and somewhat bent, with silvery white hair and beard. He has a bright alert appearance, arid he pays particular attention

to sartorial requirements, idrynvs ap pearing on-Sundays, dressed in' black broadcloth, and wearing- - vellow kid gloves. Thai he has actually witnessed and participated, in.scenes thai the inajcrilv of people now living have only' ,-,..„'| about can be bent visualised when il is slated that he: can remeinbei being taken as a child of seven t<- Londonderry to hear the ballad sun;,- on the accession to the Throne of the .Young Queen Victoria, v/hofjf! reign of CA years (1837-1610) was the longest in British history. He » i; ,s need |[ ( i:|) C reigns of live Rritish Sovereigns, viz.. Geor-ro TV., William IV., Vietonr.. Edward VII., nod George V. Yet fur liiui the stream of life still (lews freely and placidly.