Raetihi Snow 90 years old

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 420, 21 January 1992, Page 7

Raetihi Snow 90 years old

David John Southee, known by locals as "Snow", celebraled his 90th birlhday on 15 January with friends at the Waimarino and Raetihi Cosmopolitan clubs. Snow as born in Otaki in 1902, and never kncw his parents. He was raised by the local Maoris. At 17 he walked from Otaki to Ohakune with nothing but the clothes he wore, sleeping outdoors as he travelled, with the journey taking a week. He took a job at Gammon's Sawmill and worked there until the mill burnt down in 1923. Snow then worked for a metal supply operator, working in cold mountain streams, knee deep picking up rocks by hand, loading them onto a horse and cart for transportation to the

metal crusher. He retumed and worked in the bush at various tasks - retiring at age 74. In the 60s he received a pension and considered himself relatively well off on the 24 pounds a month he received. His leisure activity was hunting, which he did to provide meat and has many tales to tell of his hunting days. • Snow never married and feels that not having had a wife is at least, in part, responsible for him Teaching his current age. He enjoys good health apart from a dodgy knee which he feels was caused by the long hours in the cold mountain streams. A group of his friends frequently take him to the Waimarino and cos-. mopolitan clubs where Snow enjoys a few beers and a chat.