PIONEER'S BIRTHDAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 678, 1 June 1929, Page 6

PIONEER'S BIRTHDAY

BUCKLAND RESIDENT IS NINETY-ONE TODAY VOYAGE TO NEW ZEALAND Ono of the pioneers of early New Zealand, Mrs. Ann Smith, of Buckland, is celebrating- her/91st birthday today. She was born at Ivillankare, County Cavan, Ireland, on June 1, 1838, and is the only daughter of the late Mr. Andrew Clark, blacksmith and wheelwright. She lived in the county of her birth till she married her late husband, Mr. James Smith, and two years later the couple, with their one child, left for New Zealand on the ship Dauntless. Mrs. Smith recalls the long passage of live months before the vessel arrived at Auckland. The voyage was a particularly rough one, and two months after leaving Ireland a derelict vessel was sighted. Another event of outstanding interest on the voyage was the sighting of the ship Fiery Star off the coast of Australia. The Fiery Star had caught lire when 12 days out from Brisbane on the way to England. The captain and the passengers had taken to the boats, and left the vessel in the command of the chief officer, and a crew of 17. The captain’s party was never heard of again. The crew of the burning vessel were taken on board by the Dauntless. Mr. and Mrs. Smith landed at Auckland and took up land in the Mauku district, where they built a dwelling and farmed for three years. With rumours that a native rising was imminent, the pioneers removed to Auckland, and later took up land again, this time at Tuakau. For 25 years they farmed there, before removing finally to Buckland. On the death of Mr. Smith some 22 years ago Mrs. Smith went to live -with her daughter, Mrs. F. McKeen, at Buckland. She is at present paying a visit to another daughter, Mrs. J. Handing, of Mount Eden, at whose residence Mrs. Smith’s birthday was celebrated today. Mrs. Smith has a family of five daughters, her two sons having died some years ago. There are 10 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren .