A LONG-LOST RELATIVE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 283, 24 November 1908, Page 4

A LONG-LOST RELATIVE

AX INTERESTING COMMUNICATION. Tile Mayor of" Eastbrook (Mr Join Jones) received by the last English mail a letter from a gentleman who signs himself W. J. McMillan, 23, Stevenson Street, Carlton, Glasgow, inquiring for a long lost relative, uo doubt now deceased. The subject of the inquiry s William John McMullan, an uncle of the writer, who was born in Hill Hall, County Down, Ireland, enlisted as a soldier in the 2ad North York Riding Regiment (known in New Plymouth in, the early days as the "Old Tigers,") Belfast, married before going out to New Zealand, where he arrived in December 1552, afterwards settling in Wangauui, where his regimental address was :

Private William John McMullan, Xo. 3001. o.3th Kent Kegnucut. The writer says some members of Mr McMullan's family are supposed still to be living in Wanganui, ami he would be pleased to hear from them. .Mr McMillan forwards the copy of a letter written by. his uncle, dated -t Wanganui, June 27th, 18f)3, in which lie speaks of his wife (Catherine) ami family (2) being well. .Reference is made to his grandfather and grandmother, then living, and to Ids brother ■lames, and goes on to say : "New Australia is one of the finest countries in the world. A laborer has 5s a day and potatoes are selling at Is (id per cwt. We get 2lbs of bread and 21bs of beef for 3'/ 2 d—we get that every day in the week. We sailed from Waime'r Castle oa 13th August, 1552, and lauded in Wellington on the lSth December of the same year. We sailed j round the world." The writer then speaks of the birth of a daughter (evidently on the vessel), and of the kind-1 ness extended to his wife by the doctor and by the oilicers of the regiment. He proceeds: "When we landed we were all received with great welcome. Th.'ii 1 was sent to a place Uicy call Wanganui. I met with a great many men from Lambeg and Hill Hall. There is one man named A. Crow, from Lambeg and another from Hill Hall by the name of Tom t'orkin. His father lives down the meeting-house lane at Arthur Mtuseu's. It will not be very long till I come home to Ireland. . . Will you be kind enough to send me a few newspapers, for there are no papers out in this wild country. There are only a few white people out here yet, and the natives of the country are getting very tame. The name of the people is Meorics, and they are copper-coloured. They wear nothing but a blanket round them. Some have a red one and some a white one. Some of the women are very handsome. . . . Will you send me the. lianner of Ulster, and a few other papers. . , . Direct vour lelt'r to

Wm. John Mullen, Xo. 3"01, both Kegiinent ; New Zealand. On the outside of the letter, which was not in an envelope, but whose covers were fastened with sealing-wax. is the following : From No. 3001, I>l. William John Mullins, 05th Kegiinent. To ltd. .Mr 11. W. Tyrell, ■ Dunberg Keclor. For William Goulrtie, Hill Hall, County Down, Ireland, or elsewhere. On a corner of the address is writcn in another handwriting : | 23rd June, 15.33. U. Patience. Major With Kegt., and Lieut.-Col. Com-] uianding Troops of Wauganui, Xew Zealand.