PIONEERING RECORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1922, Page 4

PIONEERING RECORD.

NATIVE-BORN COLONISTS. OLDEST LIVING COUPLE. The distinction of being the oldest living married couple born in New Zettland apparently belongs to Mr. and Mrs. George Hollard, of New Plymouth, both of whom are just over 80 years of age. Mr. Hollard was horn at Wellington on November 26, 1842. His parents arrived from Britain ar Wellington the year previously in the ship Arab. After his marriage, in 1862, he took up land in the Wairarapa and engaged in sheep and cattle farming, remaining in the district for 25 years. While there he was instrumental, with Sir Walter Buchanan and several others, in founding the first co-operative dairy factory in the Dominion in the days before the introduction o-f the separator and refrigerator. During the Maori wars he was forced to leave his home and seek refuge in Wellington with his family.

Mrs. Hollard was born at Wellington, on June 23, 1841. Her father, the late Mr. Charles William Keys, arrived with the first survey party from the United Kingdom, in 1839, and married a daughter of Mr. Charles Hunt, who arrived in the next vessel following the survey ship. Mr. Keys was the first postmaster at Lower Hutt. He lived to the age of 88 years, and Mrs. Keys to the age of 92. Two of their surviving sons have retired from the Post and Telegraph Department on superannuation. Mr. and Mrs. Hollard have three eons and seven daughters, all married.