NINETY-NINE TODAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1941, Page 7

NINETY-NINE TODAY

AIRS Al. J. DIAMOND CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY AT CARTERTON. AN OLD AND HIGHLY ESTEEMED SETTLER. (“Times-Age” Special.) Still hale and hearty Mrs Martha Jane Diamond reached her ninetyninth birthday today and at the celebrations she is surrounded by her family, except her two sons, Messrs Edward and Charles Diamond of Hastings, who were unable to be present 1 . Those of the family present were Mesdames John McKenzie and A. E. Hall (Carterton), H. Hall and A. Golder (Wellington) and M. Hart (Masterton). Mrs Diamond was born on December 2, 1842, at Clonwell County, Waterford, Irelanu, of Cornish parentage, her father being a civil engineer and having gone to Ireland from England to carry out work for the Government. From there she left with her parents in the sailing ship “Hiawatha” for Australia. Later in life she was married at Ballarat, Victoria, and came to New Zealand with her husband, the late Mr Joseph Diamond, who predeceased her 32 years ago. For many years the family lived in Hilton Road, Carterton, and after the death of her husband Mrs Diamond has resided with her daughter, Mrs J. McKenzie, Carterton. Mrs Diamond can relate many stirring incidents of the early..days in the Wairarapa. Many telegrams and letters were received by Mrs DiamoncT from well wishers from all parts of New Zealand, including messages from the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr P. Fraser, and Mr Ben Roberts, M.P. for Wairarapa.