GOLDEN WEDDING IN PAHIATUA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4750, 18 June 1894, Page 3

GOLDEN WEDDING IN PAHIATUA.

'Fifty Years of Married Life An event of unnsiml interest was the celebration in Pnhintua last Friday by Mi and Mrs John Vile, of their golden wedding, which intersting ceremony was mnvked by a gathering of the decondants of the aged couple from different parts of itlio district. The gathering was presided over by Mr Job Vile, the , oldest son of tho venovable couplo 'As was to be expected in such an assemblage the utmost harmony prevailed, and the family gathering was of a most cordial and happy character.

At the conclusion of the repast Mr Job Vile, in a well-timed speech, said the event was of a character which it rarely fell to mau's lot to participate in; and very few families indeed nere able to meet for a purpose similar to the one which had called them together. They had great cause for thankfulness in being able to celebrate a golden wodding. Possibly not one of them present might be able to participate in a similar ceremony during their lifetime, And in the fact that they were all in health and shength there was occasion for thankfulness iiom the' bride and brit'egroom down to the youngest in tho room. A little peculiarity about the affair was thenuni- j ber of those present. There were picsent two piuents, seven sons and daughters, 21 grandchildien and five great-grandchildieu. Absent there were one son and 13 grandchildren, making a total of one short of half a century. He thought that 'was a good family for any fathorand Imothcr to be pioud of.

As Mr Vile sat down a tremendous shower of lice thrown from all corner. l ) of the room greeted Mr and Mrs Yile, senr,

Mr John Vile expressed thankful- ' ness that they had Jjeen able to assemble together in commemoration of tlieir fifty yoais of married life. Theio were several peculiarities about the celebiation which, however, he would not diwill on. One little tiling he would mention for the benefit of the young wives and young , men, and that was that the necktie ' he woie when he wai married 50 ' years ago, .he was wearing that day; it had been kept during . all the yeais, andmight aifordto the ; young wives a lesson on the value of taking care of things. His had been a good wife, and sljo was likely: to cp.nfinue so, Mr Vile then, address- . ing himself to the members of his family, urged upon them to combine ! as a family to fulfil their religious mid civil duties, and especially uigetl them to use their efforts in the : direction of mitigating the evils ( of, and putting a stem to, tho drink tra'f: fie,'' ' '; ' ." - ' T)io Hov, J. W. QrifEen expressed tho pleasure he felt at being present that day. He spoke of the very deep respect ho entertained towards Mr and Mrs Vile,, Tho words " the generation of the pure shall: be blessed" was exemplified in the life and character of Mr and Mrs Vilo. Mr Vile's enthusiasm in the matter of tho drink traffic had also aroused his, and, in many other respects, [intercourse with Mr Vilo had been beneficial to him, Ho extended' to Mr aiulMrs Vile hislicariy congratulations, and trusted that for many years they would be spared to bo a blessing'on the earth and do good. Mr Job Vile said'he : had oxpecfed to'he!\'i , 'frp i m'']iis fatlier sohio reminiscences of the early days' ini the colony. As they'had not been given he wouldgo on with a little' of it, Mr Vilo then narrated how in tlio early days iji the Wairarapa, before any other, means of locqmotio.n existed there, his fafher, himself, and ft sister'(Mrs oj' Wallihg-. |pn)]iiid talked Jrpm thp Lpwey JJuttfa Pfirtprfpnr-tlien kno?ir as tho T|ircc,niilo Bush., and vlmt is now Main-street, being a nrad track, His father and himself had to sleep, , on slabs in a whaie, .Afterwards' : they went to Gladstone, and there | had often to depend • for' food , on'tho kindness- of- the Maoris, , many timeshaving to get wheat from ■ them and grind it in a small hand mill to obtain a meal, AUogethcv [ his father and mother had seen their j share of the rough life of the pioneer , settler—fording swollen rivers, and traversing trackless wilds'almost in , their daily avocations, Now-a-days , every man wanted'a carriage drive i almpstto'liia'door) j;';' l ! -\>\ ' Mr Jolm Vilo, sehr., supplemented 1 these ronfiiusceheefi,'narttit'lng Ml | dents from thetime ivhen they landed; from the ship, On board which dui'-' . nig' the voyage' twenty persons had s died, from etniTatjoD, .to jth^datQ

of jthe| CJieal' JiGkdstone, at which latter, place the Maoris once tied, himmp:and threatened to 'shoot liim for wanting ito buy : a bushel 'of !; for yd'. Those ;..woro the .days ..when ,the' three'''PV'-roVfbathoKtun; and the leading politicians of the colony. Dr. Foathorston met ,him<on tho ship and offered him.a billet which, howevbr, he did not accopt. .! ■ ;MrHehry;VibJ ! iuthqc'qurse;oia neat speech, referred to the facttliat Mis Yiile,. whb: was ptesoilfc, was with her parents,alsoapassengor by the same ship.'' :1:: '■ '■'■- ■■ This concluded .the " speech-mak-ing," and tho rest of the oveuing was very onjoyably *. spent, by all present.' Mr and Mrs Yilo were- the. recipients of hearty congratulations from scores of friends.' To those already received we hasten to add ours, coupled with a hearty'wish that for many years thoy may yet be' spaied amongst w—Mialua : Hcra(d. A . , 1