ROYAL (N.Z.) FENCIBLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 260, 9 November 1897, Page 5

ROYAL (N.Z.) FENCIBLES.

A gathering of a unique character was held to-day at Howiok, a jubilee festival being held in commemoration of the landing of the Royal N.Z. Fencibles at Howick in 1847. As might be expected there are now not many of the old veterans left who were landed on Howick Beach half a century ago for the purpose of making a home for themselves amongst the fern and ti-tree in order to form a permanent outpost of military settlers for the future defence of the then infant city of Auckland. As a matter of fact Mr Thomas Heath is the sole male survivor of the particular group that formed the original Howick settlement, while Mrs Heath and Mrs Frost are the last members of the band of matrons who accompanied their husbands. There are, however, survivors of other adjacent pensioner settlements, and these attended at the Howick gathering today to talk over old times. Mr Heath lias now reached the advanced age of 83 years. He saw service in Syria in 1836, and was invalided shortly afterwards. That the Fencibles were settlers of the right stamp to send to a new country was manifest to-day, when their descendants arrived in large numbers at Howick to commemorate the anniversary of the arrival of their progenitors. In order to carry out the celebration successfully a Committee was formed of which Mr John White was the Secretary. Invitations were forwarded to the Hon. Colonel Haul tain, the last of the divisional officers, and many others interested in the gathering' and it is needless to say that where possible those asked attended. A 'bus load left Auckland early this morning, arriving in time for the sports which took place this afternoon. At 3 o'clock the guests partook of a dinner provided in the Oddfellows' Hall, and it is arranged that the festivities shall close with a ball in the same building this evening. '