NEARING THE CENTURY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 251, 22 October 1926, Page 14

NEARING THE CENTURY.

MR. ADAM HENDERSON. A STAUNCH METHODIST. RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY DAYS.

Mr. Adam Henderson, of "Victoria Road, Devonport, celebrated his 95th birthday yesterday, when the hale old colonist was entertained, not only by his many relatives and friends, but also by the young people of the Methodist Church in the marine suburb, who are banded together under the style of the League of Young Methodists. Mr. Henderson lias always been a stauncli supporter of the Methodist Church, and the young people gathered at his home to sing , some of his favourite hymns. The old gentleman was very much, touched when the little daughter of the Rev. Parsons presented him with a beautiful bouquet, on behalf of the young people. A beautiful birthday cake, with 0.3 written in golden letters on the top, was cut, and a happy afternoon spent. There was. quite a big gathering of relatives, including three sons and three daughters, 29 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, some of the latter being 21 years of age.

When questioned about his health, Mr. Henderson said he felt very well, indeed. He had been wonderfully free from sickness and had not a pain ot an ache. He attributed this to the very active and temperate life he had lived. At one time he had been rather a heavy smoker and it was worth telling how he knocked it off over forty years ago. He was going along the road one Sunday morning smoking his pipe, when he met a young fellow he knew much, the ' worse for drink, and he pleaded with him to "become an abstainer. ' "How can you ask mc to do that?" replied the young fellow, "drinking is no worse than smoking." "Well, if I give up smoking, will you give up drinking , ?" asked Mr. Henderson. "Of course, I will," was the reply, and there and then the two made a vow, the pipe was trampled underfoot, and all thrcugh. the years down till now a pipe had never touched his lips. He had every reason to believe that the other man kept true to the vow he made. Mr. Henderson said that he was born in Wigby, in Yorkshire, although, lie believed he was of Scottish descent, and people often told him ihe had many Scottish characteristics. At six years of age he moved with his> family , to Monkweasmouth, in the North of England, where he lived till he left with, his young wife and child in 1858.

Queen Street a Bog,

He came out in the ship Harwood (Captain Forsythe) and Auckland was a very small place in thoee days. He paid the passages of himself and Ms family out here, and there was no such thing as I'ree emigration at that time. He could remember when Queen Street was little less than a bog in the winter time and one of tihe most importantstreets was -Shortland Street. He could recall many incidents $of the business life of the city in those early days, but he would just mention the keen interest which was taken in auction sales. People were ever on the lookout for bargains; there -was not. much money about and every penny had to be laid out to the best advantage. There were two firms of auctioneers operating at the Cochrane, just round the corner near Fort Street, and Collins and Hidings, in Queen Street. Traffic was not congested and they displayed their wares in the street. It was a mixed lot of goods which were put under the hammer, iron cooking utensils being keenly sought after, for tie homes of the people were simple and it was half a century afterwards that -aluminium ware made its appearance and the iron pot and the iron kettle were consigned to the rubbish tip.

When he first came to live in Auckland he used to worship at the Wesleyan Church in High Street and was one of the subscribers to the Pitt Street Church (which has just celebrated its diamond jubilee). He was for some years Sunday School superintendent there. He recalled with much pride' the names of some of the early ministers conneced with the church. He remembered the vigorous personality of the Key. James Watkin, and the late Dr. W. Morley, together with the Key. Alexander Reid, flic looked upon as giants in the church. The Eev. Henry, Bull, the Eev. Joseph. Berry, and tihe Eev!. W. J. Williams he looked upon as ministers who Lave never been excelled as preachers full of fire and a passion for saving men's souls.

He went to live at Devonport over forty years ago and has since taken a very active part in the Methodist Church work there.

The Oia Firm. The firm wih which he had .for long been connected, Henderjbn and Spraggon, shipbuilders, of Freeman's Bay, was well known in the city, and he was glad to say that one of his sons, Robert, was still connected with the old firm. He remembered what a kind man the Superintndent of. the Auckland Province (the Hon. John Williamson) was. If he could help anyone, never mind how humble, he was willing to see them at any time at his house and offer them the best assistance he could. '

"I live a good deal in the past," he concluded, "but tihis is a wonderful age we are living in. It almost seems too swift for an old person like myself to live muoh longer in it." It' was, always a joke that the flags were flying on his birthday, but he knew that they were flying for Trafalgar Day. So long as everyone was "happy, that was the main thing.