NINETY YEARS OLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 155, 3 July 1931, Page 3

NINETY YEARS OLD.

RESIDENT OF WHANGAREI.

MRS. ANN WORTHINGTON.

FULL OF THE JOY OF LIVING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. Mrs. Ann Worthington, of Portland Road, Whangarei, was 90 years of age yesterday. She lives alone and yesterday did her washing. She retired shortly after 9 p.m., as is her custom, slept soundly, and rose this morning at 7.30 o'clock—a wonderful old lady, still full of the joy of living. On her birthday Mrs. Worthington was delighted to welcome a reporter, who was among the many to extend congratulations. To, be 90 and look and feel like 70 is a triumph for good living. Mrs. Worthington said she had always been careful in the selection of her food, abstaining from everything which disagreed with her. Her face is almost unlined and her hands are as steady as a rock. She does not know what nerves mean. "I should do, though," the old lady told the reporter, with one of her spontaneous laughs. "At Parua Bay once I was set upon by a bull and rolled and tossed in all directions. Look at this" (showing a big scar running right across her wrist). "I was black and blue, but I did not need a doctor." She has not been seen by a doctor for a year, and her only trouble is her legs, the weakness of which prevent her . from being a frequent visitor to town. While she reads, Mrs.. Worthington. uses weak-lensed glasses. Until six years ago she had glasses for outside use, but she has quite recovered her long sight, and can see clearly to tlie horizon line, where the hills close round Whangarei. . Born in Sunderland, Mrs. Worthington spent her early life at Darlington, about 50 miles from her birthplace. In 1884 she married and a year later, when her husband's health became affected, they decided to try their luck in New Zealand. Work was almost as scaice then as it is now, and after a short time at Onehunga, Mr. and':. Mrs. Worthington took up a farm at Parua Bay. "It was very hard work," the old lady said, expressively. "I did nursing and other things whenever possible and sometimes we were able to sell our butter. The price we were paid was 4d per lb and a dozen eggs realised the same amount. Small ships used .to call and Parua Bay was the centre for timber The work was hard, but Mr. Worthington completely regained his health. Twenty-one years ago the old couple retired to the cottage in Portland Road and Mr. Worthington died six years ago, being then over 80 years of age. There arc three sons, Messrs. W. J. Worthington, of Glen Massey, late of Ivaikohe; Thomas, Devonport, and Herbert, native school, Aramiro. Mrs. Worthington is very interested in Mrs. Baker, who was 90 years of age in January; in Mrs. Corns, who attained the same age last April, and in Mrs. Hoey. A meeting between these four grand old ladies of Whangarei would be a unique event.