NINETY-SEVEN TO-DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 12

NINETY-SEVEN TO-DAY.

MR. PHILIP LE QUESNE.

Hamilton's oldest resident, Mr. Philip Le Quesne, celebrated his 97th birthday to-day. Born in Jersey on October 7. 1830, lie remained there until he was 24 years of age. For the first four years of his apprenticeship as a carpenter he received no wages, and he was later given 1/6 per day. He had to walk five miles to his work, and was employed from 6 a.m. until 6.30 p.m., with breaks for breakfast and lunch.

Married in 1859, on Christmas Day, Mr. Le Quesne sailed for New Zealand I ten days later. After working at his trade for some months in Auckland, Mr. Le Quesne started a store in Karangahape Road with a capital of £30. Some time later Mr. Le Quesne bought an acre of land on the site now occupied by the Waikato Hotel, for £30. He built a store on the section, which was afterwards moved, and Mr. Le Quesne then built the first Waikato Hotel, for which he made the bricks himself. Mr. Le Quesne conducted the hotel, also had a store, and was the first postmaster at Hamilton, where he has lived for 67 years. :