EXTRA TROUSERS!

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 6

EXTRA TROUSERS!

" UNCLE JOHN'S " SUIT.

NINETY-SIXTH BIRTHDAY

EXPECTS TO REACH CENTURY,

' Known in Auckland and its environs as "Uncle John," Mr. John Muir, of Coronation Road, Mangere, will celebrate the 90th anniversary of his birth on Now Year's Day.

Bom on the Clydeside, Scotland, Mr. Muir arrived with his parents by the Duchess of Argyle in 1842. Mr. James Robertson, of Mangere, who died nop long ago, was a,fellow passenger, Mi\ Muir spent his boyhood in I Auckland, and started work at an early age at farming, and afterwards he was engaged in stock-tending on the west coast, near Manukau Heads when the Orpheus was wrecked on the Manukau bar. Mr. Muir was married in the original St. John s Presbyterian Church at Papatoetoe, by the pioneer minister of the church, the Rev. John Macky. During the Maori War he had arduous tasks to perform when he took to driving beef cattle to the troops fighting in the Waikato. He. was charge man for the contractors to the commissariat department of the forces, and on one occasion was responsible for driving' about 300 bead of cattle to the front line, a task which involved crossing the Waikato River with the mob. _ „ ~ . In recalling this experience Mr. Muir said that one such trip was sufficient for a lifetime. He was paid a guinea a day on the trip, and he earned every penny of it. Proceeding to the Taranaki district, Mr. Muir and his- brother acquired several blocks of land at Manaia, and after clearing and developing these holdings Mr. Muir commenced stock rearing and dealing. He recalled that among a mob of 300 horses which he bought from a Maori chief he was surprised when the local police officer advised him that a fine grey horse was the missing mount of one of the troop officers during the war. The matter was fixed up quite easily when Mr. Muir bought the animal a second time. Dealing extensively in horses and fat stock, Mr." Muir shipped most of his animals to Auckland during the 20 years he resided in Taranaki. He retired to live at Mangere about 25 years ago. Mr. Muir continues to enjoy good health. He gave up horse riding a few years ago, hut still, spends much of his time in the garden! Concerning the secret of longevity he is in agreement with Sir James Crichton-Browne, grand old man of British medicine, who, when celebrating his 95th birthday last November, said that one secret of longevity was to avoid fuss and keep clear of fads—"and," added Mr. Muir, "especially of superstition." Above all, the great thing was to preserve an interest in passing events and to have faith in the future.

In the past "Uncle John" has stated his opinion that to live to be 100 years is a reasonable goal for a man to hold in view, and as evidence that he expects to reach it, and that ho is free from superstition, he on Friday, December 13, ordered a new suit of clothes from his tailor' at Onehunga—with an extra. pair of trousers.