GOLDEN WEDDING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21988, 12 January 1937, Page 3

GOLDEN WEDDING

PIONEERS OF CANTERBURY memories of early days Fifty years ago to-morrow John Beatty, married Rebecca Verner. Now they are about to celebrate their golden wedding,: and six children and 18 grandchildren are expected to join in the festivities.

Mr Beatty left Longford, Ireland, with his parents on they Royal Stuart in the year 1861. He was then two years of age, so that he remembers little of his arrival and first years la New Zealand.

The family, of which Mr Beatty is the sole surviving member, settled Mst in St, Albans, but after three years they acquired a 50-acre farm at Courtenay. In 1879 Mr Beatty started fanning on his own account at Homebush. In 1887 he married Rebecca, third daughter of Mr and Mrs Matum verner. of County Tyrone, Ire-

Mrs Beatty arrived in' New Zealand P? the Rangitiki in 1879, with a ship load of 500 girls. She explains that women were very scarce in New Zea«nd m those days, and that when the fry arrived they could have marked almost immediately. Many of *h®u, indeed,, did so. v rjp and Mrs Beatty farmed at Homebush until 1915, when they came to St. fliPans, where they have lived ever »mce. There were eight children of S® marriage, and six are still living. George and Sydney Beatty are lanning at Coalgate, and Messrs Anorew and John Beatty are farming at ■ nawkins. Mrs D. Bruce, of St rS 5 * and Mrs G- Hewitt, of South ton, are. daughters. ® e jtty has taken little part in affairs, but he always took an interest in the welfare of the "omebush district. He was for some #ears on the school committee. brni?<rts* e S a^s me when wool 5 r ° ü ßbt from 4d t° 7d per-lb. and 6d o R eTed , for a . sheepskin. Eggs do^en ff l6l1 * and butter 4d L The introduction of freezing, y !'? aa the making of New Zeaaccounts to a large extent Tn prices now ruling. carr.VH ear ty y ears water had to be rki ri,i- r mi i?, s fram the WaimakaS C , olone . l Brett - w ho effect of irrigation in b{fL . the means of the building » that sho^f ter * race . . system. Before Stteriver^drgkf ll once a week of re^^ tty has suff ered considerably ar tluitfs n V,H y l arS j fr P m rheumatoid is at present enjoys comparatively good health.