106 YEARS OF AGE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 149, 19 March 1936, Page 10

106 YEARS OF AGE

South Canterbury Centenarian Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, March 17. Probably the oldest man in New Zealand, Mr. Patrick Lucas Hamilton, ?f Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, celebrated his one hundred and sixth birthday to-day. He was born in County Donegal, Ireland, on St. Patrick’s Day, 1830, in the reign of William IV. He came to New Zealand in 1870, and after three years at Waitohi, South Canterbury, took up his abode on his present property. Every- day of his life, Mr. Hamilton says, he has xvashed in cold water, and he is no believer in hot baths. He has never succumbed to the insidious hotwater bottle. He still retains his full faculties, is a keen reader, and can hear the Pleasant Point clock striking three miles away. lie gave up smoking more than 20 years ago. He states that he has never had a day’s illness in his life, and is still able to dig in his gardenAs there would bo hardly room-for 106 candles on bis birthday cake, tiie centenarian has started over again; be had only six caudles, one for each of his years in excess of 100. He cut the cake himself, in the midst of his family, who were assembled to celebrate the occasion. He also received numerous messages of congratulation.