99 Years of Age

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 92, 30 March 1936, Page 6

99 Years of Age

HASTINGS PIONEER Mr. Geo. Lines’s Birthday Yesterday VIGOROUS RECITATION The vigorous and clearly uttered recitation of a poem that he had learnt 90 years ago, when he was nine years of age, was one of the delightful incidents of a gathering of friends and relatives who met yesterday at the homo of Mr. George Lines, St. George’s road, to celebrate his 99th birthday. Those present were Mrs. Hawthorn (eldest daughter), Mrs. Harper (Otane), Mrs. Bowld (Takapauj, Mrs. R. Greenfield (Napier), his two surviving sons, Messrs Edward (Dannevirke), and Percy Lines (Hastings), four grandchildren, Messrs R. Glenfield (son-in-law) and H. Greenfield and Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Grainger. Mr. Lines was born in Bedfordshire, England, on March 29, 1837. At nine veais of age he was apprenticed to his uncle, a chemist and druggist, of Bedford, for nine years. His father left England in 1855 for Australia, arriving at Adelaide. Mr. Geo Lines went to the Bendigo goldfield, but did nut find gold in his claim, and after tackling various jobs, especially driving pack trains of mules and horses (the then means of transporting goods into the country), he and a mate took ship tor New Zealand. Ho tried his luck at ths Thames lor a time, and then came to Hawke’s Bay. He lauded at Napier and worked for the l"-te Mr. P. Dolbel on the farm ami | the brickworks. It was then that ~e met and married the late Mrs. Lines. Next he worked for the late Mr. Thos. Tanner and acquired from him two acres of land where Queen street west now is. There he erected a cottage, and there liis first child was born.

Mr. Lines next went to Dannevirke in about 1880, and acquired a section of 40 acres, with a frontage of 10 chains to the main street. Land in those days in Dannevirke was only £lO an acre (in later years some of the frontage was sold at £5O a foot). Later this property was exchanged for a farm at Maharahara, where the family resided until Mr. Lines retired on selling the farm some 27 years ago and came to reside in Hastings.

Mr. 11. E. Grainger had the honour of proposing the toast of the evening, and in the course of his remarks he said it gave him great pleasure to wish Mr. Lines good health and happiness for the years that may yet remain to him. He had known Mr. Lines for over 48 years, and as a young man just out from the Old Country he had received many kindnesses from Mr. and Mrs. Lilies and much good advice about felling the bush, clearing and sowing the land, and farming it. All thiough the years he and his wife had been close friends of the family. . Ho asked all present to join with him in drinking a toast to the grand old man. Mr. Lines thanked everyone for their good wishes and recited a poem which he said he had learned when nine yeaxs if age and which he had often repeated because it helped him when he felt lonely or depressed.