A CENTENARIAN

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1939, Page 2

A CENTENARIAN

WOMAN RESIDENT AT W AIM ATE

(Per Press Association.—Copyright).

WAIMATE, April 28

Mrs , Ann Hubbard who will celebrate. , her . hundredth birtlidav tomorrow, has been living in the same cottage in Prices Street, Waimate, for 60 years, and is the town’s oldest resident. Mrs Hubbard retains to the full all faculties except that her eyesight is failing.

.Mrs , Hubbard; was .born in Falsmoutli, England, in. 1839. Her busband, Mr George Hubbard,, Norfolk, decided■ to try his fortune- in New Zealand and with, six children Mr and Mrs Hubbard embarked on the sailing vessel Peeress on July 24, 1879. After four months they arrived- at Lyttelton, where they transhipped dor Tirnaru, .landing, in surf boats. Of the shipmates of the Hubbard family the only two survivors in the district are Mr J. Wilde <.f Princess Street, Waimate, and Mr D. Pi ne, of Opie Street. The Hubbard family at first settled at Tirnaru, but some, years later-mov-ed to the Waimatedistrict, where Mr Hubbard took up a position as manager of Mr Leonard . Price’s estate at L'ownlands. Five years later Mr Hubhard bought a farm just Outside tbo growing town of Waimate and since that time,' until recently, Mrs Hubhard has lived at Little Cottage, on the holding. Mrs Hubbard remembers more than half a century ago, when the tussock and flax spread right to the edge of

the track that to-day is Quoqii Street. In those 'days there wore lew roads and Tirnaru, which supplied many of the heeds of- settlers,. was two days

distant; Tlie usual modi* of transport was by dray, and-an indication of’.the settlers’ difficult life is given iti an in-

cident, recalled by Mrs Hubbard } of an unsuccessful attempt to save the life of a young man who had taken ill and who was carried on a jolting two days’ trip to Timaru to be attended by a doctor. Mrs Hubbard’s longest illness lias been one of three weeks some years ago. Of the family of four sons and eight daughters two sons and live daughters"'survive and are resident in New Zealand. Mrs Hubbard has 35 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildrenj and one great-great-grandchild.