TIMARU CENTENARIAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 174, 24 June 1926, Page 3

TIMARU CENTENARIAN.

DOUBT AS TO EXACT -AGE. Tho death took place at the Timaru Public Hosjutal last week, after a short illness, of Mr John Mcßobbie, a reputed centenarian, whose age is stated to have been 109 years, although, according to some of the deceased’s calculations, ho must have been even older, since on one occasion ho stated that when the news of tho battle of Waterloo was taken to England in 1815 ho was a youthful cowherd of about six years of age on the hills of Scotland, his native land. Tins would bring his age up to about 117. When Mr Mcßobbie was born the work of registration of births was not carried out with the same exactitude as to-day. In all efforts to settle the question of his age he was unsuccessful and until the end a certain amount of doubt remained as to his actual age. In his early days Mr Mcßobbie worked at various callings in his native land, spending a considerable time in Glasgow, and then came to New Zealand, first settling in South Canterbury, where he found employment with various local bodies in connection with road formation. Afterwards ho commenced business on his own account and for a time resided in Christchurch, but later returned to Timaru where ho spent the remainder of his days. If ho was correct in his statement as to his age he was tlie oldest man in the Dominion.