Golden Wedding

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 44, 22 February 1936, Page 15

Golden Wedding

MR AND MRS R. McKENZIE. The attainment of fifty years ol happy married life was celebrated at “The Rest," 26 Waldcgrave street, Palmerston North, on Monday, Febru ary 17, by Robert McKenzie and Isabella Margaret (Ella) McKenzie. Mr and Mrs McKenzie were married at Huirangi, by Rev. T. Free, on February 17 1886. Mrs McKenzie was the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert Wells (now deceased) of Karawaka, Hui rangi, and later of Brixton. Mr McKenzie was born in Stirling, Scotland, on March 23, 1861, and Mrs McKenzie was born in New Plymouth on November 26, 1865. Mr McKenzie arrived in New Zealand by the ship Ballarat as a boy of live years with his three sisters and one brother to join their father. He was educated at New Plymouth, where he lived until old enough to go on to a farm with his father. He left to learn the baking trade, and later went into partnership with his brother, in Patea, and then into business on his own account, at Waitara. He carried on the baking business for 15 years when, owing to ill-health, he was advised by hi s doctor to go on the land. He bought a farm of 200 acres in its rough state, with roads almost impassable in the winter, at Uruti, 32 miles from New Plymouth; it was a very dismal place to tako a wife and four little children. However, with pluck and perseverance, and tho help of his wife and children, Mr McKenzie was ablo to mako a success of the farm. Ho was one of the directors to start tho Uruti Valley Cooperative Dairy Company, and held the position of chairman for the period of eight years, until he sold his farm and bought another at Ashhurst. This he sold, all the children being married, and ho retired with Mrs McKenzie to live in Palmerston North. The house he bought was in Waldegrave street, from Mr F. Tasker, in December, 1916, and they are still residing there. There were four children of the marriage:—Mrs R. W. VVemyss, of Paeroa; Mr R. K. McKenzie, manager of the Hauraki Plains Co-operative Dairy Coy., Ltd., Turua, and Mr W. D. McKenzie, of Eltham; and a daughter Irene, who passed away 11 years ago, aged 34. There are 16 grandchildren. The happy old couple were the recipients of numerous gifts and telegrams from as far afield as Australia, Auckland and New Plymouth.