NINETY-SIX TODAY

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1933, Page 6

NINETY-SIX TODAY

mr john McDonald. FAMILY »S RECORD 01" LONGEVITY. Mr. John McDonald, formerly of Waipu, but now living with his daughter, Mrs. E. K. Plaisted, of Oafler’s Avenue, attained his 9Gth birthday to-tlay. Unfortunately, Mr. McDonald was not in very good health this morning, in contradistinction to his usual robustness, but he retains all his faculties, and is able to see and hear perfectly. Mr. McDonald is a member of a family with a remarkable record of longevity. in August, 3856, there landed in Auckland Air. Hector McDonald, his wife and family of two daughters and four sons. One son was born the year after they arrived.

For many years Air. Hector AlcDonaid traded between Waipu and Auckland, retiring from the sea in .1870, Airs. McDonald died three years later, aged 64, but Mr. McDonald lived until 1901, when lie was 96 years old. In 1924 all the members of the family wore living, except Captain Duncan McDonald, the third son, who was drowned at sea. The ages of the six surviving members of the family then ranged between 84 and 67 years of age, and it is only of recent years that Mr. Norman McDonald, 86 years of age, Airs, Alatheson and Captain Murdoch McDonald died.

Members of the family played a conspicuous part in the development of the country. Captain Colin McDonald has had a distinguished career, and during the War went twice through the Mediterranean, en route from Australia to Marseilles, in the British-India steamship Janus. For some time he ran between Bombay and Basra, He was mentioned in despatches, and also received a very valuable piece of plate from the Indian Government as a mark of appreciation of his war services. He also carried troops from Australia to South Africa during the Boer War. Captain Murdoch McDonald was stationed at Singapore for many -years, and was one of the most popular commanders in the East. He was murdered by a Malayan at Singapore some six years ago. Captain Duncan McDonald was lost at sea between Napier and Waipa in 1880. The vessel on which he went down was the schooner Arcadia which was never hoard of after leaving Napier. Air. John McDonald and Mr, Norman McDonald, the latter of wdiom died some two years ago, never went out of New Zealand after arriving in 1850. At the ago of 17 Air. AlcDonald came out to Waipu -with his father, -who is said to have been the first person to take sheep into that locality. Later his father went in for sawmilling with a Air. Hatch. Mr. AlcDonald worked with his father for some time, but w’ent to Thames when the goldfields opened. He spent some time in prospecting and working in the mines, and also engaged in treefelling. He came to the Whangarei district about 1880, and has since remained here, following several occupations, including farming at Tamaterau and working'at Limestone Island, when the cement works were in full operation.

lie has four sons —John, at Gieymouth, Duncan and Hector at Whakapara, and Sydney at Opua. There are three daughters—Mrs. Plaisted, Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Walker.