Mr J. E. Kearns-Clifford Has His 95th Birthday

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1948, Page 6

Mr J. E. Kearns-Clifford Has His 95th Birthday

THE oldest resident of the Whangarei district, Mr J. E. Kearns-Clifford, celebrated his 95th birthday on Saturday, at the residence of Mr and Mrs M. J. Scally, Onerahi. The actual birthday was celebrated at a special dinner, but a cake, complete with the correct number of candles, has been made and will be cut during this week, when a number of his friends call in.

Still able to take an active interest in everyday affairs Mr Clifford enjoys excellent health for his age, and during the past ten days or so he has been a regular attender at the Whangarei Bowling Club where he has been able to talk with his friends and applaud a good shot. He did not come in to the bowling at Kensington today, as the weather was just a little too much for him. IN MAORI WARS

Under Captain Newall he went to Tauranga and assisted to stamp out the instigators of the Poverty Bay massacre. When 20 years old Mr Clifford tried his luck on the Thames goldfields. Not meeting with much success here, however, he gave up the idea of finding untold weath and moved to Waikauri. Meeting three prospectors and hearing them remark casually that there was gold in the hills surrounding Waikauri he joined up with them and organised an expedition into the hills. TAKEN PRISONER Shortly after the start of the expedition, however, the party was taken prisoner by the Maori chieftain. Waanui. The other three members of the party were soon released but Mr Clifford was Retained as he could act as an interpreter. Mr Clifford was rescued by Mr James Mac Kay after a prolonged talk with the tribe.

Son of an officer who fought in the first Maori wars, Mr Clifford was born in Auckland in January, 1853, in the vicinity of the present St. Paul’s Church. Shortly after Mr Clifford's birth his father died, and when he was four years of age his mother died. He was taken to live with relatives at Onehunga. fie ran away from his home there in 1803 and shortly afterwards, when the Maori wars broke out, he enlisted with a regiment of soldiers. The commander (Colonel R. Wynyard) had been a friend of Mr Clifford’s father and he allowed the boy to remain with the regiment after he had heard his story. He was then made a dispatch rider and messenger, remaining with the regiment for 10 years, and serving in various engagements.

Upon his return Mr Clifford took up bush work. In 1877 he left the Thames and, taking up bush work, moved to the Manukau Harbour. The Kaipara Harbour was next the working place of this now experienced timber worker. Arriving here in 187!) he worked in the bush for three years when he changed his occupation and undertook bridge-building and road construction in the north. At that time the Government was building . a road from Auckland to Warkworth and Mr Clifford was employed on the construction of the Wade bridge, now known as the Si 1verdale bridge.

On the completion of this job he went to Waipu and worked at road building for Mr Walter McKenzie. ' Returning once more to working kauris he secured a job at Paparoa. moving later to Matakohe and Ruakaka.

In 1884 he left timber working to return once again to road construction at Okaihau. With the skill acquired over a number of years Mr Clifford found no difficulty in securing another timber job at-Whangaroa and in quick succession he moved to the I-lokianga and thence to the Northern Wairoa. WHANGAREI IN 1888

Mr Clifford commenced gumdigging in 1886, working his way around until, in 1888, he arrived in Whangarei. With a partner, Mr F.' Zimmerman, he took up a block of land of some 150 acres at Tangihua farming this for a number o f years. This, asserts Mr Clifford, was the hardest work he had ever undertaken. He felled the bush, fenced the land, tilled it, and burnt off scrub at night. Finally the work became too much for him and he went down with sickness for a time.

Recovering, he moved to Whangarei in 1892 and acquired a fairly large property. Specialising in carpentering, he divided the land up into sections and commenced the’ erection of a number of dwellings, forseeing the growth of the town. As an auctioneer and latcfr a merchant, Mr Clifford was in business for several years. Mr Clifford was married twice, his first wife dying in 1879 and his second in 1917. hie has one daughter by his first wife. She is living in Sydney. From a most humble beginning Mr Clifford has watched Whangarei—and the whole of Northland for that matter —grow to a flourishing centre and district.

Mr Clifford has certainly done his share towards promoting this growth and prosperity.