GOLDEN WEDDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19557, 9 February 1927, Page 14

GOLDEN WEDDING.

MR. AND MRS. A. T. PALMER.

VETERAN OF MAORI WAR.

The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Palmer, of Ngaroma Road, One Tree Hill, was celebrated at their home last Sunday when there was a large attendance of children and grandchildren. Tho marriage took place in Christchurch in 1877, and Mr. and Mrs. Palmer went to live at Patea, where they resided for over ten years, rearing a family of five 'sons and four daughters. For the past sixteen years Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have been residents of Auckland. Mr. Palmer has always been a strong supporter of all healthy sport and was for long an enthusiastic cricketer and bowler, and for tho 16 years he has been in his present home he has superintended the preparation of a lawn on which » private tennis club has played. Last Saturday the club presented a bouquet to Mrs. Palmer and a buttonhole to Mr. Palmer as they sat beneath a wedding bell which had been put up above their favourite seat where tbey sit each Saturday and watch the play. The health of the bride and bridegroom was proposed by Mr. Gordon M. Howitt and a wedding* cake was cut by Mrs. Palmer, while the couple were covered with confetti, and as a gift Mr. Will Martin presented them on behalf of the club with a Doulton pink and gold rose bowl.

Mr. Palmer has had a most stirring career. He arrived with his parents from England when a lad of 11 years of ago in 1853. A few years later he learned sheep farming on some of the runs in Canterbury. In 1856 he went to Wanganui and then shortly afterwards to the Thames goldf.elds. In 1863 he joined the Armed Constabulary and saw service for six years. He was stationed at New Plymouth and later at White Cliffs, where the Rev. John Whitelev was murdered by hostile natives one Sunday morning when he wa3 on his way to their pa to conduct service. lie was also a member of the expedition sent out to capture Te Koot! at Ngatapa. Poverty P-av. when the rebel and his followers escaped over a cliff hv ciimbinc down flax ropes. It was in 1374 that Mr. Palmer took vn a block of 1500 acres of some of the finest land in the Patea district inst a mile or two out of town. Here he took his foil share of public work and was s very active and .orogressive settler. About 15 years ago the estate was divided into smaller areas and some of it sold as high at £IOO an acre.

Mr;. Palmer was the third daughter of the Jafe Mr. Thomas Merry, one of the early Canterbury pilgrims, and it .was after curving oat a boms; that Mr. Palmer took his ymna bride to Pates in 1877. Mr. Paltrier felebrat-es his cCih birthday this wpejc and Mrs. Palmer is manv years his ianior. Both are sn remarkably gootl heaHh and fall of vigour. Mr. Palmer holds the Xesr Zealand War medal.