90TH BIRTHDAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23145, 17 September 1938, Page 19

90TH BIRTHDAY

MBS. MARTHA SMALLER MOUNT ALBERT RESIDENT EARLY DAYS IN TARANAKI Born in New Plymouth 90 years ago and a resident of Blount Albert, Auckland, for the last .'SB years, Mrs. •Martha Smaller, of 103 St. Luke's Head, yesterday celebrated her birthday with a gathering attended by a large number of relatives and friends, including her youngest and only surviving sister, Mrs. George Looney, of Now Plymouth. Mrs. Looney, who is aged 78, travelled from Taranaki with her husband for the occasion. Mrs. Smaller is one of a family of 10 children, of whom Mrs, Looney and she are the only survivors. Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Sampson, were among the earliest families to settle in New Plymouth, where they arrived in 18-12 in the Timandrn, the fifth ship to carry settlers from Fugland to the district. The Sampson family is well-known in New Plymouth. Incidents in Maori Wars Mrs. Smaller retains her faculties to an exceptional degree and remembers clearly incidents of her youth, particularly during the Maori Wars. Her father was first employed in building roads, but later took up farming, owning land at Bell Block. Mr. Sampson earned only 2s 6d a day when employed in road buildiw.

"Two big guns used to be fired during the trouble with the Maoris if a raid were expected," Mrs. Smaller said. "Settlers then had to go as quickly as possible to the barracks at Marsden Hill for safety. On one occasion the alarm was given during a church service. The Maoris could have killed my father on many occasions, but he was well liked by tribes both friendly and hostile to the white setlers. He was frequently out rounding up cattle and sheep while pistol balls were flying over the house." Family Taken to Nelson Mrs. Sampson and her family were some of the so-called Taranaki refugees who were taken to Nelson to be out of danger, while Mr. Sampson and the other settlers remained to fight. The eldest sister of Mrs. Smaller was the late Mrs. Marina lloskin, who died in 192'.) at the ago of 8!). "Marina is quite a fashionable name now," Mrs. Smaller commented. "We thought it very old-fashioned in those days." Mrs. Smaller had a family of one son and three daughters, of whom two daughter are now living. They are Mrs. Lily Munro, of St. Luke's Road, and Miss Nellie Smaller. There are four grandchildren and 15 great-grand-children. Mr. Smaller's death occurred in 1911.