BARE BIRTHDAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23592, 28 February 1940, Page 8

BARE BIRTHDAYS

SIX AUCKLAND MEN BORN IN LEAP YEAR _ ONE A VETERAN OF 92 For the first time in four years, several Auckland residents will be qualified to-morrow to receive birthday presents. Through having been born on February 29 in a leap year; one will ireach his majority in birthdays after living for -88. years and another, although having been a successful business man for a number of years, will be credited -with only his 10th' birthday. ' Because of'the vagaries of the calendar, six men whose combined ages total 432 years, are by the number of birthdays they have been able to celebrate still youths. . Sergeant-Major Included Mr. John Jones, of Penrose, aged 02, is the veteran. Because for one period, between 1896 and 1904, the I rules, of leap year resulted in those born on February 29 having no birthSay at all, he will.be celebrating his 22nd birthday. Mr. E. W. Alison, of Takapuna, is next with 88 years and 21 birthdays. Then followed Mr. J. Irving Turnbull, of Howick, 84 years and 20 birthdays, Mr. Walter Pavitt, of Remuera, 72 years and 17 birthdays, Sergeant-Major M. 0. Stewart, .52 years and 12- birthdays, and the baby of them all—Mr. L. J. Minogue, of North Shore, 44 years and 10 birthdays. The case of Sergeant-Major Stewart, fcow in Ngaruawahia Camp, is particularly interesting. When he went to the Great War, he had celebrated no more birthdays than would take him out of ' the primer classes at school, and even Snow, by the tally of his birthdays, he Ss still far too young to enlist. Messrs. [Alison, Pavitt and Minogue intend to Celebrate their birthdays with a luntheon together. • 1 Mr. Alison's Career .... . •Mr. Alison, a former member of [Parliament ahd of the Legislative Council, is a particularly well-known figure. His public service, , as a member of a large number of bodies, extends over 58 consecutive years. Last year, as president, he presented for public purposes the Takapuna Jockey Club's property of / 6 acres, together with a monetary gift of £735, to the Devonport Borough Council. He is a lifemember of the Auckland Racing Club and the Takapuna-and Thames Jockey Clubs, a former Mayor of Devonport and of Takapuna, and. a former member of the Auckland Harbour Board. Mr. Pavitt was Auckland manager of the Roval Insurance. Company from 1904 to 1930, vand Mr. Minogue is an executive member of the staff of Arthur •H:' Nathan, Limited. Mr. Turnbull jivas born in Ballarat, Victoria.' . Vetarin Born' in Canada

Mr. Jones, the veteran of the party, frras born of Welsh parents in-a log cabin in Mc.Gillivray County, Ontario, Canada, and-was unable to speak English until, after he had gone to school, j He farmed in Canada until he tvas 40, although by his birthdays still very much a minor, and then came to New Zealand, where he began a . successful farming career at Buckland. Later i he to6k over,a large- block at Waiau J' Pa, near Weymouth;. He sold it in r 1911 and after avvisit to Canada re-; 1 turned, to Auckland and settled down Sn retirement at Penrose.