AUCKLAND CENTENARIAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22568, 11 May 1935, Page 18

AUCKLAND CENTENARIAN

EIGHTY YEARS IN DOMINION RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY QUEEN STREET. (Sr-ECiAL to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, May 10. In 1535, when William IV was England's King, when Viscount Melbourne was his Prime Minister, and when Charles Dickens was writing Kentish stories for the " Pickwick Papers," a girl was born at Woolwich Green, Kent, who, on Sunday will celebrate her 100th birthday in Onehunga. Mrs M. A. Hills, who has lived through the most marvellously progressive and stirring century in all history, came to Auckland as a bride with her husband in the ship Merchantman in 1855, and has resided in Onehunga for the past 70 years. The hand of time has dealt gently with her, and with a philosophic mind, she is justly proud of her great age. Freedom from care, surrounded by peace and contentment, together with an inward satisfaction that she has lived a useful life was reflected in the bright smile with which she welcomed many visitors to her home to-day. Gifted with more than average vitality, Mrs Hills has enjoyed excellent health all her life, and she has never had a serious illness. As she spoke of Queen street 80 years ago her face lit up. "It was a dirty clay track." she said, "without footpaths," and she laughed as she recalled the efforts of a few pretentious shopkeepers who had erected verandas. "They were stuck together," she said, " with a few odds and ends of firewood, and we were always afraid to walk under them." When Mr Hills opened his baker's shop in Queen street, Mrs Hills said she was afraid of the Maoris, who came into the shop for bread. A baker by trade Mr Hills commenced business in Official Bay, and Mrs Hills relates that the outlook was most unpromising, as most of the early settlers baked their own bread, but the young couple, by hard work, long hours, frugality, and perseverence gradually increased their sales, and Mr Hill's figure soon became well known _as he trudged the muddy tracks caiTying his bread in a tray on his head from house to house. As trade increased he moved into a shop on the corner of Durham and Queen streets. Three years afterwards the building and stock were destroyed by fire, and Mr Hills lost his all. Nothing daunted, however, with his wife's assistance, he made a fresh start. The Maori War broke out. and Mr Hills drove such a thriving trade and was so fortunate in his speculations that in a few years, assisted by the shrewd business qualifications of his wife, he was able to retire! and was ordered for health reasons to Onehunga, where he died in 1902. Of Mrs Hills's 16 children seven are living.