A GOLDEN WEDDING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2394, 18 January 1900, Page 71

A GOLDEN WEDDING.

On the 11th inst., at Daly street, Port Chalmers, there was celebrated the -golden- wedding of Captain and Mrs John Paton, they having been married on 11th January^ 1850, at-Minikie, Forfarshire, Scotland', "*ancl a ver.y unique circumstance connected with the ceremony'was the presence. of Mr .James Scott', Mount Watkin, Waikouaiti, and Mrs A. Fullerton, Port Chalmers, who were best maii and bridesmaid on the former occasion. Among the friends present were Messrs A. J. Burns (Philip Laing), J. R. Monson (John Wiekliffe) and many other old identities. Captain Paton is a native of -Arbroath, Forfarshire, and was born in August, 1825 ; Mrs Paton was bo*n in the same year. Captain Paton left Dundee for Capetown and Melbourne in 1852 as master of the Thoma3 Worthington, " which vessel he left in Melbourne, and took command of the Clutha, owned by Messrs Ross and Kilgour. Later he joined the Thomas and Henry, as chief officer, under Captain W. Thomson, and succeeding that gentleman in charge of the same vessel, bringing the first cargo of sugar to this port from Mauritius. After trading on the New Zealand coast for several years, h« joined the Otago pilot service in 1862, remain/ ing there for 34 years, resigning his position in 1896. Mrs Paton followed her husband oul to Melbourne, and latterly to Dunedin arriving in the Gil Bias in 1856. There ar« three sons, five daughters-, and 21 grandchild dreii alive. The Rev. Mr Taylor conducted a short and appropriate service.