NINETY-ONE TO-DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17639, 1 December 1931, Page 5

NINETY-ONE TO-DAY

MRS. NEAL’S BIRTHDAY LIFETIME IN NEW ZEALAND 46 VFAT'S SPENT IN GIsP.uR.NE Few people can share with Mrs 1-li/a--beth Neal, of Gisborne, widow of the late Captain William Neal, the honor of having lived for 90 years in New Zealand. Mrs. Neal landed in New Zealand as an infant in arms, and to-dav she celebrates, her ninety-first birthday at her home in Gladstone road, where she. L living out her declining years. Though she has long since passed the allotted span ot three score v ea:s and ten, Mrs. Neal still retains ver\ good health; she is bedridden, but is in possession of most oi her faculties, and maintains an active .interest, in the affairs of the day. Mrs. Neal's father, Mr. Taylor, had been in the 42nd Highlanders, the famous Black Watch, and Mrs. Neal was horn in Kdiuhurgh Castle. Less than a vc-ar later Mr. and .Mrs. D.iyhu' emigrated to N't:"' Zealand, and landed ai IV!,- ;c 184.1 Her parents having paid their passage .. 11 (. were granted |,\ Hi,, Govviiimeiu an area "I land at 'Java Hal. where Mrs. Neal spent most of her childhood days; but tho happiness of their - new home was slmrl lived, for Mr. Taylor died a year luler, leaving a very young widow. AN NIDI'S FABI.V DAYS

"Mrs. Neals early recollections oi Wellington are of a settlement comprising little more than 100 wliares built of rough siiwii timbers hewn horn the luisli surrounding I lie homesteads ;u Happy Valiev and Karori. The Manns roving the district were very savage, at flio inroads being made by the pakeha settlors, and now and again marauding bands would descend on some hapless ’,homestead and kill- I lie lainily, mure to gam possession of a lew valuables than with a I usl for killing. Mrs. Neal has vivid recollections oi the. (idling of whole families of Europeans who had ventured beyond Ihe hunhdaiics of safe! v.

At that time there was praelicully no currency in Wellingti«p. and orders were distributed in settlers, which were knbwii as “bluehacks,” on presentation of which at a store the settler could procure Ids requirements. These “bluebacks’* WoVo in vogue for some years, apparently being received originally from the Old Country. Later the Government started in pay the troops, and this tended to relieve llie financial stress of those times. SETTLER,s' HARDSHIPS

At, the age of ]4 Mrs, Neal accompanied her mother to the Manawatu district, where she spent many years. Tho natives of that district hail come to respect the while settlers as peaceful people. Mrs. Neal was never frightened of the Maoris, and once at the request of one of the chiefs in the Manawatu district she spent a fortnight in one of their camps. ft was necessary, however, to give tho chiefs a good many presents, but once they had been won over the rest of tho tribes left the settlers in peace. The hardships of early settlement were exceptionally great, and in the years before pack horses parents and children had to ride bullocks in lickking to and from the homesteads. Mrs. Neal lias been twice married, and on one occasion, when travelling on horse back over rough country watching all the time for Maoris, she and her husband. Hie late Mr. -Gainey, were compelled to sleep in heavy rain under fallen trees THE MAORI WARS

During the Maori wars of the sixties, 'Mrs. Neal was in one of the storm niitres. With oilier settlers, she and her husband were camped mi a high hill at Ie Ante, while (he rebel Maoris were camped all round the district. Al's. Neal recalls the strict walcl'i that had to he maintained, fearing an attack from the natives at daybreak, which did not eventuate.

During the Maori wars Airs. Neal's broihiT was exposed, to great danger as tile driver ot a food and ammunition wagon, following slowly in the rear of the troops. He and others had to attend drill three times a week, providing their own food and clothing, in return lor which tho men were promised land bv tho Government-, but were virtually forced to relinquish their claims. About‘46 years ago Mrs. Neal settled in Gisborne. Her husband. Captain William Neal, who died in 1914, was master of the old tender Smirk, and Inter ot the tender Wailii. which went out of service in Gisborne wilh the advent- of the Tnatea. Mrs. Neal has only one son. Mr. S. F. Oidney. resident in lAustralia, and two grandsons.