DIAMOND WEDDING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 723, 24 July 1929, Page 18

DIAMOND WEDDING

ONEHUNGA IN EARLY DAYS MR. AND MRS. H. SEIBERT Married in Onehunga 60 years ago by the Rev. George Brown, who is still alive, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Seibert are celebrating their diamond weddiDg today at their residence in Selwyn Street, Onehunga. Mr. Seibert was born on the Continent in 1841 and, when 15 years of age, ran away to sea. After travelling all over the world he reached Auckland in the ship Ela Gladstone in 1862, and for many years acted as pilot on the Manukau. When the lighthouse and signal station were being erected at Manukau Heads 50 years ago, Mr. Seibert superintended the work of hauling the necessary timber. It was dragged up the steep sides of the hill by bullocks attached to a winch. At that time the la.te Captain T. Wing was the harbourmaster at Onehunga and his son, Captain E. T. Wing, who is still alive, acted as signalman for some years when the signal station was situated at the north head. For some time Mr. Seibert was farming at Graham’s Beach and ultimately settled at Onehunga 40 years ago with his wife and family, still being employed as pilot and afterward engaged with the shipping on the wharf. Mrs. Seibert was born in Scotland 79 years ago and came to New Zealand with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. Ritchie, in the Lord Ashley in 1857 after a passage lasting five months. Her family settled at Graham’s Beach, afterward removing to Orua Bay, on the Manukau, where two of her brothers still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Seibert have had 13 children, 11 of whom are living. There are 25 grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren.