EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1930, Page 9

EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY PARTY

MR. N. K. MACDIARMID’S SERVICES

FAMILY GATHERS TO CELEBRATE

At a large family birthday party, Mr. N. K. Mac Diarmid, a widely-known and highly-respected citizen of New Plymouth, celebrated hio 80th birthday yesterday. Members of his family from widely-scattered parts of the North Island were his guests. With the exception of Mr. D. N. MacDiarmid, a missionary in the Sudan, ajl his sorts and daughters were present: Messrs. C. L. Mac Diarmid (Hamilton), A. C. Mac Diarmid (Masterton), A. M. Mac Diarmid (New Plymouth), Mrs. N. Balharry (Fitzroy), Dr. G. N. Mae Diarmid (Taihape), and Mrs. W. P. Nicoll (New Plymouth). Mr. N. K. Mac Diarmid wM born in the little town called Caloola, near Bathurst, New South Wales. He began his education at the national school at Bathurst, riding in and out on a pony. Afterwards he became a pupil teacher for a time and eventually joined the Bank of New South Wales in Sydney. From there he was soon transferred to the gold-mining town of Goulgong, where he took a keen interest in private theatricals. In Goulgong he first joined The Masons. Mr. Mac Diarmid married Miss M. E. Johnson on August 5, 1875, in Sydney, and a few weeks later was made manager of the Dubbo branch of the Bank of New South Wales at the very early age of 25. In Dubbo he was one of the foundation members of the Masonic Lodge. A valued member of the fraternity, he afterwards became Worshipful Master of the Mudgee Lodge and later laid the foundation stone of Lodge Macquarrie in Dubbo on April 14, 1879. Very fittingly he was the first Worshipful Master of that lodge and occupied the position for four subsequent terms. Mr. Mac Diarmid was transferred to Napier, New Zealand, in 1886. He was manager of the Napier branch of the Bank of New South Wales for three years and was then transferred to New Plymouth. In Taranaki Mr. Mac Diarmid did splendid service for the dairying industry. It was he who introduced the scheme of joint and several guarantees which resulted in the private dairy companies being taken over by the farmers and developed into co-operative companies. He retired in New Plymouth from the service of the bank in 1918. Ever since he came to New Plymouth Mr. Mac Diarmid has been an untiring church worker, and even at the present time he is one of + ’ e mainstays of St. Andrew’s. For a number of years he was chairman • of the New Plymouth High School Board of Governors. Gardening has been his chief hobby. Mrs. Mac Diarmid, who was well loved by her friends, died on August 6, 1925, the day after their golden wedding day.