MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1931, Page 22 (Supplement)

MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS

WEDDING ANNiVERSAIRY HELD

MR. AND MRS. MARSH CELEBRATE.

OLD-TIME MEMORIES RECALLED,

Memories of old. times were recalled yesterday at a ceremony probably unique in the history of Taranaki, when Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Marsh celebrated the 65th anniversary of their wedding at the Fitzroy Methodist Church in 1866. Yesterday there were about 60 descendants and friends present, including their eight children, Messrs. John (Oakura), Ernest (Frankleigh Road), Leonard (Hillsborough), Harold (Harford Road), and Allan Marsh (Hillsborough) and Mesdames Elias Cole (Hillsborough), Ernest Cole (Brookland? Road) and Arthur Roch (Fitzroy). Mr. J. R. Hill presided. In welcoming the guests Air. Hill said Air. and Airs. Marsh had had eight children and had not had the misfortune to lose one of them. They were very grateful to see such a gathering of their old friends and of their children. Air. Hill had known Air. and Mrs. Marsh for 60 years, and he was proud to be able to claim them for the best friends lie had ever had.

Mr. Hill reviewed his knowledge of, and friendship with, the guests of the afternoon. On August 14, 1866, he Aaron Marsh and Emma Coad were married at New Plymouth by the Rev. Rob- : ert Ward. They went to live at Egmont Road, on top of the hill about, a mile from Devon Road. At that time the locality was in a very rough'state, and the Maoris were the nearest neighbours. A few years later Mr. Marsh took a I bush section farther up the road.

In the pioneering days on Egmont Road almost insurmountable difficulties had to be overcome. The road was co shaded by the bush that in some places little strips of bush were felled to let the sun in. Otherwise it would never dry. Later leans were raised to metal portions. The first contract was let to the late Harry Williams, another to the late T. L. Joll, and another to the late J. H. Coleisby. During the Maori disturbance at Parihaka and other districts it was thought necessary to be prepared, so a contingent of eight was supplied with Enfield rifles and exercised at drill with the object of protecting the homes -of the settlers. The dril Ideveloped into a competition. The competitors were W. Stanley, Robert Hill, Harry Peters, A. Haverbier, Aaron Marsh, Chris. Greenway, Sam and Jim Hill.

LITTLE CASH IN CIRCULATION.

The dairy business was under different conditions then from now. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh used to carry their butter in a basket on horseback to Mr. John Handy’s store and take home groceries in return. was very little cash in circulation at that time. The cows would go away into the bush, and sometimes during the winter would not be seen for months.

“I remember,” said Air. Hill, “on one occasion going into an. ironmonger’s shop to buy a bell, thinking it would be a help in finding the cattle in .the, bush. The shopman showed me one. I did not think it would make noise enough, so I told him so. He said the great advantage the bell had was that when you heard the"bell you knew your cow was not far away. The labour conditions and the rate of pay were slightly different in those days, five shillings being the rule. But during harvest operations the number of hours worked was no object. Mr. Alarsh had a horse-power threshing machine, and if a stack of oats or wheat was threshed it had to. be winnowed that night, as the machine was due somewhere else next day. Air. Marsh,had a practical knowledge of the anatomy of cattle, and very’often were his services called into requisition by his neighbours when anything went wrong with cows. lie was always willing to assist. During these early days when tho upper part of the road'was only a track through the puru-puru and maku, two old pack-horses, Bpxer arid Dido, owned by the late Mr. Bosworth, and accompanied by/ John Alageo and Cornelius used io travel up the. road with household supplies. The Alaoris later used to go. up the road as far as Egmont Village gathering fungus, If one asked them where they got it, they would always say, "Oh, ten acre,” the Government having felled. that area. Other clearings were raided, but, according to the Maoris, there was a wonderful amount from that ten-acre clearing. Mr, Alarsh started a little dairy factory and put in a water-wheel, the power being supplied by the Araheke Stream. Later the Hillsborough Co-op-erative Dairy Co. was started. The first season’s payment was only 61d. One half-penny was deducted for share capital. The first Chairman was Air. J. R. Hill, and the first manager Mr. Harry Pinder, son-in-law of Mr. J. W. Foreman. ■ . Not many of the very old settlers or the road were alive to-day, Air. Hill said. The oldest were Alessrs. Aaron Marsh, William Stanley, Harry Peters and Jim Hill. Mr. Harry Peters had lived there a very long time. There was a giant rata tree in the middle of the road. An endeavour was made to protect it, but it was eventually destroyed by fire. It was estimated to be a chain and a half in circumference. Air.. Alarsh took his share of local body work during his career. He was for many years a member of the roaij board, and as chairman of the school committee rendered yeoman service in the interest of the district. MR. SEINER’S RECOLLECTIONS. Mr. W. H. Skinner considered the occasion was almost unique and lie was pleased to be able to associate himself with tlie celebrations. His recollections of Air. Alarsh went back 70 years to the days when Air, Alarsh used to carry him to*tl<e infant school on wet days. He. had kept in touch with Air. Alarsh and had always found him a good friend, and had tho highest respect for him. _ The people who came to Taranaki with Mr. Alarsh. Air. Skinner said, come from a small pari-h in England named Ne’thcrburv, near Dorchester. They were sprung from the best families. Among them were the Loveridges, Cranns, Gollops, Pottimores and HelUei.-., which was a large number to come fiom 0„0 «™n Xte»J parishes camo tne f Collinses, Bishops and Smiths, of who Mr Stanley Smith, Fitzroy, a as one. Tlmse immigrants all. eame by the ship Timandra,. which arrived in 1842. Mi. Alarsh, he. thought, was born.in New | Plymouth near tlie bld colonial bos

pital. Mr. Skinner wished Air. and Airs. Alarsh all happiness, contentment and prosperity for the future and. congratulated all their descendants ’on having them present, with them. ■ - Air. H. Peters, Kaimiio, whose acquaintance with 'Air. and Airs, Alarsh „ began 54 years ago, added his eongratulations. He came among them as a . , “new chum” and he knew nothing about the work he was to do, but Air. Alarsh took him in hand and sliephcrdcd him until he was able to stand for himself, lie found them to be the* greatest- of friends he had had and he never forgot their kindness though it was long since he parted from Egmont'Road. Air. Peters referred to humorous incidents iu the early life of the settlera and of the volunteers. There was little in farming possibilities.in the early days, he said, and grass seed was the only thing. Air. Marsh had the only winnOW > ing machine and they had to work it all night, sometimes, to cope with the quantities of seed. Air. and Airs. Alarsh had done their best for the district and were the best of friends. He voiced his best hopes for their future. A message of congratulation and best wishes was received from the members of the Taranaki Metropolitan , i Agricultural Society, and on behalf of . Air. G. (.ripper, Inglewood, Mr. Hill . made a presentation to Air. and Mrs. ’ Alarsh.

Air. Capper said he had been privileged to know Mr. and Airs. Marsh since 1874. He echoed the sentiments Of a “new chum” expressed by Air. Peters. Possibly the oldest acquaintance with the bride and bridegroom was claimed by Air. T. Wheeler, Durham said, f he came ■to New Zealand in the same I ship as Air. Alarsh sehr,, landing at Lyt- y telton on February 7, 1851. Mrs. Marsh 1 then was a girl -four years old and he | was born fours weeks before . the ship reached Lyttelton. On board the ship I were Lord Alontgbmerie, tlie Duke of j Alanchester's eldest son, and a bishop. | Air. W. Stanley confirmed all that the previous speakers had said about .Air. and Mrs.’Alarsh, whom he had known since 1875, and added his best wishes for their happiness. - “After all the interesting remarks about the early history of laranaki I feel a youthful member of this gather- . ing,” said Air. J. 8. Connett. It was wonderfully interesting, he thought, to think back over the long period of years since Air. Alarsh was married. His speciality was supposed to be roads and those who had the privilege of using the roads now had little conception of what the early settlers had to put up wi'th. CHANGE OF OONSITIOKS. L

Air. Connett referred to the toll gates; which were the beginning of good roads in Taranaki, and to the port of Aw Plymouth, which no one ever expected would handle all the produce of North Taranaki, Waitara being expected to b® the main port and town of the district. The harbour was now probably one of the finest artificial ports in New Zealand and Australia. It was interesting too, to contrast the changes that had taken place since the early days._ .Their methods of amusement- were different and he had heard a great deal about the wonderful picnics once held. In his days amusement was obtained in entertain* ments and socials, in which a great amount of work was done towards the establishment of community ffialls. Air. AV.. Healey 'counted it ' a high honour to be present,, he said, ; knowing the Alarsh'-'family and the esteem in which they were held. It must S l }'® them great pleasure to see all their children present and they could count themselves truly blessed. The anniversary cake was cut by tne bride, who was presented with a bouqueu by the Rev. R. B. Gosnell on behalf of the ladies of the church. The days when it took six bullocks to draw, not always successfully, a ton or potatoes along Junction Road, were recalled by. Mr. J. H. Allen (.Tikorangi), The toast .of the bride and bridegroom, which" was drunk with musical honours, was responded to by Mr. J, B. Marsh, the eldest son, who expressed his pleasure at being present and at hearin" the things that were said about his parents. Ever since he could, remember,"he said, the children all received good training from their parents. were all treated alike and if they did not do the right thing they were soon told about it. , Air. Marsh’s tribute io his parents and his wishes for their happiness were conjfirmed by the other four sons and by Mr. F. Young one 01 the tmra generation. •<: .