ARRIVED IN 1842.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 804, 3 July 1933, Page 9

ARRIVED IN 1842.

Mrs E. Farmar Remembers Wairau Massacre. Coming to New Zealand as a haby ninety-one years ago, Mrs Ellen Farmar. now a resident of Armagh Street, lived in Nelson during the famous Wairau Massacre. Mrs Farmar celebrated her ninety-second birthday on Saturday. Though only a child at the time, she can tell a stirring tale of the massacre. She says that one of her first, memories was of two young children, taken in by friends, whose father had been slaughtered by the Maoris. The news had killed their mother, and Mrs Farmar’s mother had said. “ The Maoris have killed them both.” Mr and Mrs Chant. Mrs Farmar s parents, came from Salisbury, England. A young married couple without anything to keep them in England, they took advantage of the offer of the company which was formed to develop the Nelson district, and arrived in New Zealand by the Olympus in 1842. “ People these days think they are going through hard tiroes,” said Mrs Farmar, when discussing those early days, " but they have not got the troubles that we had to contend w’ith. Many was the time when we went without bread and meat for weeks together. But all were workers then. Jack was as good as his master." Mr Farmar had the first horse and cart in Blenheim, and the vehicle was in great demand. A couple even hired it to go for their honeymoon.