111 Years Old.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11962, 4 June 1903, Page 4

111 Years Old.

The death of Mrs Margaret Anue Neve, of Guernsey, really deserves separate record. When; she died on Saturday, April 11, she was within forty-three days of her hundred and eleventh year, and was, if not the oldest of his Majesty's subjects, at least the oldest of those about whose age there is mo doubt or question!. She had been a know I^jpereons, living in. a recognisable position) all her life, and could produce all kinds of official ■confirmation of her statenaente. That is the point of interest about iher. The Americans say they can produce a main, one Noah Roby, who is ninieteeni years older. The Russians haye n" 3 a list to show of men who are a hunand'twenty and upwards, and there are negroes andl negresses in the West Indian Islandls assumed to be older still $ but in 'all these cases the evidence is dubious or the witnesses likely to be credulous. About Mrs Neve there is no question, or about her permanent good health , and freedom from sickness or pain. A girl originally of perfect constitution, she was brought up and lived her life undegf conditions exceptionally favourable to longevity. The instance teaches little, for the combination of condition® is rarely met with; but we wish the number of proved nonagenarians .could be clearly ascertained. It would be found, we believe, that since the days of the Psalmist ten years have been added to the vlife of man, and this in almost all grades of society. Whether it is worth while' to live those extra ten years and survive all your own generation is another matter; but the fact that you may ia of importance to the physical history of man. Our own belief, founded on the evidence of suits of armour, is that there has been am equal increase in the average bulk, of *he great white race ; but that belief is mucK more difficult of final proof.—"Spectator." i ,