Age-old romance comes to an end

In a tiny, old-fashioned garden in Frederick Street stands a little cosy house. It is time-worn and weather-beaten with the passing of the years, yet for more than half a century it has been the home of one of Dunedin’s most respected families.

Built many years before it was bought by the family, whose home it has been for so long, the house is considered to be the oldest in the neighbourhood, and one of the few remaining pioneer houses of Dunedin. Under its roof have been celebrated the silver, golden, diamond, and jubilee weddings of a happy couple — Mr and Mrs Richard East — both of whom have now passed away. The death on Friday last of Mrs East at the remarkable age of 99 years closes the last record of the Darby and Joan romance that came to an end by the passing away of her husband on May 22, 1916.

Richard East was a soldier in the British contingent that was stationed in New Zealand a little before the Maori War. He sent for his sweetheart, a Glasgow girl, to whom he was married in 1857 at Melbourne. Mr and Mrs East returned to Scotland for a time, but the Maori War of 1860 resulted in their arrival in Auckland. There they remained with a young family during the four years of strife, and in 1872, after Mr East was discharged from the army following his return to the Old Country, they set out once more for New Zealand in the good ship Wellington. The late Mary Ann East and her soldier husband came ashore from the Wellington at Port Chalmers, and made their way to Dunedin. The home in Frederick Street was purchased, and there the family has remained until the present day. Richard East died at the age of 95.

The aged pioneer wife and mother passed away on Friday, to join her lifelong partner. The late Mrs Margaret Ann Jackson, known as one of Dunedin’s most prominent social workers, and the late Mrs T. Bourk of Kaikorai, were daughters of Mrs East, while one son, Dr Gabriel East, was, until recently, in practice at Putaruru. The remaining son, Laurence East, now lives in the old Frederick Street home. Mrs East was distinguished by her loving, kindly nature and her great fondness for children. The passing of Dunedin’s oldest residents will be widely regretted by many.

Car costs concern

It frequently occurs that a prospective car owner holds off making a purchase because he cannot make up his mind that he would not feel the pinch of operating expenses. The cost of running a car depends largely upon the distance it travels and the treatment it receives while in the garage and on the road. Petrol is the largest item of expense, and costs, of course, are governed by the degree of consumption, economy and the distance travelled. A set of tyres should be capable of at least 10,000 miles’ running, if the owner treats them properly, and does not habitually brake or accelerate harshly, and does not run on tramlines. Further economies may be effected by greasing the chassis in the private garage and by acquiring knowledge that will allow little defects to be remedied while they are little defects. The spirit of the “stitch in time” proverb is peculiarly applicable to motor-car maintenance.— ODT, 24.5.1926