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New Zealand's oldest migrant, 102, arrives

Other News Materials 13 February 2008 05:44 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa ) - New Zealand's newest and oldest migrant, 102-year-old Eric King-Turner, arrived in Wellington to start a new life on Wednesday.

King-Turner disembarked from the cruise ship Saga Rose with his New Zealand-born wife Doris, 89, after a five-week voyage from Britain.

"I'm delighted to be here," he told reporters. "My wife lived with me for 13 years in Britain so I thought she might be getting homesick."

The sprightly former Royal Navy surgeon explained his longevity to Radio New Zealand, saying, "I've always been very fond of animal fats - butter, sugar, salt, gin and all the things you are not supposed to have.

"Never say you are too old," he said. "Once you say that, you've had it."

Before leaving Britain, King-Turner told a newspaper, "It's a wonderful new adventure and I would say to anyone that if you want to do something you should do it straight away while you can.

"What's important is that when I'm 105 I don't want to be thinking I wish I had moved to the other side of the world when I was 102."

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