Couple celebrates 60 years of wedded bliss

They met in Cambridge 62 years ago, introduced by a family member on the street. Two years later they were married and they've never looked back.

Charlie and Melva Johnson celebrated 60 years of marriage this week and can hardly recall an argument over all of those years.

"We have done just about everything together. If one of us was to go away for any reason the other would come too, otherwise we wouldn't go," Mrs Johnson said.

Mr Johnson, born in Putaruru in 1923 and one of 10 children, was educated in Mahoe, Taranaki, and brought up on the family farm.

He was drafted into the New Zealand army in 1944 and posted to Italy where he saw action at Monte Cassino before returning late in 1945.

Mrs Johnson (nee Swindlehurst) was born in Eltham, also working on the family farm with her four brothers and sisters before moving to Te Awamutu when she was 13.

She worked for Farmers Ltd in Rotorua for a short time but preferred working on the farm.

The very day Mr Johnson got back from the war and while still in uniform, he was introduced to his future wife by his brother who lived just down the road from her. "She was such a lovely girl," Mr Johnson said.

They started dating almost immediately, going to local dances held every Saturday night in the community hall.

"Dating was very strict back then, not like it is today," Mrs Johnson said.

He worked for a short time in the forestry industry before returning to the family business of farming with Johnson & Sons of Putaruru in 1946.

The following year the Johnsons were married - on a Wednesday in Te Awamutu when rationing was still in force.

"This was because we would not have been able to get supplies for the wedding on a weekend, and we got a little extra ration that day as per the rationing laws at the time," Mr Johnson said.

"I was 24 and Melva was 20 - that was not too young to get married in those days, things are a bit different now."

The couple have lived and farmed in Rotorua for more than 50 years, after moving from Putaruru to go it alone in the early 1950s, starting with a dairy farm in Kaharoa and moving on to sheep farming.

They celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with some of their three children, seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren at a small family gathering last weekend.