WELLINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's oldest person Florence Finch died in Hastings Tuesday night aged 113.

    According to Wednesday's Hawke's Bay Today, a local daily newspaper, Mrs Finch died of cardio-respiratory failure.

    Although her health had been slowly deteriorating for the past few years, she required very little medical attention until recently, according to Dr Foley, who has taken cared of Finch for many years.

    Dr Foley attributed her good health to being "a very strong-willed, independent woman."

    Mrs Finch, who was born in England on Dec. 22, 1893, married Charles Finch, a dock worker and stevedore, in 1915.

    At the age of 76 she headed for New Zealand with daughter Ellenand son-in-law Peter, where she has remained.

    Mrs Finch is survived by her daughter Ellen, who resides in a Hawke's Bay rest home, and her grandchild and great great-grandchildren, who live in England.