Wellington  - New Zealand's oldest immigrant, Eric King-Turner, has died at the age of 104, news reports said on Thursday.

He was also said to be Britain's oldest emigrant when he moved across the world with his New Zealand-born wife, Doris, early last year, then aged 102.

King-Turner, a retired dentist who had been surgeon commander in the Royal Navy, and his wife, 90, married 13 years ago and lived in England before going to New Zealand.

He died in hospital in Nelson, a city on South Island, on Sunday after suffering a stroke, a few days after taking out a new season's trout fishing licence, the Nelson Mail reported.

King-Turner attributed his old age to family genes, a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and a tot of gin a day. (dpa)