OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 49, 27 August 1917, Page 2

OBITUARY

MR. W. LANE, EDITOR OF THE N.Z. HERALD

A Press Association message from Auckland announces the death of Mr. William Lane, editor of the New Zealand Herald, at the age of 56 years.

Deceased, who was one of the best known journalists in Australasia, was a man of remarkable ■ personality and attainments, and a devoted servant in the cause of humanity. He was born in Bristol, and at the age of 15 emigrated to America, where he apprenticed himself as a compositor, eventually entering the literary side of journalism. Ten years later he went to Brisbane, Queensland. . There he worked on the Observer, and was associated with Mr. Drake (afterwards Commonwealth Postmaster-Gen-eral) in conducting a weekly paper, The Boomerang. He then proved his adhesion to his own creed by resigning from a lucrative position and establishing a new journal on co-operative lines, entitled The Worker, which scored an instant success. Subsequent to the industrial troubles of 1890-92, he inaugurated the " New Australia " movement, and went to Paraguay, South America-. Returning to Australia in 1899 he became editor of the Sydney Worker, but soon afterwards resigned on account of a disagreement with what he regarded as the unpatriotic attitude of the controlling body. He then came to Auckland, and since then has been connected with the literary staff of the Herald. He succeeded the late Mr. W. S. Douglas as editor in 1913. His special articles under the pen-name of " Tohunga " were a feature of the Herald's weekly, supplement, showing a commanding, vigorous, and flexible style, reflecting' a virile personality and a wide, keen, yet sympathetic knowledge of humanity. Jlr. Lane also was a wholehearted believer in universal training, and with Mr. E. M. Hacket, also of the New Zealand Herald, founded! the National Defence League in Auckland, which quickly commanded general support throughout the country, and ultimately attained its object by the establishment of our present Territorial system. Messrs. Lane and Hacket both acted as joint national secretaries of the league* during its vigorously conducted campaign. By Mr. Lane's death New Zealand journalism has suffered another heavy loss,- and the New Zealand Army loses one of its best helpers and frends. The deceased is survived by Mrs. Lane, five daughters—one of whom is married to Lieutenant M. D. Rowan, now on active service—and one son. The latter is in the Mounted Bifles Reinforcements, and is on his way to Palestine. An elder son, Corporal Donald Lane, Auckland Infantry Battalion, was 'killed in the landing at Gallipoli.