OBITUARY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 November 1925, Page 4

OBITUARY.

WILLIAM WALLACE.

One of the outstanding figures prominent in the earliest day S ' of colonisation in Taranaki, in the person of Mr William Wallace, of Hawera, has joined the great majority after a strenuous and honourable life, this taking place last night following a severe operation. In his passing the world is the poorer through the loss of a man who, as soldier and as colonist, bore the burden v and heat of the day from the stirring - days of the late sixties, when this district was covered in flax or virgin bush, right up to the days when Taranaki became a district with prosperous towns and smiling homesteads. In all that time he was one of those who took an active share in building up the country for those who were to come after him. He early took: up land at Meremere, which he farmed fo,r many years until advancing age forced him to retire and live a quiet life in town.. Up to the very last he maintained: his keen interest in current affairs. But it was in his recollections of the past that lay perhaps his chief delight, and one may say a great measure of the usefulness of his.life. His nre- • mory was something at which to marvel, ' and out of that storehouse he could, when discussing old days, draw, vast quantities \>f, information. His recollection of the details of life in the early days was remarkable. Many of the contributions to the Star and other papers owe their wealth of detail to his valuable assistance ungrudgingly given. Far this the commtmity and the country owes him a grateful meed of thanks and appreciation. His help will be appreciated more and more as. time passes. ...

The story of his life and war exences appeared i.n the Star of November 15, 1924, just under a year ago. From that we cull the fact that he wag born in Wellington in 1848, and went with his parents to Wanganui in 1855.) Going to work on a farm at Kai Iwi as a lad of twelve, he was there until in 1865, a youth of 17, the call of his \ country—many of his forbears had been / soldiers—led him to enlist in the Wanganui Cavalry. Thenceforward he was on active service till the end-of the Maori War, and was in pretty nearly every engagement on this Coast and in . several on the East Coast. Then he gave up the hard work of soldiering to take up the strenuous life of the early settler, carving out a home for himself in the rough country of Meremere. Previous to that he bad been farming at Manutahi and Whakamara, Mr Wallace iva s twice married, his first wife predeceasing him several years ago. There was, a large family of sons and daugh-' ters, several of whom are settled in Taranaki. One son and a nephew gave their lives in the Great War, and d grandson wa s severely wounded , Very deep sympathy will be felt with' Mrs Wallace and Eis family in, their loss of one wiio througihoiifc a- long life was highly respected by a wide circle of friends. As a recognition of his war service a military funeral will be ac-V corded to the deceased.