A PIONEER’S DEATH.

Lake County Press, Issue 2767, 9 January 1919, Page 5

A PIONEER’S DEATH.

Mr Donald A. Cameron. A link with the very earliest days of settlement in the Mataura Valley and Wakatipu districts was snapped on Tuesday night, Slat ulfe, Mr Donald Cameron died with the Old Year at his home at Nokomai (says a contributor in the Southland Times). The cause of death was pneumonia supervening on an apoplectic seizure. Mr Cameron was born in Fort William, Scotland, in 1835, so that he was 83 years of age when the call came for him. Having spent some years in business in Glasgow he emigrated to Australia in 1854. For some time he was manager of a run known as Mount Sthrgeon Plains Station, which was the property of his uncle, Mr Alex Cameron, popularly known in Sonth Australia as “ the King of Penola.” Arriving in New Zealand in 1859 in company with two relatives, the late A. A. Macdonald, of Reaby, near Gore, and Wm. Cameron, son the noted Loohaber stockowner, “ Corrychoillie ” He at once visited the Wakatipu district, where he selected the run on which he lived for the long span of 60 years, being at his death probably the reoordbolder of New Zealand for length of years in occupation of the same station. One of the first white men •to behold the scenic wonders of the Cold Lakes district, it ,was his privilege to suggest the names that have long since become known to lovers of the beautiful in Nature throughout Australasia and far beyond the boundaries of these Southern lands. Ben Nevis, Locby River, Nevis River, the Devil’s Staircase, etc, were named by him after their prototypes in Loohaber and Glencoe. . In these days of luxurious trains, convenient hotels and good roads, it is not easy to imagine what rough work lay before the pioneer settlers out back and only the possession of grit and determination by those who blazed the tracks for future generations could account for their resolution to hold on. The extremes of heat and cold are amongst the experiences of sheep farmers around the Wakatipn. The snowstorms, frequent and bitter, decimated the flocks and the dreaded kea added to the total of the losses that had to be faced with as much philosophy as the runholder was possessed of. The late Mr Cameron successfully negotiated all the vicissitudes of the surroundings like the patriarchs of old, his flocks and herds increased and in his declining days he had the fruits of his many-sided activities visible in the homestead at Nokomai, in Closeburn romantically situated on the side of Lake Wakatipu. in Fassifern, near Tapanui, and in Mabel Bush, where his up-to-date farming methods have been much admired. The character Mr Cameron may be summed up in the words: “A Highland gentleman.” Fidelity, honour, integrity were conspicuous in all his doings. As first Chief of the Highland Society of Southland he shed a halo ol respectability over that then enthusiastic body. Everything connected with his native Highlands appealed to his inmost feelings. A fluent speaker ol the Gaelic tongue, an ardent lover anc exponent of historic pipe music, an en thusiastic devotee of the gracefu dances identified with his native land and well read in the history of thi Highland clans, he shone a typica Highlander. With all his enthusiasn a more self-controlled man it would b hard to find and his modesty am shrinking from publicity was prover bial. A sincere and devoted membe of the Catholic Church he was promi nently identified with every movemen for the advancement of bis faith i Otago and Southland. Mr Camero in 1863 married Miss McDonald i Victoria, and she survives him. Tw eons and three daughters, and also brother survive to mourn the loss ( one of the kindest fathers and truei iriends that ever enriched the histor

of S mtliland with the record of noble life. The interment took place atTapanui on Saturday. In the cemetery there two brothers (Angus and John Cameron), together with a relative (Angus Mackintosh) are buried. A daughter of Mr Cameron, Mrs J. McGrath, died recently of influenza.