Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1900. OBITUARY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2293, 5 January 1900, Page 4

Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1900. OBITUARY.

The circumstances under which the present issue of the Mail is published are, as oar readers are no doubt aware, of an altogether exceptional and painful character. Having been somewhat of late years consequent on attacks of influenza, Mr William Warren, the proprietor and editor, was seized with a stroke of paralysis on Boxing Day, to which with other complications, he succumbed on Wednesday morning last.

Mr Warren was one of the first generation of business men in Queens r town, and independently of his profession always took a very active part in public and especially municipal affairs. He was for a lengthy period a member of the Borough Council and was continuously Mayor from 1876 until 1881, with the intermission of one year, and in this capacity he was present at the opening of the Winton-Kingston railway 1878. Taking a lively interest in the volunteer movement he was mainly instrumental in raising a cadet corps, of which he was captain. Appointed to the Commission of the Peace in 1867, Mr Warren was regular in the discharge of his magisterial duties, and at a time when Justices were scarce was of great assistance to the' Resident Magistrate of the district. During the several terms of his mayoralty, Mr Warren was successful in carrying out many matters of importance to the borough; and at his suggestion useful amendments in connection with finance were effected in the municipal law. To Mr Warren the citizens also owe the construction of th 6 substantial stone bridges in Bal arat and Shotover streets, and the utilisation for revenue purposes of the Corporation endowments—the Islands—at the Head of the Lake. The streets on the terrace were also formed during his tenure of office. Deceased also took a lively interest in scholastic affairs, having occupied for some time the position of chairman of the Queenstown public school committee.

The late Mr Warren was born in 1833 at Roystori; Hertfordshire, England, and came to New Zealand from Victoria shortly after the rich discovery of gold in Gabriel's Gully and the Dunstan, eventually becoming ririff .of the first settlers in the Wakatipu, where, in the latter end of 1864, he acquired the proprietary of the then recently established paper, the Lake Wakatip Mail, which he carried on as editor and proprietor until his death—consistently advocating Liberal principles, and doing excellent service, particularly in the early times. Deceased was of a kindly and generous disposition and his familiar face will be much missed by his many friends in the Wakatipu. Mr Warren leaves a widow, two sons and two daughters —mostly all grown up. No other relations reside in the colonies.

The funeral, which took place ihia afternoon, was largely attended. The cortege proceeded from his Jlate residence to St Peter's Church, in which a short service was held, afterwards leaving for the Queenstown cemetery where the Church of England burial service was impressively conducted by the Rev A. D. Mitchell. The members of the Masonic Lodge to which deceased belonged, also attended in regalia to tender their last respects, a short service being also held by them at the grave.