OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15566, 25 March 1914, Page 10

OBITUARY.

DEATH OF A PIONEER. One of the early pioneers of New Zealand died at hie residence in Birkdale recently in the person of Mr. George Williams. Deceased, who had a very adventurous life, was born in St. John Newfoundland, in 1834, and was foT 19 years engaged in seal-hunting in Greenland. He came to New Zealand in 1862, and for three years was mate of the schooner Clara, trading between New Plymouth and Auckland. _ He had a good share of adventure "while engaged in the coastal trade, being in the wreck of the ketch Annie Kelly. After that he went to the West Coast goldfields, where he did well .for about sis years. On his return to Auckland he proceeded to the Thames and worked as a miner for two years, being one of the original and largest shareholders in the Clydesdale Gold Mining Company. Mr. Williams was subsequently for 18 months in the barque W. C Wentworth, trading to Sydney. In 1866 he chartered vessels for the coastal trade of New Zealand, and carried on a most successful business for 20 years, part of which time he was mate cf the barque- Ivanhoe. Captain McGregor, trading to the. South Sea Islands. After that he became proprietor of the Settlers' Hotel, Mangonui. Eight years ago he retired, and resided at Opotiki for seven years. For the past 12 months his home has been in Birkdale. Mr. Williams married a daughter of the late Mr. George Jared,, of Liverpool, and leaves two daughters and a eon.

AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER,

The death occurred at Brisbane on March 11 of Captain John Mackay, 1.5.0., who wa.s a ell-known figure in the early pioneering days of New Zealand, and who was widely known and inspected throughout Queensland. Bom at Inverness, Scotland. I.i 1859, his life was of a varied and adventurous nature such as nowadays falls to the experience of few men. He was in turn navigator, explorer, miner, stationholder, and writer, and prior to his death had been for years the Brisbane portmaster and chairman of the Queensland Marine Board. A well-educated man, he early evinced a love for the sea, to which he was attached in one way or another for practically the whole of his life. He first arrived in Australia in 1854. In 1859, when only 20 years of age, he was chosen to lead an expedition to search for grazing country in Queensland. After many months of travel and hardship, during which the number of the band was reduced considerably bv death, they arrived at what is now kriow n as the prosperous town of Mackay. The deceased made another journey with cattle and horses and opened up a big station, thus paving the way for the thousands who came after him. He again went to sea, however, arid in the sixties and seventies was a successful and respected commander o! various vessels engaged in the South Sea and New Zealand trade. He commented his connection with the Queensland Mrrne | Department in 1882, and in 1902 was appointed head of the Department. Captain Mackay was a writer, generally under a -tile-plume, of no mean merit, and wrote many itories and reminiscences of sea life for Australian papers and English magazines.