DEATH OF JUDGE BUTLER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1667, 10 February 1904, Page 18

DEATH OF JUDGE BUTLER.

Mr William Jamos Butler, Judge of the Native Land Court, died at his residence in Gwen street, Newtown, at 11.30. on t.fi© Ist inst., afteff a vei'y short illness. The primary cause of death was blood poisoning, contracted wmle on a visit to To-kaa-nu just before Christmas, . This was followed hy a complication of serious ailments, which three operations failed to relieve, and ended in an attack of pneumonia.

The late Judge Butler was the eldest son of Captain James Butler, of Mongonui, one of the earliest of the settlers in that district. He was bora at Aiongonui on April 15, 1848, and was educated at the Church of rmgland Grammar School, Auckland, under the late ; Dr Kinder, DID. B©/repi-esented his native district in the Auckland Provincial Council and General Assembly, • positions in which his profession—that of a surveyor—stood him in good stead- He entered the Government service on March 9th, 1878, having been appointed Government agent in the Wairarapa, and he afterwards acted as private secretary to tne late Messrs W. Rolleston, J. Bryce and J. Ballance. as : each in turn held the portfolio of Native Minister. Subsequently he was appointed Native Lands Purchase Officer at Wanganui, and while holding that position acquired for the Crown the valuable Waimarino and other large blocks. On June 14th, 1893, he was appointed a Judge df the Native Land. Court, apOofece which fie filled with remarkable ! success- up to the time of his decease. Hfe '%as one of the-- European members of rthe - Commission appointed under the: Drew era District Reserves Act, 1896, and. was chairman when it made its final report in 1802. ! Judge Butler was very popular among the natives, was a fluent Ma<m and having am accurate komGe g. their manners and customs he obtain**! their confidence in W eb His decisions were rarelj appealer against.