DEATH OF SIR WALTER DULLER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13652, 23 July 1906, Page 3 (Supplement)

DEATH OF SIR WALTER DULLER.

WELLINGTON. July 20. News lias been received hern of the death in London of Sir Walter Butler.

The following sketch is taken from Mennoil's Dictionary of Australasian Biographv :—Sir Walter Lawrv Duller, K.C.M.G.. D.Sc, F.R.S.. the ' descendant of an ancient Cornish family and the eldest surviving son of the late Rev. James Bnller, was born on October 9, 1838, at Newark-, Day of Island. New Zealand, and was- educated at Wesley College, Auckland. Having early acquired a knowledge of the Maori language, he was appointed Government interpreter at Wellington in 1885, and started and edited a weekly Maori paper called Te Karcro o Poncke. 1n.1859 he was made Nativo Commissioner for the Southern Provinces, and carried through' the partition and individualisation of the Kaiapoi Native Reserve. In 1861 ho. acted as lion, secretary to the Kohimaram.v Conference of Native chiefs, convened by Governor Gore Drown; and in tho same year edited the Maori Messenger, a. -fortnightly paper in English and Maori, boing afterwards also promoter and editor of. .the Maori Intelligencer (both of tlieni Government publications). In April. 1862. ho ■ was appointed resident magistrate of the Manawatu, and in April, 1865, judge of the Native Land Court. In the same your ho was present at tho taking of Woraroa Pa (Volunteer staff), for which ho received the New Zealand war medal. On, that, occasion, declining the protection of a. military escort, he carried the Governor's despatches at night through 40 miles of the enemy's country, attended only by a Maori oj-dorly, for which gallant service" he was mentioned in despatches. In 1866 ho bpcame resident magistrate and sheriff of Wanganui, which office he held till 1871, when lio wo'nt to England as scorotary to the Agent-general. For a continuous period of Is.years.llc had held various official appointmonks, 'chiefly in connection with Nativo affairs, and had on .eight different occasions received the special thanks of tho Colonial Government. He entered as a student at the Inner Temple on November 20. 1871. and was called to tho Bar on June 6. 1874. In the same year ho returnees to Now Zealand, and practised as a barrister and solicitor of the Supremo Court with, remarkable success till 1886, whon he visited England as commissioner in connection with tho Colonial and Indian Exhibition. For his' services on this occasion ho was created K.C.M.G., having lwen niado ft O.M.G-. in 1875 in-recognition of his researches in New Zoaland ornithology. In 1876 ho was elected F.R.S. on tho same account. Sir Walter remained in England till 1890, and took an active part in all public movements affecting the colonies. Ho was on tho Mansion House Committee for tho Paris Inhibition. 1889, and was elected a mqmbcr of. tho Executive Council. For his services on. that occasion he was decorated "Officer" in tho Legion of Honour. Ae early as 1865 lie obtained the silver medal of tho Now Zealand' Exhibition for an "Essay on the Ornithology of New Zoaland," and subsequently published a splendid illustrated "Historv of the Birds of Now Zealand." In 1882 he prepared for the Government a " Manual of tho Birds of New Zealand," arid in' 1838 brought out a second edition of bis larger work. Besides onjoying the dignity of ;[ British order, Sir Walter wag a. Knight (First Class) Austrian Order of Francis Joseph, First Class Order of Frederick of Wuhteniburg, Order of Merit (First Class) of Hesee-Darmstadt. and "Officer do I'lnstrnction Publiquo" (Gold Palm of the Academy). He was awarded tho Galileiaai medal by the Royal University of Florence, and received tho honorary degree of Doctor of Science from tho University of Tubingen. In 1881 ho received the gold medal of tho New Zealand Exhibition for science and literature, and was elected a Governor of tho New Zealand Institute, oCwhioh ho was also 0110 of the founders. He married in 1862 Charlotte, third daughter of Gilbert Mair. of Auckland, who died on November 1, 1891. Of late' years Sir Walter had been residing in London.