DEATH OF A PIONEER. WELLINGTON, October 31.

Otago Witness, Issue 2331, 3 November 1898, Page 24

DEATH OF A PIONEER. WELLINGTON, October 31.

\ A telegram was received to-day announcing the death, at Blenheim, of Mr William Gilbert Rees, formerly of the Stock department. He was also known as the pioneer settler of the Queenstown district, in Otago, ■where he at one time owned and worked a large run. As an officer of the Stock, department, from which he retired owing to ill-health, he did excellent work. He was 71 years of age, and was on a visit to Blenheim. , Mr W. G. Rees, who was 71 years of age, ' was born in Gloucestershire, and was a cousin, of Dr W. G. Grace, the famous cricketer. He came to Otago late in the fifties, and, with the late Mr Yon Tunzelman, was one of the first to explore portion of the interior of Otago. Finding suitable country on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, he took up two runs there, his partners being Mr Gammie and Colonel Grant, of Victoria. To stock the runs 3000 sheep were sent from Victoria. These were grazed in the Shag Valley district, and then driven to Lake Wakatipu. Mr Sees afterwards stocked the run. he had taken up at the Head of the Lake. The buildings of his home station were erected where Queenstown now stands. The Shotover Kiver waß called after the English residence of Mr Gammie, Mr Rees's partner. Franktown was so called after Mrs Kees, and the Eee3 River, at the Head of the Lake, was called after Mr R'ees himself. For a t.,iie Mr Rees prospered •with his runs, but, like many other pioneers, he had eventually to give them up and almost commence life again. 1 Mr W. Ibbotson, of the corporation staff, had a trying experience on Monday. While proceeding down the wharf a gust of wind blew off his hat. In making a grab for it ho tripped and fell into the water. No one saw the accident, but fortunately Mr Ibbotson was _able to swim to the end of the wharf with his "clothes on, and reached the rocks quite exhausted.