OBITUARY.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1396, 24 May 1923, Page 5

OBITUARY.

I AIR W. W. HIGGINSON. I We have to record the death of Mr j William Wilson Higginson, at the ripe | age of 78 years, which occurred at Onehunga on .Monday. Mr Higginson landed in New Zealand by the sailing ship Owen Glendower on 15t'h September, 1863. He joined Captain Peaj cocke's company, and on 4th January, 1864, he inarched with Jackson's Forest Rangers to Onehunga. where, on board the Alexandra, the company sailed to Raglan. After spending several weeks at the latter place they i marched overland to Te Awamutu, via I Paterangi, and occupied the redoubt I here, which was for some time under Sergeant. Gilbert and later under Lieutenant'Gunson. While in Te Awamutu he was one of the covering party to escort two guns to Orakau, where later he took part 'in the fighting at Orakau. For some time after this Mr Higginson was quartered at Kihikihi under Major Picken, and was afterwards transferred to Pirongia. For some years he farmed at Te Rore, and was instrumental in capturing Te Pahi, who murdered the son of the Rev. Mr Morgan, the missionary, at Ngaruawahia. When, some years later, the Te Awamutu cavalry was raised, his military spirit asserted itself, and he joined as a trooper, rising to sergeant-major, and later refused a commission. He was also a sergeant in the Te Awamutu mounted infantry until the territorial scheme was inaugurated, at which time he was senior mounted non-commis-dioned officer in New Zealand. Altogether the late Mr Higginson saw nearly forty years' service. He held the New Zealand war, long service, and veteran's medals. For a number of yeai'g Mr Higginson was head stockman for Messrs Buckland and Sons, and subsequently took up farming at •Whatawha'ta, where he resided for about thirty years, until five years ago, when he took up residence at Onehunga.