DEATH OF MR WATT

West Coast Times, Issue 10671, 27 December 1897, Page 4

DEATH OF MR WATT

It is our sad duty to record the death of another of our old residents, one of the pioneers of the (.-oast — Mr William Watt, storekeeper of Revell street — which occurred on Saturday morning. It is known Mr Watt suffered for some time

from an injury to his hand. At first he i regarded it as of no consequence with the result that the. injury became deeply seated and Dr Mackenzie, under whose care he finally placed himself, decided, after consultation, that amputation of j three fingres was absolutely necessary. ' It was some time before Mr Watt would I consent to this course but at length he agreed to it aud the operation was very successfully performed by Dr Mackenzie, assisted by Drs Macandrew and Morice. He was getting on well and the wound healing when the fire occurred on Saturday morning, 18th inst. Living in the house opposite the fire, which itself was alight on several occasions, caused a great shock to his system. He was removed to the Empire Hotel fer some time, and then taken back to the doctor's, but the result proved disastrous. He rallied two or three times, and once it was thought he would recover, but tho shock had been too great, and he finally ; sank on Saturday morning, the day before ; the 64th anniversary of his birthday. j Mr Watt was not only widely known throughout Westland — he was also widely respected. A man of deep religious views, he lived a quiet simple life, closely following the rules that he had sec for : himself and which it was so obviously a ' pleasure to. him to follow. He always took a deep interest in the services and administration of the Presbyterian Church and was one of the oldest teachers in its Sabbath school. He applied to the* outside world the lessons taught him IMJ his religion and thus was always admired j for his sterling worth and steadfastness of character. His death will cause a deep blank in a wide circle of friends and I the deepest sympachy is felt for his lfttle daughter who has thus lost her remaining parent, her mother, Mr Watt's well mated j life partner, having died at her birth, 10 i years ago. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon and was of a military character. Lieut-Colonel Bonar, Major Douglas, and all the attached and unattached officers of the district, including Capt. Stubbs and a squad of the Kumara Rifles, being pre? sent. His own company, the First Westlands—of which he had been color-sergeant for many years, mustered in force and the band, under bandmaster Bremond, played the Dead March from "Saul." The procession was a very lengthy one extending in Stafford street from Revell street to Fitzherbert street and this notwithstanding the short notice, no paper having been published since his death. The cemetery was filled with mourners

and spectators, fully a thousand people *being present. The funeral ceremony was conducted by the Rev. W. Douglas, M.A., and the Sunday School children sang "For Ever With, the Lord.,"