OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1487, 9 July 1912, Page 4

OBITUARY.

, MAJOR WILLIAM GILBERT MAIR. . Tho death ocenrrod yesterday at Waio* tapu of Major William Gilbert Majr, T.D., a eon of one of New Zealand's earliest settlers, and a jnember of a family distinguished for tho part they havo played as pioneers and good citizens in peace and war. The late Major Mair, who was a Judge of tho Native Land Uurc, was the son of Mr. Gilbert Mair one of tho first settlers in the Bay of Islands, where he traded as a merchant, aiul onx3 of the h'Tst justices of tho peace appointed by Governor Hobson. Major Mair was born at Mahapu, Bay of Islands, in November, 1832, and was educated at tho Waimato Mission School, under the, Rev. R. Taylor, and at St! Johns College,-Auckland. After leaving school ho turned his attention to farming pursuits, and on tho discovery of gold •m Australia left for Victoria, where he spent several years. On returning.to New /tauand, ho entered tho public service at ' tlio outbreak of the Waikato War in 18C3, and being an excellent Maori scholar was appointed interpreter to Colonel Nixon, ot tho Colonial Dcfouco Force (Cavalry). He served throughout tho Waikato, Tauranga, and West Coast campaigns, and in tho expedition to the Urowera Country, and in 18GG was gazetted a major in the ■ New Zealand Militia. Colonel Gudgeon, writing, iu his "Defenders of New Zoa■land," says;—" Major Mair has been undor hro upon more than thirty different occasions, and took an active part in the following engagements:—Patcrangi, Rnngiaohia, Hacrini, Orakau, in the M'aikato campaign j To-Awn-a-te-Atau, Te Teko, and Whakateno, in the Bast Coast campaign { , Waimana, Hukanui, Rnatahuua, and'Tαtahoata in the Uriwcra campaign; yet ho never received any special reward for his military services. In fact, it may be said that amongst tho leading spirits of the war, ho and his brother, Captain Gilbert Mair, are the only officers who did not got a portion of the lands they fought bo hard to obtain for the colonv." At the celebrated capture of To Teko, Major Mnir was in command.. In 18G4 he was appointed Resident Magistrate for tho Taupo District, and was subsequently transferred to Opotiki. In 1871 ho was appointed Government agent and Resident Magistrate for the Waikato by Sir Donald M'Lean, his difficult mission being to cultivate the friendship of the "king/ . Natives, then living,in sullen isolation. In his negotiations with tho Maori King, Major Mair was ontiroly successful. At Alexandra lie mot Tawbiao, who laid down his gun and motioned to his followers (eighty in number) ,tp do likewise, remarking! "There should'be no moroj. means' peaoo!',' That meeting; and interview led to tho Kinp coming out of his retirement to visit Auckland. Major Mair was appointed n Judge of tho Native Land Court in 1882, and held tho. first sitting pf tho Court in the King" Country.- He was appointed to tho retired list of officers on August 8, 1903. The deceased gentleman was married in 1872 to Miss Janie Cathcart, daughter of Mr. Alexander Black, of Queensland, and leaves a family.