A PIONEER MISSIONARY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2781, 27 May 1916, Page 8

A PIONEER MISSIONARY

DEATH OP THE REV. WILLIAM GITTOS. The death of the Rev. William Gittos, the veteran Methodist missionary, occurred in Auckland 011 Thursday 'night. He haiT reached the age of. 87. Sixty years of it strenuous life vere occupieil with Maori mission, work. He was born at Ingleton, County Durham, England, and at the age of ten came with his parents to New Zealand in the ship James, landing;' in Auckland on January 21), rail, the first anniversary of the colony. The hardships -which were the lot of early settlers in'those times were shared l'v str. Gittos and bis family, and young as a lad of sixteen, was present, with sonio other youths; at the first battle of Okaitau. Close contact with the Maoris kindled/ his sympathies for them, and after spending a term at the building trade he entered the service of the wesleyan Church. His first charge was a church at Kaipara, and there, for twenty-nine years, he had. a solitary, but adventurous life. Ho established schools and Bible classes at all the settlements along tho estuary, and varied this with work as a builder, healer of the sick, or teacher. After a time spent in Ponsbnby he removed to tho. Waikato, and it was there that jhe performed his most successful work in winning the. confidence of the Natives, and guarding them against possible disaffection. Later ho took charge of the whole of the. Methodist Maori .Mission work. From his office as superintendent he retired' only three years ago.