Former Editor of Hawke's Bay Herald

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 6

Former Editor of Hawke's Bay Herald

MR. WILLIAM DINWIDDIE

Quite suddenly there passed away yesterday afternoon one of Napier 's well-known. citizens in the person of Mr William Dinwiddie, who for great number of years filled the editorial chair of the Hawke 's Bay Herald. 7.he late Mr Dinwiddie was born in London in 1863, and was the son of the Rev. W. Dinwiddie, B.A., LL.B. He was educated at the University College School, London. He came to Napier in 1882, and there entered the office of Messrs Carlilo and McLean, barristers and solicitors. After completing his legal studies in Christchurch he was admitted to the bar in 1889, and^ from then in 1900 practised his profession as a barrister. In 1900 he was appointed editor of the Hawke's Bay Herald, a ppsition he filled up to 1932. Of simple tastes and a singularly quiet and unassuming manner, he took little part in public affairs beyond the causes he assisted in the columns of his paper. But he maintained the highest traditions of the Press in his articles and in the conduct of the paper, and the Herald rightly gained an enviable character as a paper. A man of great and varied knowledge, he possessed the logical faculty to an unusual degree, and in discussing public affairs, particularly world affairs, he displayed an analytical miud which enabled him to give his Teaders a very comprehensive insight into both sides of a question. He was content to leave it at that rather than to seek to sway public opinion strongly to the side he himself favoured. Outside of his office work he took a very great interest in educational malters and had been a member of 11 4 Hawke's Bay Education Board and Sx-condary Education Board for many years, having been chairman of the latter for a number of years. He had been re-elected to that position only a few days befoi'e his death. His outlook on educational matters was a very broad one°and took in both the culturai and the technical sides. He believed that education was but tho door to knowledge and that it was through that door that the way of right thinking and right living was to be Teaclied. His interest in liuinanity, too, was great, and his deep sympathy with distress of all kinds is to be found in rhe fact that he was one of the committee of the Hawke's Bay Children 's Homes almost from their inception right up to the time of his death. He had a strong sense of humour, and invariably saw the humorous as well as the serious side of a sflbject. So unassuming was he that many of the readers of the Herald who appreeiated his articles scarcely knew the mhn who wrote them, but to those who had the honour of his friendship ho left an enduring memory. He leaves a widow who was a daughter of the late Mr G. W. Williams, for some years' Commissioner of - Crown Lands, Napier, and to her in her hour of sorrow will go out the deep sympathy of all who knew her late husband. The late Mr. Dinwiddie 's only son predeceased him in 1924.