A Pioneer Settler.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 May 1910, Page 4

A Pioneer Settler.

EARLY PRINTING IN NEW ZEALAND. There passed away at Dunediu, Last month, .another of the old pioneers of this dominion, -Mr George AYatfion, alt the age. of eighty-two. Born in London, he had been privileged to see part of four .reigns and all their stirring events, and took t\ d'elighit in recounting the interest created by the final abolition of slavery, the Chartist riots, the invasion of tho Crimea, etc. He was apprenticed to Mr Tobias-Teaipe of the Tower Hill Printing Office, London, which i.n its early {lays was under the special patronage of George IV., therefore 1 .pnaoriiedly tho Government Printing Office. Mr AV.at.son eaine out in the Rajah to Otago in 18o'L originally booking ! his passage for AVellington, but owing to serious injury to the vessel when 500 miles off the coast of Van Dieinen Land (Tasmania) captain decided to make for Port Chalmers for repairs, which took ten weeks. Finding wages low at AVellington, and that a goodly number of the old settlers had gone to the Australian gold fields, Mr \Vaitscn went across to Melbourne in 18."> I, and took employment on tire Age, which was anything but a. robust journal at that time. Wages ranged up to 30s a d.ay. Not liking Hie extreme heat, .he returned to AVellington in 1855, working as a compositor until his plant arrived enabling him to commence business on Lambton Qnay North on his own account in 1850. He printed and published tho Royal Now Zealand Almanac for 1857 and on to 1850, receiving good support alike from the puhlio and the then. Provincial (T. n ,„,,„.„.«-. Sellin-r nut to advantage, be directed his attention to Sydnev. but returned to Canterburv. and started business in Lvttdfon at the end of 1859. It was with his plant there that the Christchurch Press started, and he was its mnnaeer and printer till 180'?. when removed tn Dnnc'lin. TL> u-.ns 'i life memb'T cf ,*,lu. Printers' V(>i" , i"'i CcrivM-)) jon. and a Frcc»"in of the Citv of T/Mvhui. AUs AV-.ten,, n-'"'b-e-<.'«.i 1.;.., l. v olo r n., v.n's. TTn is s-'M->-i'-' r l by his two r "i": :ipd ilioir f-iniiH oo . WTWiTwnßWKj.mi mntji