himself to the esteem of his fellow-members and office-bearers. His death has deprived the community of an enterprising citizen, and his family of a kind husband and loving father. The office-bearers record their sympathy with his widow and children in their bereavement."
Within a year of Dr Macdonald's death he was followed by his intimate friend, Mr W. N. Blair, who was called away to his rest on May 4, 1891, in the 50th year of his age, after a prolonged and painful illness, which he bore with much Christian resignation and fortitude. He had left Dunedin for a number of years, but his memory will be long preserved by members of Knox Church and by many friends, on account of the eminent services rendered by him to the congregation, his great personal worth, and his most genial disposition.
William Newsham Blair was born on the island of Islay, Argyleshire, in the year 1841. He was educated at the parish school situated at Ballygrant, his teacher being Mr Hector McLean, widely known and much respected as a school-master of ability and merit. On leaving school at the age of 16 or 17 years, he was articled to Mr McIntosh, a surveyor and civil engineer at Oban, a town of rising importance on the mainland. On the expiry of his apprenticeship he obtained employment in the office of Mr (afterwards Sir) Thomas Bouch, an engineer of eminence. He was afterwards employed for a time in survey work in his native island. He then resolved to emigrate to New Zealand, and reached Dunedin by the ship "Daniel Rankin" in the beginning of 1863. Soon after landing he received an appointment in the Provincial Engineer's office under the late Mr Thomas Paterson, who was afterwards drowned (Dec. 1869) when crossing the Kakanui River, at that time in high flood. Mr Blair carried on the work of his former chief for a short time, and was then taken over by the Colonial Public Works Department. His high professional skill and his unremitting and faithful performance of duty ultimately won for him the important position of Engineer-in-Chief of the colony as successor to Mr Blackett. Although Mr Blair's time and energies were mainly devoted to his official duties, yet, like his friend Dr Macdonald, he found spare time for much useful work outside his strictly professional sphere, and his published essays and reports on various subjects give evidence of literary abihty and powers of observation and description of a very high order.
