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Past and Present, and Men of the Times.

Mr. William Ferguson

Mr. William Ferguson, Secretary and Engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board, is a native of London, having first seen the light there in 1852–44 years ago. After receiving a thorough good education under private tutors, and at the Grammar School on Burton-on-Trent, he elected to enter the engineeing profession. Between 1867 and 1872 he underwent a first-class training as a mechanical engineer, in the establishment of Messrs. Courtenay and Stebbins, of Dublin, and he also learned civil engineering in the School of Engineering of Trinity College in that city. Mr. Ferguson was a very apt pupil and took so much interest in his studies that in 1877 he succeeded in passing for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the University of Trinity College, Dublin. In 1879 he took the degree of Bachelor in Engineering (with special certificates in all subjects in the curriculum), and in 1881 he was a Master of Arts. About the end of 1883 he came to Dunedin with his brother (Dr. H. Lindo Ferguson, who is regarded as one of the leading specialists in the colony, and who has built up an extensive practice in that city), and in May of the following year he was selected from a large number of applications for the position of Engineer and Secretary to the Harbour Board, an office which he has continued to fill in the most satisfactory manner. Mr. Ferguson is admitted to be one of the ablest engineers in the Southern Hemisphere,page 242
Mr. C. H. Mills, M.H.R.

Mr. C. H. Mills, M.H.R.

Captain Kennedy.

Captain Kennedy.

Mr. T. S. Duncan

Mr. T. S. Duncan

page 243and there is not the slighest doubt that but for his valuable services Wellington would not to-day be in the proud position of possessing better harbour facilities than any other port in the colony, In recognition of the admirable work which he has done the Board, only a few months ago, increased his salary to £1000 a year, without the slightest suggestion or solicitation on his part. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were on board the s.s. "Wairarapa," when she was wrecked on the Auckland coast two years ago, and both narrowly escaped with their lives.