WILLIAMS, HERBERT WILLIAM (? - 1937), a son of W. L. Williams (q.v.), and grandson of William Williams (q.v.), Bishop of Waiapu, was born at Waerenga-ahika, Poverty Bay. He was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and at Canterbury College, where he was a University scholar. (B.A. 1884; M.A. 1886.) At Jesus College, Cambridge, he was a Rustat scholar. (B.A. 1884; M.A. 1887). After teaching for two years at Haileybury College, he was ordained and returned to New Zealand in 1889 as vice-principal of Te Rau Native Theological College, Gisborne, of which he became principal in 1894. He retired in 1902 to superintend the Maori missions on the East Coast, and was appointed Archdeacon of Waiapu in 1907. In 1929 he was elected Bishop of Waiapu (in succession to Dr W.W. Sedgwick). A profound Maori scholar, Williams edited the fifth edition of Williams's Maori Dictionary (1917) for which he was awarded a doctorate of literature by the University of New Zealand (1924) and by Cambridge University (1925). He published First Lessons in Maori (1924, 1930) and a bibliography of printed Maori. Williams was a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society (1904), and of the New Zealand Institute (1923); president of the Polynesian Society (1929), and of the Royal Society of New Zealand (1935). He was also a member of the National Historical Committee for the New Zealand Centennial. In 1888 he married Bertha Louisa Gertrude, daughter of S. L. Mason, of Edinburgh. He died on 6 Dec 1937.

Who's Who N.Z., 1908, 1924, 1932; Polyn. Jour. pass.; Trans. N.Z. Institute and N.Z. Royal Society; Hight and Candy; The Dominion, 11 Oct 1929 (p), 7 Dec 1937; Evening Post, 6 Dec 1937.

Reference: Volume 2, page 259

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