BULLER, WALTER LAWRY (1838-1906) was born at Newark, Bay of Islands, the son of the Rev. James Buller (q.v.). He received his early education at Wesley College, Auckland, and entered the service of the Union Bank at Auckland. There he won rapid promotion, but on medical advice took a year's rest at Wellington. Here he devoted himself to literary and scientific studies, enjoying the friendship of William Swainson, F.R.S. In 1861 he gained first prize for an essay on The Moral Welfare of New Zealand offered by the Auckland Association. In 1865 he was awarded the silver medal of the New Zealand exhibition for an essay on the ornithology of New Zealand, which was published (1865).

Having acquired a competent knowledge of Maori, Buller was appointed government interpreter at Wellington (1855). He started and edited a weekly Maori newspaper, Te Karere o Poneke, which became self-supporting and was afterwards subsidised by the government. In 1859 he was appointed native commissioner for the Southern Provinces, where he carried through the partition and individualisation of the Kaiapoi reserve. In 1861 he acted as secretary of the Kohimarama conference of native chiefs, and prepared the proceedings for publication. In the same year he was appointed editor of the official Maori Messenger (a bimonthly journal in English and Maori), and he was likewise the promoter and first editor of Te Manuhiri Tuarangi, or Maori Intelligencer. In Feb 1862 he was gazetted a justice of the peace, and in Apr resident magistrate at Manawatu. In 1865 he was appointed a judge of the native land court, in which capacity he frequently earned the thanks of the government. He saw a good deal of active service and showed great personal courage on the West Coast, especially at Weraroa and in the Ruahine ranges. He published many papers on biological subjects, mainly ornithology. He was elected a fellow of the Linnean, Geological and Royal Geographical societies, and a corresponding member of the Zoological Society of London. In 1866 he was appointed resident magistrate and sheriff at Wanganui. These appointments he held till 1871, when he went to England as secretary to the agent-general. While there he was called to the bar at the Inner Temple, and published his first important work, A History of the Birds of New Zealand (1873). In recognition of its merit the university of Tubingen conferred on him the honorary degree of doctor of science. Buller presented to the Colonial museum the collection of birds on which the letter-press was founded. In 1875 he was created a C.M.G., and in 1876 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. Returning to New Zealand in 1874 he was admitted to the bar and for the next 30 years he devoted himself to practice. Devoting himself especially to native work, he appeared for the Ngati-Apa in the Rangatira block case (1882) and the Horowhenua case (1895). In 1881 he contested the Foxton seat in Parliament. He continued to make contributions to zoological literature. In 1882 he prepared for official publication a Manual of the Birds of New Zealand, illustrated by photo-lithographic prints from his larger work. In 1883 he received from the New Zealand exhibition the gold medal 'for science and literature.' In 1885 he went to London to represent the colony at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. In 1886 his services were recognised by the K.C.M.G. In 1894 he was made a knight commander of the crown of Italy. At this period he was governor of the New Zealand Institute and president of the Wellington Philosophical society. In 1888 he published an enlarged edition of The Birds of New Zealand, and in 1905 he published in London his supplement, in two volumes.

Buller married (1862) Charlotte (who died in Nov 1891), daughter of Gilbert Mair (q.v.). He died on 18 July 1906.

App. H.R.; Cox, Men of Mark; Buller; Ward; Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol i, et pass; Gudgeon (p); Mair; Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Evening Post, 20 Jul 1906.

Reference: Volume 1, page 75

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