Feilding Star, 8 Dec 1891
MASTERTON Mr William Macara, of this town, died yesterday from influenza, at the advanced age of 92.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 10 Dec 1891
We copy from the Wellington Evening Press the following kindly notice of the late Mr Macara:- Nongenarians are few in number in New Zealand and one of them who has just passed away - Mr William Macara, of Masterton - was a good example of those who live long in the land by leading from their youth up, pure and blameless lives. The late Mr Macara was a descendant of a line of Scotch farmers. He was a young man when the battle of Waterloo was fought and during occasional visits to Edinburgh went to see Sir Walter Scott, then called "Peveril of the Pead,| limping about the streets. From then till the day of his death his memory remained unimpaired and when, during the latter years of his life, he was afflicted with blindness, he still maintained a cheerful and happy frame of mind, for the store-house of his mind enabled him to charm dull hours away and the vivid interest he took in all his relatives and surroundings, as well as in public events both in the Colony and in Great Britain, made his prolonged existence a pleasure to himself and to his friends. He might possibly have reached a hundred years, for he was a very healthy man, who never complained of pains or aches, had not that insidious disease influenza laid him low. His old friend, the Rev James Paterson, for whom he had the greatest respect and affection and by whom he was held in great esteem, put aside his Wellington engagements in order to go up to Masterton and perform on Tuesday last the last sad rites in the cemetery. Had the late Mr Macara been able to express a last wish, it would probably have been that his old pastor and friend should have presided at his grave.
The late Mr Macara has resided in this Colony for some five and twenty years. His golden wedding - saddened by the illness which ultimately proved fatal, of his life partner - was celebrated some two year ago and he now rests by her side in an honoured grave, with "their bodies at rest on the green earth's breast and their souls at home with God."

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 Dec 1891
JACK At his residence, Miriam street, Masterton, on the morning of December 18th, James Jack, in his 60th year, fell asleep in Jesus. Much beloved, Deeply regretted.

James Jack, another old Masterton resident, died this morning in his sixtieth year, making the sixteen death in the district since the beginning of the present month.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 Dec 1891 - Memorial Sermon
(extracts only from the sermon by Rev Robert Wood)
https://tinyurl.com/2sr3zb8m
* The services yesterday at the Presbyterian Church were of a special character due to the removal by death of Mr William Macara and Mr James Jack .. Death has indeed entered homes during the past year and dear ones have been taken away and though they did not sit at the table of the Lord here, we have a good hope through grace that they are suppering with the Master yonder .. Our two brethren now with God - Mr William Macara and Mr James Jack - were men of pre-eminently Christian character, They were truly saints and like Enoch testified that they walked with God .. Mr Macara was in many ways a remarkable man, He reached a ripe old age which is given to few men. He was born in the last year of last century. When he was born the dust of Robert Burns had only been lying in the grave for four years and Thomas Carlyle was a child of three years .. The death of Mr James Jack makes us much poorer as regards the spiritual force of our congregation. In the providence of God, our brother only spent the last years of his life in this Colony and these last years burdened with physical weakness - the sharp pain of disease was ever shooting through his frame. The best of his days of active service in the cause of Christ were lived in Scotland and as an elder of the Perth congregation he won for himself a good degree for his fidelity to Christ and the Church. My real acquaintance with our brother began in the sick chamber shortly after I began my ministry here. During these months of weakness and pain the features of his high Christina character were made clear to me. He was patient in tribulation. It was his lot to fight the good fight of faith against the foes of bodily pain and distress. He endured with patience his sufferings. An outstanding feature of his religious life was his calm and deep assurance of his interest in Christ .. When I saw him the other day on my return from Nelson, I felt that the conflict with the last enemy was near at hand. I last saw him late on Thursday evening and he was evidently fast slipping away from us. He saw the light of the next morning and then strong in his assurance of the presence of the Good Shepherd, he passed into the valley of death. His dust today lies in his old home, but he is yonder with the King ..