William Newsham Blair M.Inst.C.E. (10 August 1841 – 4 May 1891), was a New Zealand engineer and surveyor.[1] He was born in Kilmeny, Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland on 10 August 1841.[2] He was in the service of the Provincial Government of Otago from 1864 to 1865 whereupon he became district engineer in the Public Works Department of New Zealand in 1871, Engineer-in-charge of the Middle Island in 1878, and Assistant Engineer-in-Chief for the colony in 1884. In 1890 Mr. Blair was appointed Engineer-in-chief, and died on 4 May 1891.[3]