OBITUARY.

(Ev Cable.—Presa As»«ciatlon.—- . SYDNEY. June S3. The death is announced of Mr William McCourt, formerly Speaker of th* New South Wales Legislative Assembly. .) Mr McCourt was a member of tho Jj New South Wales Royal Commission fto enquire into the working of tho totaasator, which, in tho course of its enquiries, visited Christchurch a year or so a_o. - The late Mr Henry Sawtell, whose death occurred last week, was a very old resident of Christchurch. _ He was elected a member of the Christchurch City Council in 1868, was returned again in 1871, and became Mayor in 1872. For some years he was m par£ nership with the late Mr A. Cracroft Wilson, in the firm of Wilson, Sawtell and Co., which carried on business for some time as general merchants in High street. (PEESS ASSOCIATION' TULEOBASt* NELSON, June 23 The death occurred to-day of Mr . William Poore Smith, a very old settler, at tho age of ninety-five years. M* Smith in his younger days was an officer in the mercantile marine, and settled Tiear Nelson in 1850, residing- U* . f the district ever since.