OBITUARY.

A private cable message has been received announcing the death in tho Isle of "Wight. on January 7th, of Mr Thuntas I3onthorne, of Pctone. The deceased was brought up to the hardware trade, and over thirty years ago was in the employ of Messrs "William Dawson and Co., Wellington, whoso premises were situated at the corner of Feathorston and Grey streets, a portion of tho site now occupied by the General Post Office. Tic afterwards entered the service of Messrs E. ~W. Mills and Co., and then lie. and Mr Wilson began business as ironmongers at Petonc. Tho late Mr Bontbornc travelled a good doal for the benefit of his health. He was married to a daughter of Mr Thomas Antrobus, of Island Bay, who survives him. The death is announced of Mr Wm. A. Ewing, an Otago pioneer. Of late years his interests had been centred in the management of the Ewing Phosphate Company (Ltd.), of which he was the founder and a director. It was really Mr Ewing's enthusiastic interest in mineralogy and collecting of mineral specimens that led to the discovery of the phosphate rock deposits at Clarendon and Milburn. Mr Alfred Bitcbencr, a well-known resident of the Waimate district, was found dead in_ his bed at 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning. The deceased gentleman was apparently in the best of health on the previous day. He leaves a family of two, Mr John Bitchener, the "Waimate councillor, and Mrs Graham, of Waimate.