OBITUARY. MR. W. M. MASKELL.

Not unexpectedly, the death occurred here yesterday of Mr. William Miles Maskell, Registrar of tlie New Zealand University. Mr. Maskell recently underwent a serious operation, which was successful, but during convalescence a new trouble set in which ultimately proved fatal. He expired at his house in Parliament-street yesterday afternoon. Mr. Maskell was born in Hampshire, England, some 58 years ago, and received his education at the Catholic College at Oscott, and also at Paris. After a brief terra of service in the Army, lie in 1860 came to New Zealand, and started as a sheep farmer, taking a run at Kaikoura. Four years later he removed to Canterbury, where he continued his farming pursuits. Here he came into public life, being elected a member of the Provincial Council and retaining the position for about ten years. In 1874 he received the office of Provincial Secretary and Treasurer of the Canterbury province, and retained the office until the abolition of the provinces. He then accepted the position of Registrar of the New Zealand University, and he has since filled that position with the utmost care and with every measure of success. Mr. Maskell was a man with whom " duty " was a watchword, and while some, perhaps, might think that he was occasionally too severely strict regarding formalities, none could fail to admire his integrity and honesty of purpose. Mr. Maskell, during his years of residence in this city, has been a valued member of the Philosophical Society, and has contributed many exceedingly interesting and valuable papers on entomological subjects, and was an able and particularly free debater on most scientific questions. He was the greatest authority of the day on scale blights, his wide store of knowledge in this respect being sought after by scientists in both Europe and America. Mr. Maskell was twice married, his second wife being Miss Alice M'dean, to whom he was married about 10 years ago. He leaves no family. SMr. MaskelPs funeral will take place at & o'clock tomorrow morning. We regret to record the death of young Colin H. Humfrey, only surviving sou of Captain Humfrey, of Lower Hutt (formerly of the Defence Department), which occurred at his father's residence yesterda3 r afternoon from consumption. The deceased "youth, who was a student at the Wanganui College, was only 18 years of age, and sincere and very general sympathy will be felt for his parents and relatives.