The la.te Hon. Alfred Le Vavasour Durett Fraser, M.L.C., after a long spell of broken health, passed away on Monday last at the residence of his father-in-law (Mr W. Y. Dennett), at Hastings. He was one of the bestknown men in Hawke's Bay, and his well-tailored straw-hatted erect figure was just about as familiar on Lambton Quay as it was on the Marine Parade at Napier.

Alfred Fraser. was born at Kaiapoi 57 years a,go, and started the battle of life as teacher of a native school on the East Coast. He laid down the ferule to become clerk to Sir James Carroll, in the latter's Native I.nnd Court work. Fraser improved his Maori lore and blossomed out as a native agent. He was capital company in those far-off days. He could tell a racy story, sing a popular song, strum the banjo till further orders, and among his intimates he was known as " The Curate."

In the general election of 1899 he sailed into Parliament in the Liberal interest as one of the Hawke's Bay members, and held the seat till 1908. He was a fluent speaker, and his speeches were of the flowery order, with plenty of ginger in them. They were mostly on native affairs, upon which he was an authority. He was called to the Legislative Council, but ill-health prevented him taking his seat. At the outbreak of war he devoted himself energetically to war work at Hastings. On his return last year from a health trip to Australia he expressed to a press interviewer his strong and hearty contempt for the war-shirkers of Australia, and his remarks made rather a sensation among the Cold-feet Party in New South Wales.