OBITUARY.

THE REV. WILLIAM | BAUMBER. | The death occurred yesterday of the llev. William Baumber, of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, at his j residence, 91 Hackthorno road, Cashmere. Mr Baumber was born at Spiisby, Lincolnshire, on November 17th, Woa, and was therefore in his 80th year. He was a son of James Baumber, a nd was educated at &pilsby Grammar School. Upon being received as a, candidate for the Methodist Ministry he received his training at Didsbury College, Manchester. He entered upon the work of the active ministry in 1876, and arrived in New Zealand the following, year. He began bis New Zealand ministry at Lawrence, and in subsequent years occupied many of the leading pulpits of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. In the year 1896 he was elevated to the office of president of the Methodist Conference. In the year 1918 he retired from the active work of the ministry, but has occupied the subsequent years in useful service in many official capacities. Ho has .served as chairman of the various Synod districts in the Dominion, and has been a member of many important Connexional Committees. At the time of his death, he was chairman of the Methodist Supernumerary Fund Board, and of the Methodist General Purposes Trust Board. Thoughout his career he has been a Church leader of the highest order. On several occasions he has represented New Zealand at the General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, and in the year 1904 was the representative of New Zealand to the British Wesleyan Metho--dist Conference. A good deal of his active ministry was spent in Christchurch, and his term at the Durham Street Church, thirty years ago, is remembered as a period of abounding prosperity for that Church. In 1884, Mr Baumber wag married to Miss Laura Garland, daughter of Mr and Mrs Bdwad Garland, of Hillsborough, Christchurch. Mrs Baumber died on October 11th; 1931. Mr Baumber won a position of esteem and affection in his Church, and was known amongst his people as "Baumber the Beloved." The late Mr Baumber had an expert knowledge of Ne" - Zealand historv. ancl his library of New Zealand literature wn« not enrolled by manv private collections. There are two d mi eh tors. MrR Frederick Buxton nnd Mrs Douglas G, Smith, both of. 3 <umnpr. MR J. D. P. HAMPTON. The death has occurred at Wellineton of Mr .Tolm Douglas Pearcc Hampton, a well-known inmate of the Home for Aged Needy, at the age of Si years. Mr Hampton, who was a Maori War veteran, was well known in New Zealand, particularly in the South, Island.

He came to Now Zealand some tim.6 in the 'sixties with a British regiment sent to quell the rebellious, Maori tribes, and m those early colonial days he saw a good deal of fighting in the Waikato, Taranaki, and Wariganui districts. With the coming of more peaceful times, Mr.Hampton settled for a time in Wellington, being Employed in the building trade. He later Went to Dunedin, and after a few years spent there, obtained a position as assistaut janitor .at Christ's' College, Christchurch. While there be was very popular with the boys. He entered the Home for Aged Needy about 14 years ago, and during his stay there enjoyod fairly good health. Be was keenly interested in. the work of the Good Templars' Society. '/ • MR V. G. JOHANSEN. The death has occurred, after a short illness, of Mr Victor Gerard Johansen, of Onehunga, in his 93rd year. He had lived in New Zealand for 73 years. Mr Johansen, who was a native of Sweden, arrived at Port Chalmers in 1859, when 20 years of age. He went to sea at an early age, but becoming dissatisfied with the Jiard life of a' sailor in those days, ho left his ship at Port Chalmers and walked inland to the Taieri Plain, where he secured employment on the main road, then being formed by the Provincial Government. After one or two narrow escapes from being arrested for deserting his. ship, Mr Johansen returned to Port Chalmers in 1860 and was employed by Mr John Mill, in whose service he remained until 1908, first as hulk-keeper and subsequently as stevedore. Mr Johansen was one of the few who remained in their employment during <he rush to Gabriel's Gully and the Dunstan goldfields in 1861-1862, when 15,000 men arrived at Port Chalmers from Australia in three months. He could recall that at one period upward of 100 deserted ships lay in Otago harbour, their crews having gone to the diggings. After spending nearly half a century at Port Chalmers. Mr Johausen retired and went to live with his daughter, Mrs Mockford, at Onehunga. Mr Johansen enjoyed godd health until a few weeks ago. He was able to read without the aid of spectacles until three weeks ago. MR FRANK COXON. The death occurred in Sydney on August 30th of Mr Frank Coxon, conr suiting engineer and architect, who waa very closely associated with the meat freezing industry in New land from the time that, he came from England in 1881 until aiid .even after he made his headquarters in Sydney in 1890, subsequently erecting works for well known companies in the Argentine, Queensland, and New South* \\ales. Since 1913 the firm has been known as W. Coxon and Son, when he took his eldest son into partnership. . ~ . - Mr Coxon married the second daughter of Canon J. W. Stack in 1886, and his widow, with two sons and one

daughter, survives him. Mr- Ooson was in failing health for. some 3P*"ffi}' •; so tho end, although sudden, ehoald . not have been wholly unwpeeted. ( BRIGADIER-GENERAL srrwEiau */* i ;•...'.: fUKITEB S&ES6 *BBO<JXATIOS—*T 'SiaCTWc' , , tbi»b&bjjw—oonaxoan.) i < - LONDON, September ~?7 ; ' The death' has occurred of BrigadieJr- , s . General William Henry Sitwell, V'.tf.v D.5.0., F.R.G.S,, who wa* oo«n»»der of the 34th Infantry Brigade* at Suvlu, • Bay, in 1915. '■ ' "' [Brigadier-General William Henry Sitwell joined the sth Fusiliers i» 18t*> - and served in Afghanistan, Albania,. and in the Nile expeditions, IB97 r w> being severely wounded it Shebalift.. i lie fought at Omdurman and in the 1899 Nile Expedition was mentioned , in dispatches and decorated. During the Boer War he raised and commanded the 22nd Battalion of Mounted Infantry, and afterwards ' a mobile ,(l . column of all - arms until the end ol , the war. From 1909 to 191$ he!was a member of the General Staff, and in 1914 took command of the 84th Infantry Brigade, which fought ai Suvhu Bay. From 1915 to 1918 he commanded i the 17th Reserve Infantry Brigade and the Frees Heath Reserve Cents*-]