OBITUART.

Mr Robert Skeoch, a well-known manufacturers' agent, was found dead in a chair i\ Ins bedroom at the Grand Hotel at 11 0 clock on Saturday morning. Deceased had for the past 18 months buffered occasionally ftom severe pains, which he had been advised indicated heart disease. About 11 o'clock en Friday night he told Mr Ainge, the l.indloid, that he had troublesome pains iibout bis client, and by request n glass of vatm toddy was prepared for him, whuh h > drank, and then returned to his bed room. It i-> evident that the j)<nn returned dining the night, on which d< ceased got up and sat in. a chair, where ho apparently died without a struggle. Very little is known about Mr Skeoch, who was a very reticent man, rave that he came from Scotland — Ayrshire, it ih believed. Ho was a single man, an.l, '■o far as is known, he had no relatives in the colony. The deceased was for nomo time in the employ of Messrs Ron-> and ( Jlciidming, but of late years has lcprc-tMited (Jla c gow firms. He wab a memInr ot the Commercial Traveller-,' Association. The coroner has decided that an il ijue->t i-> not neoe->saiy, as Dr Colquhoun 1 a~ t-'iven a certificate t hat death wa«"due to 1 cart di aOT-ea OT-e

The O.imaiit Mail announces the dcatli of M^i s I-.'. Wlnio, which took placo at her r«?si donee, Tc-s .-(rcet, on 1 riday afternoon Dn eased, T»lu> wa^. nearly 70 years of ago, was wtlL known in Oumaru, wher<- had curuHl on a. gioocr}- bii-mesa foi over 40 year*.

Another o r the fa-;t diinini°hing band of early bettler-j pa->=ed away on Thursday in tho pei^on of Mr-> Mai yard M'Don.iM, v\Lo resided in Renfiew street, Balclutha. The lady, who attained the old age of 85, suffered an illness about a year ago, and had iio\ei peifcctly recoveied. Mrs M'Donald n,ii a native of Inverness *lnre, and arnvcd m the rolnny along with hci husband, in tho ship Robert llc-ndci -on, m 1862. Arriving in Port Chalmers Mr and Mrs M'Donald went on by boat to Port Molyneux, wheue Mr M'Donaki worked for foiiic time on Brugh's run, after wln< h they took un land at Ahuriri. Old age <oming on they moved to Bth lutba about i-meii years ag:>. and have lesided there ever -inre. De<ea,-d leaves a husband, two daughteis, aud four sons to mourn theii los^.

The Dunstan Time? =nv" tK Mr W. Brown, manager of Mr N-tylor's Clie=termair.'s l>tate, died suddenly on Sunday evening, 6th inst. The Cromwell Argus chronicles the death of Mrs Roy, wife of Mr W. Roy, one cf the old identities of Bannockbarn.

IHE LATE MR THOMAS CALLENDER

Tho late Mr Thomas Callcnder, whoso ck'kth 011 the Sth nut. at the nut asre of

77 years vv as recorded in our colunm last week, was born in Leith, Edinburgh, in 1823 He was educated at the Edinburgh High School, acid later at Paisley. After completing bis education he entered into the employment of his father at Paisley, ■v\ho=e business con»ifted of the management of a large tannery — at that time one of the largest in Scotland It here that ho obtained the accurate training in bu«ine-^ matters which later m wa.> one ef big marked characteristics. He wa- married in Paisley, and in 1863 he left Scotland, together with his family, for Naw Zealand, arriving in Dunedin by the ship Sir William Eyre. | Siuce that time he has remained in this I city, and has been a well-known and muchre/pected citizen. It i.s hardly -necessary to allude* to the very considerable reputation that Mr Cullender enjoyed in busineF.' circles for his Ptraitforwardne°s. integrity, and high commercial ability. He was for this rea = on in much request as an auditor or a liqi'ic'ator, and was much employed in ther'» tvipaeitit-. lie was a Fellow of tho Institute of Ac emit -'.its of New Zealand, of which body he was one of the promoter*. His c hicf charm, however, lay in his strong indniduality, good comradeship, r.'.id genial and hearty manner. lie had a strong affection for anything that bore tho flavour of his own co^atiy. Whether it was old legend, '■ong, story, c.r caily association, a^ long as cno or the other concerned his native land his enthusiasm and keen interest were assured. Uh valuable and e\ten-ive c oll^rtion of Scotch literature was doubtle-s tho outcome of his tuduring lo\e for '"tb" land of brown heath and fchajrtrv wood, land of the mountain and the flood which saw his birth. Ho also for ! a considerable- period de\ otod' hi* leisure to the e.-setitial'.y national pastimes of boy ling and curling ; indeed he may be eaid to have been the father of these games in Otago: end there must bo many who recall his skill and enthusiasm in regard to them. I Mr Callfiuler posseted, besides a diffuse popularity, many warm friends and ardent admireis vvh^e affection lie unconsciously, but easily and fiimly, secured by reasc« of those oxi-cll'Tit qualities of head and heart that ho so notably exhibited. All ij who kr.ew him will miss his familiar and robu-t figure, fine face, and hearty greeting. For the pa^t year Mr Cal lender had been in failing health, but his devotion to his 'business took him to his office daily, until only a few weeks before his decease. He loaves a grown up family, consisting of one son acid four daughters.