OBITUARY.

MR, C. W. BABBAGE,

j The many friends of Mr. C. W Babbag© will regret to learn of his death, which occurred at his late residence, : "JRotokawau*" St. John's Hill, oa Friday evening, after a brief illness. The late Mr. Babbage was born in i Somerset, England, in 1841, but Ms I parents thereafter were in Italy and i Switzerland for a time, later emigrating to Adelaide, South Australia. Upon ■ completion of his education, Mr. bab--1 bage joined his father as a surveyor, . und when copper was discovered in ] South Australia they worked a small mine for a while. Mr. Babbage came ' across to New Zealand about 1880 and 1 for three years farmed Mr. Charles Smith's "Tekorito'' run, Wanganui River, chert acquiring a property near j Hawera. Nearly 30 years ago he made i his home on St. John's Hiil, residing there continuously afterwards. Mr. Babbage was very proud of the fact that he was "the eldest son of the eldest son of Charles Babbage, the eminent matehmatician and inI venter- of "Babbage's calculating machine.'* With such an example .the late Mr; Babbage was keenly interested in scientific and philosophical investigations, at the time of his death occupying the positions of secretary and treasurer of the local Astronomical Society and patron of the New Zealand Camera Club. From the inception of the movement the late Mr. Sa^bage has given without stint of his time and energies to forward the beautifying of Wanganui; The S*. John's Hill branch of the Wanganui Beautifying ! Society has lost a zealous and whole-, hearted worker., and the work accom- l plished at Lake Virginia by public- ! spirited men like Mr. Babbage will give pleasure to and earn the gratitude of the generations- yet to come. Old residents will recall that in the early 'eighties his brother. Mr. Eden H. Babbage, was manager of the Bank of Australasia locaily, but -now resides j in retirement at Sydney, N.S.W. j The late Mr. Babbage is snrvi'ved by ! a widow and three sons, Messrs A W ' and H. H. Babbage, of Jkuitn-ru, Ka-1 whia, and G. S. Babbage. of Remuera, \ Auckland. His artist "son. Herbert I. Babbage, B.W.L, predeceased him, dying on active' service- during the war. A devout Christian his end was- ! peace.—Chronicle. . j

A leading local drapery house, importing -direct from Home, have been advised by cable- of a drop of approximately 20 per cent, in the prices for calico sheetings and oi' ahoni 10 per cent, on other general cotton goods, says the Wanganui Chronicle, ..The advice comes from one of the world's best known manufacturers, ai'.d v-l-e '"nil is apparently due to the condition-? obtaining in the larger markets. Tr is contemplated that other mfaiufiicim-ers will" also temporarily eoiue into line mid this points to a faroarribk- onpor-tu-iiity for buying.