DEATH OF JOHN NORTON

Tba first public intimation that John Norton had passed away, was mode Ja tlw <t£ternoon press on Monday, and was repeated In the morning press of Tuesday, from which it can WeQ be inferred that the news of the death of the redoubtable, or, aa he often described-' hljinself, 'the Notorious Korton," was known ail over New 9f^ ar pr\f\ on thp.t day. Incidentally, we anight mention that the deceased proprietor and conductor of this newspaper passed peacefully away at a Uttle past nine o'clock on Sunday ovening last, at Melbourne. Naturally, the, sodden and mournful.newsish^ockod the. members of his staff, particularly those members more intimately acquainted with finn, , and who regarded him more m the light ' ttC a . friend than an s empkgnc Qnite recoaQy nls bn/rinfas m f^yrnerrtnn with the Western Australian etiSOph of "Truth" needed his guiding' influence iiini i iiiiri»l In "Ttn Mi tend while there, m additlotkto penning series of articles particularly vimful »ad "vigorous, on the peculiar political career of Sir George H. Held, late Sigh Commissioner In London for 'Australia, he dealt m bis xaraal vigor--9O» oitd caostio style, -ndfh '■ '.' --.;'■■.'■ -VStSfTBf '■'■■■ Vhoao patriorlo- motlvea, Mr. Norton Itad good reason. for doubttng- A call frdm Majbouma necessitated Ills departuJße to the Eastern State of Vlot^ft<t l mit with gtijffrp.Ttt'M^'rtiff energy, on the voyage across the Australian Bight, from Fremantle to Adelaide, he concluded his third of a series of articles on the Hnn-hunters of the city of the Golden West, and also wrote What was destined to be his last word id "Held the Wriggler." It might be rnT'fftivMJl at this stage that the Bickbam* «r"Baid tho Wcizpae," was no now name tor the Australian politician, who now figures m the British Boose of Commons, as the member for "Anxac." -fßeid the Wriggler," was the title of a powerfully written pamphlet from the pen of Mr. Norton, written over 20 years ago In Sydney, when Baid was Just ohout to enter on the senith of hia political fame- or lafamy. j Glancing at JMr. Norton's last article (it was No. 9 of the series), we find htm starting off m his usual breezy ptyle, as follows^— Here I am, at him again, for the MCh, but not the last, time; altho* I hope to be able to knock him out^ tn the next round. I now propose to prove up to tho hilt, from my pamphlet of 1896, entitled^ M Reld the Wriggler," j. that this archrenogado of Auntralian public life, ,Wrigglar , Reid, was a pronounced opponent 'of Fedoration and Militarism, as he waa .of Protection, When out of office; and that when It suited him to turn his antlVoderal coat, m order ..to obtain and retain offloo, he did it then ' as suddenly as ho changed yesterday from Freetrado to Conscription and Protection, at the bidding . of his bobdling Militarist bosses of St George's, Hanover Square. fa concluding tho article, he sets Itarth: v In the next, oind what I hope will be the last lot thla series of Sketches of this Rogue's (Rcld'a), Progress, I'll discover to Australians what a perfidious part he's plotting and preparing to play against Australia, and against such Australian public men as he ooncelves . to be obstacles to his •elf-soeklng schemes, particularly among Labor politicians, such as Prime Minister Hughes, Premier Holman, Hlßh Comralaaloner Fisher, and Agent-General Wise, In London. ; Van proposes, but God disposes. In Melbourne, shortly after his arrival there f/om Western Australia, he was ctricken down on his bed of illness, and wai thus prevented from fulfilling his promise— a promlae, howovor, Ilkely to bo fulfilled by others of Truth's" st&O, capable of Judging the ooaclUKlona to which tho "Chief" wo 3 about tp arrivw, iwisnruch as _ tho ofaameloon record of "Reid tho Wiriggler" 1« well-known to all who have taken a ltvoly interest ln Australian Stot o and Federal politics. Th ore are thousands of Australa•tans, who at various times havo profwwod to have known John Norton, and by knowing him, claim to have boon acquainted! with this moat rofttarkablo innn. For tho proprietor of Truth" was a most remarkable man, though misunderstood by many who oiahnod to knoiy hhn. Tho av«r<ii;e Individual In Ndw Zealand know John Norton by reason of tho fac:t Uiat they werft aware of tho part ho played lo thia matter or that, and becauco when an Alderman of Sydney he applied tho word "wow*»*r" to a brother Alderxmd, from ■.which day, roany, many y«ar» ago. tho wor<l has boon used, and Is now found In tha dictionary. To. attempt nnythinjr m tho nature of A biography of tho Uocefvned proprlolor ©ttd oonduotor of "Truth," would

PROPRIETOR OF PASSES /PEACEFULLY AWAY

not be an insuperable task, yet it would II teets. He submitted to the Admiralty be a great task, because his was a life aa proposals to reduce the dimensions, crowded with Incident; a life which ß cost, and time reQuirod for building was devoted to the democracy of Aus- |°aT ironclads, and was noon, alter aptralasia; a life aimed at ameliorating Ipotated ' * the lot of the masses. Of John Nor- I nßrrnrB 1 CONSTRUCTOR OF THE* ton It can truly be said, that, he was I ~ NAVY A MAN OP THE MASSES, Bin about three years he designed ironbecause he sprang from the masses l clad Bhl P s * or **• British Navy, himself! His life, hia pen. his news- | amounting •■ to. an aggregate of 35,000 papers, and hia purse were devoted i*«M«: a large Ironclad frigate for the faMhe people always, and his devotioii I Turkish Government; a fleet of steam to the cause of the common people, » transports far the service of our Inthe oppressed and the outcast, accounts § dian Government, consisting of five for the singular popularity enjoyed by i^P 3 <* «°<> tana each, a paddleallUhe newspapers which In the past [despatch steamer of war, and numerbore the legend: -Conducted by JoJm jous tugs, lifeboats, and other amaller Norton.- ' fl vessels. AMife, such as that led by John l^r^^ yeara of fnr^ service as Norton, tern Jrfs infancy to bis .grave, |C"f Constructor^. Reed, whose «b---cannot be told m a few columns of a |**tions to rigged sea-going tairret newspaper. His life has yet to bel 8 * 1 * 3 , verc we » to»«». *?™f ***** written^ and the, telling of his stormy i^ 33B^,. 80 m , uch < to r *?«? JS^J 10 career, his sorrows and his Joys, hlaJi* 1 * 1 ** 1 "» office m July, lOTO Captain reverses and his triumphs, would mi|Cowper Coles, the designer of the^tarseveral volumes. Still, there is no | ret <*$*> *** sot a grip on the official mystery about his life. Ho.wu. asl^e^oa at Ou Admiralty aad apopea^as a book, and to his tow inti- |peared. likely to carry Ms Ideas out mate .employees he never wearied of |a^inst the matured of telling anecdotes <* his early year*!^*™*- «*• ****• *"*"^TT Scoops- as a young, struggling, but I" ™ have said, hia Post as Chief ConeaKer and energetic journalist. ' astructor. In after years he tola bis Sn^orton^ born at BrightonJ*™*™ secretary, John 'Norton, that Sussex m U&S. and at the- time qfj 0 , 11 Te^ Da^ ol t f 6 ht L I S* ™ l hlTStli -wTla bis 68th y<kr. He jdedded upon his f utarc .Una of lif e. He w»S w might describe as a way .lrot : £ tateto Brighton to muse ward efaUd, g£lng early promise of |«P°° «*• £«tnTe an!d the life problems that recess, tireless energy and fear-|bf' o «» }*»• . He was seated on the lessnesTwfaich marked his career inH^LI 00 * 111 * ° Ut v 2 J*** J*** *?' later lift. Like Warren Hastings, befifkutk* news reached him, ill news In SS&rTS-SLSS £ SoSTp^f"* orphans totaued .early £C 0,000; " ' „,""" , ._. . „,£„_, Bl and 1° these times of patriotic public oocious „ child, **«* C£^ It may not ofout of place Macaojiy. m his great essay. pro-H mention the Pund m trans . clauaea •: . ■ Hferred for administraUon to the Royal EING-I^BADEE OP THB FRBDA- Hcommlsslon of the Patriotic Fund. The TOBY URCHINS Hresult of the Captain disaster was the of bis birth-place. John Norton was a of pwe^os cWIO, n Y Uh r , aU ?^ pni 2!"| A SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE of a wayward child. One of his earli-H j ost recollections of "hero- worship," Hto consider the state of naval archiwas when as a "nipper" he worshipped Htecture and the requirements of naval at theshrine of Tom Sayers, the cham- g warfare— «lx naval officers, nine scienpion pugilist, -who was a native otEtino men, with Lord Dufferin as chairBrighton, and., incidentally, has given Hman; and here, again, you win see, prethat celebrated seaside place, a great fluently, another long arm of coincidence deal of fajno. Born at Brighton on ■concerning Lord Dufferin and John the Sussex coast, John Norton spent HNorton, ..,...■ a great deal of his boyhood m tramp- H Mr. Reed did not return to the Naval ing the rolling downs of that historic HDockyards; he engafced m private purcouhtry. Sussex has been made fami-B sults ' visltill S occasionally the foreign liar to us by Conan Doyle In his read- Hdockyards of Europe. At the general able "Rodney Stone," telling us of the gelection of 1814 he waa returned m the halcyon days of the Prince Regent atHLlberal Interest for Pembroke Borough the Pavilion and of the great fisticflHo represented that consUtuency until contest on Crawley Downs, letting ta||;«* when 1^ I™*%„?***1 ™* %„ ?*** ? ; picturesque patches of Utcrary light I** ~ re-etected for Cardiff a the on BrJar-a (Sc and Anstey-s Cross. Iff 6116 " 11 Section m 1885, and again In Of SSinHJr. Norths blrthpla^|^™^ l «^*^»^e IJ^ here appearn m motion, coming or go.| Bhl P «£**!? A Ofd^ ot J oß6^ pßaiptSil fl t^v,^ >>!«►♦«». «^ - i.~«,^ oiißto England In May, 1879, and published As John Norton soon learned auß , MT __• . „ -trt-*. «»_ -»• t^^Cd s aa^^™ tW WUW I^-d a^ teach him. and aa | A uguat of the same year be THB SCHOOL-MASTER I WA3 CREATED A KLOB. lost whatever^control he hod of his | lgM( Slr Reed was apwajrword pupil that wayward child H mtod by tho Government to inquire being not even amenable to home dia- j lnt<) tJbe O f the capsizing of the clpllne, notwithstanding iho fact thatg D aphno during the oporatlon of the cd. ho longed to see the world, and| load Uno t h Q 80 h»J»»y* *» 9^ "Ittie mercantile marine. Sir E. J. Reed wan intended that he should "go toH^^ on Novcmbor 30 , im> ftffed 76 sea," and to .sea he went, but not for! havl Uvcd to know that his long, as ho broke ship m <J««da,-"«lK out h f vi private secretary of "lite later actually roughed it on ; the lumber H parUamentary day » h na mado good as mills. Eventually, ho returned tOvLng-B JournailHt Mi a parHrtmcnurlon Jn the land, took up tho profession of Jour- B.. Now Britann | a of the Southern nallsm. and was attaclioa to tho Bt &ff Hkvorld " of tho "Manchcator Guardian." Nexuß John Norton la found m Conwe find John Norton m another capa-g frtantlnopl(S j lcro ho become anb-odlior city. He bocamo «eoretary to one whog o f the "Levant Herald." which was pubhim mado a name that time wmgu ollcti ln pronch and EnglUh, and wa« jwarcoly oblltoratc. This vrna Sir Ed- » tho rOt .ojr»lßeU nuthorJty ln tho newwi ward James Rood, X.C.8., F.U.S., bornffi r) ,, por wor ja ot the Orient. In addition at Shocrneafl.. September 20, IS3O. SlrB to {(,{„ j[ r> Norton w» '"Our CorrraIMward waa educated at tho school of Mpon-.lent Jn tho Orient" for tho London Mathematics and Nnvat Construction 22' News," at Portsmouth. Hervod ln a eubordln-|| An Incident In connection with We ata capacity m Shccrncsa Dochyttj-d.Knowapnpcr work 1h worth recording, nnd «a« , afterwards editor of iho ßand heroin llcb tho lonff arm of colncJ"Mechanics' Magazine" Ho «fave i?r«sitM t i ftnco \ n connection with I^qrd Duffsrin attention lo naval arcbltocturc, onSund Avn. That dl«tlnsrv»|«h*<l member which he btcamo an authority, nmigaf tho Diplomatic Service had succeedw«« Induced to accept tho secretary- Bed I^ord Aujruotus I^oftus at St Peteraship of the LnotitntSoa d Naval Archl- Bburg In February, 1479, but, for good

and sufficient reasons, he was transferred to Constantinople m May, 1851. There ho DISPLAYED RARE DIPLOMATIC abilities m his conduct of the negotiations for a Military Convention with Turkey m reference to tho IDgyptian Expedition of September, ISS2. The Egyptian documents ln this connection were written In Arabic, a language which Lord Dufferin and every member of liis staff was entirely ignorant of. Was tbore a scholar m Constantinople who could translate it into English for tho Ambassador's purpose? There was not, and timo was precious. But there waa a man who could translate It Into French, and a linguist waa needed who could convert the French into powerful English such as would impress the British Cabinet with the importance of tho situation. Ttj© editor <>t Ik© "Levant Herald." whoso nomo waa Waittaker, nominated his Bub-edltor, John Norton, for the task. Those who know Mr. John Norton's vigorous etyle and picturesQue language will be able to gauge the strength of the document which an orderly, m his gorgeous uniform, took m d triply sealed packet from the oHlco of tho "Levant HcraJd" to tho British Embossy. Tho document so charmod Lord Dufferin that ho caused his secretary to Inquire of Mr. Whlttaker who the translator was. Ho was duly Informed that It was tho work of a ycninsj man picked up on tho Galllpoan Hlllfl, who was sub-editing "Tho Herald." An opening was made, and an appointment offered at tho Embassy, which Mr. Norton refuaod. Had ho accepted he would have pained eventually tho hiffheat position m the British Consular Service m Turkey. Fat© had decreed It otherwise. While at Constantinople an Incident occurred which shows of what metal Ujo Lovant journalist waa made. In October, 1883, a severe t«irthquako occurred In Asia Minor, at leycHmcb. on tho Krythrcan Peninsula. To get there and make A SCOC-r FOR HIS PAPERS. Rnjcilsh and Turklah. was tho ambition of the sub-coitor of tho "Levant Iler"uld." The nlKht won stormy. «nd th-> §j water between tho Turklah connl nml athftt of Asia Minor w;lh stortn-loH>:*'il i A boat v,*as obtained f<a*rtJy enough, liurj not ho easy woh It to obtain a boat's crow, j I However, by cajoling and the offor of n jtim of money, which, to Turkish Idt&n, \ s s««mod fabulous, a crew, wan obtained. I and tho sidvonturous Journftltsl started j \ on his tempestuous voyage ucrona to | tho lKijind of Jiante, tho nearest lUtlon or the Eastern ToleErapb Co, Midway ' the crew became Crlghtanod, not «o

Rmuch at the Btorm as at the prospect BBOf meeting an earthquake, and & return Kto safety was suggested. A threat of Mutter annihilation, iv a voice some of bus know so well, was successful m m Bducing ,the crew to pull ahead. Tho H&oal was reached, an inspection made Hand particulars obtained, and the boat jlwlth its Journalist and, now, Joyful crew, Eg returned to the starting point. Two kg columns were wired to tho London S "Dally News" and published before BtHBJ OTHER LONDON JOURNALS, Htho London "Tlnaes," the ""Standard" Hand Telegraph" awoke to the fact that |a serious earthquake h&d occurred ln gAsia Minor. S After this, with his pockets well-lln-Mod with cash, he returned to Rngland Hand ln London embarked on a career, H which destined, him to be a "man of the B people." In London, ue jollied torcoa nwlth John Burns, and was i bit of a (■"stump orator," m fact, with John HBunxa, be waved the red flog, and took ■a prominent part m an agitation -which ■resulted ln the "Cockneys" tearing ■down tho ralllncs of Hyde Park, tho flmain point at issue being whether that H great convincing 1 ground should not bo H available for the people at all hours, BliiHtKid of being locked up at sun-down. B There waa trouble after this "outrage." gTho police took a liand, John Burns Hwas captured, but John Norton made Jahis encape. Incidentally, it might be .H remarked that a fow years ago ono of nthe members of tbo staff of this paper Swan present with Mr. Norton, at Wcst!Hminßtor, when iho two Johns resumed igacquulntanccship aftctr many, many Hyeura, and, the re- union of tho Red Flajr wavers made a lasting impression on Mr. Norton's companion, who, as a Colonial bom and bred, waa at that tirao iOHt, a« it were, m THE I.ABYRINTHS OF IX)NDON. flavins mado his mark, a* it were, as Sa. budding politician. Mr, Norton, then a young man, cast round for a sw»t ln tho House of Commons, and actually went bo far as to espouse iho cause of dawn-trodden lvdn, and Incidentally to "tent the feeling of tho Moudo," on th<> point of hia being acccpt.^l «p a Nationalist, But the Natlonailnts, with Charles j>. I'araell at their head, viewed the s>plUcose youny native of '-silly Supjicx" with coldnosa. and tht» determined the futuro proprietor of "Truth" to test his luck and try his m«Htle In the young B"Gauntry8 "Gauntry of Australia, offering then, .ifl U offcra to-day, unbounded fortune, for the young man of courage, pluck nml dotcrmloatlon. With a few eompanlonfi, ao voyagod to Aus India, and took up

&ia residence In Melbourne and Sydney, In, the former city giving the MelhournItes a taste of his Journalistlo ability. He was next tempted to "do" the South Sea Islands, and for some time resided at Noumea, and being fluent m the French language, was much at home . In the sunny South Sea Islands he ventured into a milling speculation, i.n.3 lost what little money he had. Next ho returned to Sydney, and lost no time m joining the staff of the Sydney "Evening News," eventually holding a sort of roving commission for the "Town and Country Journal." Veteran journalists m Sydney to-day, who were contemporary with Mr. Norton, well remember the young, fresh complexloned, short, noggety, energetio Englishman, who ..--..• SOON HAD THEM "BY THE WOOL," by getting ahead of them with his "scoops," two m particular being "well remembered, viz., a train accident at Saltpan Creek, near Cootaxnundra, a district represented m the New South] Wales Parliament by tha Premier, Mr. j W. EL Holman. and the alarming discovery of a defect m the reservoir of the N^pcan River, which supplies the people of Sydney with its water. By actually diving m, and ascertaining the serious nature of the defect, Mr. Nor- ! ton, by a timely and truly (sensational article m, the "Evening News," provented what might have been, a GREAT DISASTER TO THE TOWN i OF PENRITH. j Later on, Mr. Norton was connected! journalistically with the "Newcastle Herald," and one or two important provincial papers. At ono time he wa* leader writer to the "Australian Star," a former evening paper of Sydney, which was the recognised official organ of the Protectionist Party. Eventually,'he became associated with WN. WllUs, W^ P. Crick, and others, who In August, 1890, launched the first edition, of Sydney "Truth, /of which eventually he became tho sole proprietor. In August of last year, Sydney "Truth" celebrated its silver jubilee, It then being stated that the initial number made its appearance on Sunday, August 2, 1890, which happened to bo the anniversary of the birth of tho projector of tho paper, Mr. W. N. Willis. Notwithstanding its many trials and tribulations—" TrutliV Troubles" — It has nc« missed a publication. It has survived the many savage onslaughts mode upon It; it has WEATHERED INNUMERABLE .FINANCIAL STORMS, and outlived the rancor" which attended its early years. It has fought innumerable legal battles, suffered heavily ln pocket, but is now the most nourishing and only newspaper of its kind, and the most widely-circulated Journal tn all the Australlas. To tdl tbo trials and tribulations of "Truth," "Truth's Troubles," as tho familiar caption ran, would requiro a volume ln itself, ln fact it might as well be sold that tho history of Truth" (from wh*lch the history of its proprietor is inseparable) has really yet to bo told, and perhaps one of these fine days will be told m these columns. The history of "Truth," particularly the history oC Sydney "Truth," must tx» a record of fionsatioruU law-suits, 1a -which Its clever, brainy and talented proprietor played important parts. Many people havo heard ot tbo stage of •Truth" In Sydney by "bum-bailiffs," and have been told tho story of food and drink being hoisted up to tho besieged editor, literary and composing staffs, but m those days Mr. Norton, though a part proprietor of tho papor, was not connected with it m a literary sense, tho port lessee and editor being THE CELEBRATED A. O. TAYLOR. It was after mental break-down of that genius that Mr. Norton assumed editorial control, and subsequently acquired full proprietary rights. Whlio conductor and part proprietor with tbo late Andrew Archibald Thompson, the "bum-balllffs" gained entrance, and executed a warrant for £1000 and cosW, such repr&sonUnjy a verdict gained by a Queonalander apoJnal "Truth." It must be mentioned that prior to this ftvent. tl>o deceased Journalist had enSaffed In a lons course of litigation n gainst hl» co-pnrtuor, William Patrick Crick, the partnership and other matters connected with "Truth" bcinff In dispute. However, from the moment that John Norton aHSumed control aa, editor and part proprietor of '"Troth," thara was trouble, am) !h<-> (\vw trouble uroso out of an axitcjo cmtttod. "CJ^tl Save tho Queen." John Norton was Indicted for seditious 1»>«1. Ho eomluetod hia own defence, and tho Jury dl«a£reod. There was no second trial. necau»«. In the meantime, those who had Jnmnmed the prostitution (Norton maintained that ll v.?i« a -political pro*<vc«tlon) received a aharp rnp ever the knuckloa from the Homo rst&oritlea. Tboro vrero ft oouplo

of prosecutions for criminal libel, and writs "galore" from aggrieved persons, but thanks to the juries Norton was neither gaoled, nor was he hit up for huge damages, the limit being £40 on one occasion, while more than one had to content themselves with • THE CONTEMPTUOUS 2TARTHING. Generally, John Norton appeared m person, and more than once he was complimented by the presiding judge on his -shrewd ability, and the legal knowledge displayed by hW He was engaged m two very sensational cases. He appeared to answer a charge of criminal libel; Instituted by a Minister of Lho Crown, the jury disagreeing, and m another casa, whero a quack was alleged to havo been libelled, the proceedings ran over, many weeks, and as the jury disagreed, arid aa Norton, a comparatively poor man, had engaged tho best legal talent available, this meant that he was financially crippled. As he was fighting the battle of tho medical profession and his newspaper: was recognised as the organ of the Poor, the Weak, the 9 Defenceless Prisoner and Stranger, IT WAS VERT UNGRATEFUL on the part of tho medical men of Sydney to stand by and see a poor man, with very limited resources, almost ruin himself financially, without giving a helping hand. Notwithstanding all this, '■'■ John Norton prevailed, and "Truth" Indeed became great So successful did "Truth" become, that he was tempted to launch out In other directions, and Brisbane "Truth" became an established fact. He launched out In a sporting weekly, "The Sydney Sportsman," which has become a very successful journal In the realms of sport In Australia, and has proved a terror to the evil-doers of the turf, and crooked sport generally. Melbourne •Truth followed. then came Westrailan ''Truth," and m due course "Truth" was established m New Zealand, and New Zealanders are well acquainted with the fortunes, ill and otherwise, of tho paper In New Zealand. Suffice to say, it has survived the Puritanical and wolfish and wowseriatic attempts to kill it, and to-day is a power m the land. 1 It was not only as a journalist, gelding a pen, which he occasionally stoeped m gall, and having the support of a powerful fighting engine m Sydney "Truth" that John Norton proved himself a man of tho masses and a friend of the poople. He could speak as ho wrote. His tongue was slump when tho occasion demanded it, and it is doubtful whether his many enemies, his powerful and piutocraUo enemies, feared his pen less than they feared hla tongue. He had made one or two attempts to enter Parliament m the country districts, but it was not tfll 1896 that It was realised that thero was a real Richmond In tho field, whan he closely but unsuccessfully contested the Waterloo electorate. In 1898 ho was elected ut a by-election for tho rather aristocratic constituency of FiUroy, but at the genoral election was unseated. He had not long to wait, however, because he contested tho part miner and most part Hmall farmer constituency of Northumberland, between tho Ilawkesbury River and Newcastle, which Boat had boon rendered vacant by tho death oC the sitting member, and was duly elected, and was RETURNED WITHOUT OPPOSITION at tho eubsequent general election. Ho next sat as a merabur for tho dcraocratio constituency of Surry Hills, and after seeing out tho Ufo of Parliament, ho retirod from political life, bur eventually was prevailed upon to con tout the Darling Harbor State «oat m tho Legislative Aaaombly, and was returned. It is intonating to mention that tho Federal Prime Minister, tho Hon. W. M* Hughes, represented the coalItirnpcrs of ih.it constituency m the Federal Houao of Representatives. Mr. Norton nlao played a prominent part m tho municipal life of lho city of Sydney, uul it wiu» duo to his groat efforts that many great reforms were effected. He woa also the representative of tho cabman of Sydney on tho now defunct Transit Doard, and. at ono tlmo, was editor of "Truth," Alderman of Sydney, representative of tho cabmen on the Transit Doard. and a member of Parliament at tho Bomo time. From thla It can well be imagined that ho was an exceedingly busy man. Naturally, m tho 11 fo and growth of New South Wales, ho took a great tnterart H« forood hla way to the front, and was prominent m nil great public matt«ra. H« was a candidate as one'of the "Best Men" to represent New South WoJmj at tbo Federal Convention Jn Adelaide. M which was drawn up tho Conwtitution which now govern* Foderatßd Australia., and for A PRACTICALLY UNKNOWN MAN. ho poJJod rcmarknbly woN, Sub«<>quently heutood for tho Senate, and vrn* Ju*t behind tho Huccematul clx. Indoed* tho largo number of Informal vot« cast, LodlcaUU that lher« irM ■aamhlng

wrong, and it is estimated that a large percentage of those informal votea was duo to the fact that ignorant people had "plumped" for John Norton, and, incidentally, cost him the honor of representing tho Mother State In the Federal Parliament He subsequently contested tho Senate, but the Labor ticket was so well organised and directed to the defeat of John Norton, that hia dofeat was regarded as a foregone conclusion. During tho years over which we havo so quickly ran, the pen and purs* of John Norton were ever at tho disposal of the poor, the weak and t% oppressed, and mfciny a poor devil of a prisoner "behind the spikes" at Darlinghurst, owed to John Norton a fair trial, and, m more than one Instance, liberty. Aa a journalist, o, hard-working journalist, he was ever ready, and his staff was cvor ready, to listen to, and, where possible, ventilate the grievances of the poor, to endeavor to obtain , lor them that justice which a cruel systom denied them, m Parliament his voice was for ever raised on behalf of the lioor and the oppress-ed.-and be fearlessly attacked all who oppressed and exploited. Naturally, a nxan such as John Norton made enemies. And m truth, hia "enemies were many. They were RICH, POWERFUL AND PURSBPBOUD, but John Norton, often with his back to the wall, fought thorn, and continued to fight them till his death. John Norton's record la a record of which any man mlgtit well bo proud. He has been defamed, derided and denounced, but what man who set out for the purpose of being the friend of the people has not been similarly treated? By a great: many he has been much misunderstood, and greatly maligned, but be took all with great heart, and retaliated only when his great powers of endurance were exhausted. Of recent years he had not attempted the impossible, viz, that of personally ' conducting all his nowapapers. Hia various papers bavo at times seemod to be inconsistent m their attitudes on various questions, but nevor at any tlmo was thero auy inconsistency when it camo to tho point of championing tho causo of the mosses against tho truculuncy of tho classes. Though ono paper could bo quoted against another, it has ever been found that tho underlying policy of John Norton has boon the rights of the people, and tbo poorer the people tho greater right they had to justice. Mr. Norton at all time was a proliflo writer. His Beries of articles ,on Christ, Caesar, and Napoleon were read with interest all over Australasia, and tho fact has been proclaimed and none can deny that John Norton was the aRKATEST KNOWN AUTHORITY ON NAPOLEON. Sad to relate, bio promiso of concluding tho scries by giving hla account U Napoloon's only and LU-fatod son, which he promised about twelve months ago to concludo when tho long, long road t* Tipperary had been traversed, will never be fulfilled. For tho post two yestra, Mr Norton"* health, duo to a nmllltudo of wortdea. great and grave, has boon indlftorenti and the great mental strain upon him resulted m serious collapses at different periods, but recent roporta did not indicate that he was approaching hla end. There are a great many m New Zealand who enjoyed tho friendship and tho confidence of John Norton. We writo as employees — and frlonda. We do not consider that wo have been unduly adulating, m tact, vr« havo restrained on oulhunixsm, based on our knowledge* of tho proprietor and conductor of this journal. We could recount many good deeds; If thore are bad deeds wo can forgot (hem, though at tho (auao tlmo, w* are conscious that wo would run counter to his wiabe*, m not painting him, as Cromwoll told tbo painter Leys to doplct hia features on canraa. Our tributo to the proprietor of thl# nowupapcr id the tribute we bellow tho Hborol-mlniJed people of thi* D*» minion would havo us pay him, JOHN NORTON IS DKAD. Ho died as ho lived. fcarlcJt* and fretleas. Ho bolloved that he had folfUlod lib? tnleuUon on thia earth, and aa be had often indicated, vu proportxl to meet hla Makar, with a door conscience and brave heart. John Norton haji IndkMXl nobly filled hia nicho m liti* world, and haji Jaft it with a multitude of friends and admirer*, against a handful of aelflah, «eh*mJof anemia*, who will, bowover, hunt to contend against John Norton's greatest monument, Troth," ' tha l»oopl»'« PftJXtf. Tho (Jpcea-iod JourwUl*ct and publicist Is Kurvlvad by bin wire, a »on i£xr»£ and e> Oaofftotar <J9**i),