Vicissitudes of Colonial Life.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 306, 22 September 1875, Page 7

Vicissitudes of Colonial Life.

The Auckland Echo of a recent date supplies yetanother instance of what a man may come to hj the colonies :—One of those sad tales which have so often been told in Victoria about mea falling; from positions of honor and influence to the very depths of degradation and pisery came under our notice on Tuesday last. Hearing that old Smith, the deputy-regstrar of births and deaths, was lying in a lut very ill, we went to see him, accompanied by Constable M’Cormick and another raetiber of the police force. The door of the lut could only be opened a few inches, as Snith was lying on the floor with his head agafist it. One of the police entered by the winder and removed the unfortunate man. who waain an unconscious state, to the middle of the loor, where he died within five minutes. Thepoor man’s legs were a mass of petrifying sums. He had but one blanket for his bed, aid the hut had a miserable appearance. This wretched remnant of hu mauity, the Hmorable John Spencer Smith, was at one time Colonial Treasurer of Prince Edward’s Island,his father being Governor at the same time. lis uncle was Admiral Sir Sydney Smith. TV.r Smith, who was about 66 years of age, had tie stamp of a man who had seen better days. He has resided in Alexandra during the pat eight year’s. He was deputy-registrar of firths and deaths, which was worths 6s or 7s, per week, and kept a small private school up to within the past three years, which brmght him in a few shillings more. The mostof this small income was spent in liquor, ard still he managed to keep up a tolerably repectable appearance. 111-health made him an inmate of onr local hospital for twelve morfchs, from which he was discharged about a vejr ago. A n attempt was than made to get himinto the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum, but In strongly objected. When questioned as to Us past career lie evaded giving any informatim, and it was only lately, by correspondence fmn his friends in Granada through Captain Sandhill, that he became known. He has a sen a clergyman in Canada, and another in a Merchant’s office in New Zealand. Mr Smith was buried as a pauper, and was follow ed td the grave by about half-a-dozen persons. There is a moral in' this man’s last days' wh'ch is easily applied.