The l»8t time she was seen was on Saturday morning, and her relatives and acquaintances are concerned about her Bafety, thinking she might have been sleeping in the building. She left her carpet- i bag at the rooms of the Dunedin Young Wo men's Christian Association, and has not since called for it. Tho "inquiry into the origin of the fire was begun on Thursday at 2 o'clock, in the Octagon Hotel. The sufferera a* the Hospital aro reported to be much in the same condition as on Tuesday. The young man Thomson complains greatly of pain at intervals. Early on Wednesday morning Sir George Grey telegraphed as follows to the surviving mem bers of tho Wilson family : — " Christchurch, September 10th. Muses Wilson, Hospital, North Dunedin. " I feel so much for the misfortune which has fallen on your family that I cannot refrain from intruding to express my deep sympathy in your sorrows and sufferings. "G. Grey." The telegram was received by Mrs Walter, who has been nnremitting in her attentions to the Misses Wilson, and was replied to es fol lows by the Mayor : — «*• „ n "Eunedin, September 10th. "Sir George Grey, Chriatchurch. "The Misses Wilson are not yet acquainted with their loss. Accept thanks on their behalf for kjnd sympathy, Progressing f avourabiv "H, j, Waltbb.'"'

HYDE. (fkom our own cokrespondent.) Since nay last communication nothing of ini portanoo has transpired to warrant my taking up your valuable space, an' I do not hold that all the litUo f rivolitiea of gossip for which our small towns are famous are exactly the subject matter desirable to £11 up the columns of the Witness. Indeed I have a most uneasy con sciousness that some of us would cut a most despicable figure in the eyes of the " civilized " world, were our doings in seriatim and sayings literatim, weekly set before us. It would, how ever, be an effectual check to that petty slander and gossip with which I suppose all small com munities aro porpetually affected. Mr O. A. do Lautour paid us a visit on the 28th ult. to woo the voices of the electors of Hyde. This was a comparatively easy matter, as no one entered the lists to break the lanco with him. 