He gave the order for the steamer to go ahead ; the order was obeyed, and when she was about 50 yards from the wharf, he suddenly swerved, and fell on the bridge. Every at tention was at once afforded him, and medi cal assistance was sent for, but on the arrival of a doctor, life was pronounced to be ex tinct. Capt. Munro, of the A.S.N. Company, who was in proximity, seeing some conf nsion on board the Southern <"ross, came alongside, , boarded her, - and took charge, and subse quently brought her to anchor off the gas works. The cause of death was, doubtless, disease of the heart, from which the deceased gentleman had been suffering for some time." A contributor from Wellington has writ ten a long rigmarole to the Argus about what the people of New Zealand think of the ab sence of Sir Julius Vogel from the Colony. Id one portion of his letter the writer says : — "Ia New Zealand a Colony, or is it the private estate of ihe Premier ? Prom the free-and-easy manne- in which it has been treated during the past year, the latter might have been supposed to be the case." Then the Argus, commenting on their contributor's production, remarks :—" Sir Julius Vogel has towered so completely above other poli ticians, and hfls established such a complete dictatorship, that both his colleagues and Parliament appear paralysed when contem plating the possibility of his continued ab sence. Amid all the disadvantages under which we labour, it is satisfactory to think that we in Victoria need not fear beiDg placed in a similar dilemma. There is no one man in our Parliament whose withdrawal would materially affect the course of events ; indeed, we think that we might spare even two without interfering with the steady flow of no-nothingiam which goes by the name of P'lblic business."

There are various ways (says the !Nexv Zealand Tiuies) of passing comment upon the actions of those whose supreme privilege it is to impose rates upon their fellow-citizens. The body poetic in public meeting assembled 13 extravagantly clamorous in denouncing its municipal representative*, individual mem bers of the community. 