Obituary.

Bagster.—In April, at the age of 79, Mr Benjamin Bagster, formerly of the firm of Samuel Bagster & Sons, the celebrated Bible publishers.

Joyce.—On 16th July, in his 71st year, Mr Benjamin Joyce, printers' material manufacturer, of Stanhope-street, Strand.

Ringwalt.—On 28th July, at Dowington, Philadelphia, J. Luther Ringwalt, editor of the Railway World, but best known to the Craft as the author and compiler of the valuable American Encyclopædia of Printing, published in 1872. He was born in 1828, and the cause of his death was an attack of the grip, contracted two years ago.

Morell.—In April, Mr J. D. Morell, m.a., ll.d., best known by his widely-circulated « Grammar and Analysis. » Before he was thirty years of age, he had published his « Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe in the Nineteenth Century, » a book which Dean Maunsell declared gave him his first taste for philosophical studies.

Boughton.—Mr Boughton, formerly of the Treasury, died in Wellington on 16th October, aged 74 years. He was at one time a member of the London Stock Exchange. He arrived in Auckland in 1860, and early in 1864 was reader on the New Zealander, when that paper was carried on by Messrs Heron, Kidd, and Seffern.

Hoyt.—On 7th June, at Manchester, N.H., in his 84th year, John Hoyt, one of the oldest papermakers in the United States. He was the inventor of some valuable improvements in papermaking machinery. After sixty-one years of active service, he retired in favor of his son, Mr William J. Hoyt. His health had for some time been failing, but the immediate cause of death was a broken arm, the result of a fall.

Scott.—Recently, in Durban, Mr Edward Scott, aged 62. He was a printer, and had been closely connected with the early history of newspapers in the colony of Natal. The first newspaper in Durban was started by him more than forty years ago. The Port Elizabeth Advertiser owed its origin to him. For some years deceased had been employed at the Natal Mercury office, and practically died in harness.—Printers' Register.

Crane.—On 4th Aug., Mr James B. Crane, papermaker, of Dalton, Mass., in his 74th year. Deceased was the second son of Zenas Crane, who began papermaking in 1799, and two years later started the original paper-mill at Dalton. In 1842 the business was transferred to the two sons, the elder of whom, Zenas B. Crane, died a few years ago. The family, through a business career of nearly a century, have been noted for their upright and honorable dealings, and the excellence of their manufactures.

Smith.—On the 6th October, Mr William Henry Smith, the celebrated newsvendor, railway bookseller, and leader of the House of Commons. Mr Smith was not a man of genius; but he had the more solid qualities of wide benevolence, sound common sense, and strictest integrity. With authors and publishers of « fleshly » literature he was not popular. Immoral books were entered in his Index Expurgatorius, and were unobtainable at the railway stalls. He was by far the largest buyer of new works; he carried on a vast business, and has left a large fortune.