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Although the late honourable gentleman's career was specially confined to New Zealand, we in Australia always felt that through the close ties between the States he was one of us, and his end will be as deeply regretted, although perhaps not so keenly felt, here as in his own colony; and it is conceded that the vacancy caused through his departure will be an exceedingly difficult one to fill. I have, &c, The Secretary to the Prime Minister, Wellington. C Clifford, Council Clerk.

AUSTRALIAN MISCELLANEOUS. (TO MRS. SEDDON.) New-Zealanders in Sydney. (Telegram.) Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. Sydney, 14th June, 1906. New-Zealanders in Sydney desire to express to you and the members of your family their heartfelt sorrow for the loss of your beloved husband, and their deepest sympathy with you in all your affliction. F. W. Jackson, Chairman of meeting. British Empire League (Bathurst Branch). Dear Madam, — - New South Wales, 12th June, 1906. On behalf of the members of our league, I wish to extend to you our heartfelt sympathy in your sad bereavement. Yours, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington, New Zealand. A. C. Parker, Hon. Secretary. Taree Progress Association, New South Wales. Dear Madam, — Manning River, 18th June, 1906. At a meeting of this association, held on the 14th instant, I was requested to convey the following resolution to you, viz. : " That this association, having learnt of the tragically sudden death of the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and lately on a visit to this State, desires to place on record the deep sense of loss sustained by the entire community in the death of so chivalrous and illustrious a statesman, and, further, respectfully desires to convey its profound sorrow to Mrs. Seddon and family in their hour of affliction." I remain, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington, New Zealand. A. J. Whitford, Hon. Secretary. Australian Natives' Association, New South Wales (Broken Hill Branch). Dear Madam,— Broken Hill, 20th June, 1906. On behalf of the members of the above branch of the A.N.A., I have to convey to you and yours their heartfelt sympathy with you in your late sad bereavement. We, of Central Australia, recognising the noble work accomplished by your late husband in the interests of democracy, fully appreciate the sad loss to you, your State, and to Australasia sustained by his untimely death. I have, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon. A. G. Evans. Masters and Engineers' Association of New South Wales. Dear Madam,— St. Phillip's School Building, York Street, Sydney, 23rd June, 1906. Members of the above association, in meeting assembled, carried a resolution and placed on record its deep sense of your sorrow, with an expression of the deep sympathy of the association with you in the bereavement you have sustained. Those Australians who had the honour and privilege of knowing your husband, his unwearying courtesy, his loving, gentle, and kindly disposition found him to be a gentleman, and the members of this association respected him as such. With those who mourn his loss at home, this resolution will let them know that the members of the Masters and Engineers' Association of New South Wales felt with them in their sad bereavement. I have, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon. John Bennett, Secretary. Chinese Merchants' Association of New South Wales. Madam, — 158 George Street North, Sydney, 23rd June, 1906. I have been requested by the executive of the Chinese Merchants' Association of New South Wales to convey to you our deepest sympathy with you and your family in their recent sad bereavement. The Chinese of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, and, in fact, in China, will always have a grateful remembrance of your late brilliant husband for the part he took in passing into law the first Act to prohibit the importation of that vile drug opium; and if he did nothing else in his lifetime, this one deed will go down for generations to come as one of the most glorious achievements of a public man within the British Empire.