OBITUARY.

SIR THOMAS PITTAR.

Sir Thomas Pittar, a former Chairmnan of the Board of Customs, died in London yester. day in his 7Sth year.

The son of the late T. J. Pittar, of Hove, Sir Thomas littar spent the whole of his career in the Customns Service, beginning at the bottom as a clerk in the Long Room. After successive promotions he became Principal of the' Statistical Office of the Board of Customs in 18S9, an in 1900 was made a Commissioner. In 1901 and 1002 he was principal expert to tie, British Delegation at the Biussels Sugar Conference and was Assistant Blitish Delegate to the Brussels Permanent Commission in i9OO. In that year he was made Chairman of the Board of Customs, finally retiring in 1908. Hle was made a C.13. in 1890 and C.M.G. in 1903, and was created a .IC.B. in 1905.

Although the Service and the public knew Sir Thomas Pittar only as a recognized statis. tical authority-he was a late member of the Council of the Royal Statistical Society, and edite! the Board of Trade Returns for the Uniited Kingdom's trade in 1800-1900-his personal friends knew also that from his very early years, he exlhibited a great gift of painting both in water-colours and oils. Outside his family affections and Ihis public services painting vas the passion of his life. Being exceedingly shy and averse from publicity, he never showed his pictures, and this was constantly and keenly regretted by his friends. His main subjects were al kinds of landscape and architectural subjects, in treating which he manifested great beauty of sentiment both in chioice of subject and in execution. Exteriors and interiors of churches, especially in Norniandv and England, and al kinds of natural scenery of wood, meadow, hill, sky, and ses, were rendered by him with a peculiar personal insight and charm which can never be forgotten by the comparatively select few who have had the privilege of knowing his work. His mnstery vas tlhroughout a long life progressively increasing up, perhaps, to the year 1912, and remained unimpaired almost to the last.

Sir Thomas Pittar married in 1870 Annie Francis, second daughter of the late Thomas Letts, of Chale, Isle of Wight, and had three sons and one daughter.