AN APPRECIATION' BY SIR R. STOUT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11505, 11 February 1903, Page 8

AN APPRECIATION' BY SIR R. STOUT.

(SPECIAL , TO "THE TRESS.") WELLINGTON, February 10. Sir Robert Stout, the Chief Justice of the colony, who, both in political and private life, was intimately acquainted with the late Mr Rolleston, has contributed to the "Post" an appreciation of the deceased statesman. '.Sir Robert said the death of Mr Rolleston brought home to the colony that the statesmen who shaped the destinies, of New Zealand in the early days were fast passing awuy. There were giants in those days: The three F's Featheretone, Fox, Fitzherbert—Bell, Weld, Domett, Stafford, Macandrew, Godley, FitzGerald, Williamson, McLean, etc., etc t>ir Robert Stout first came into close personal contact with Mr Rolleston in the provincial struggle in 1875. Mr Rolleston was one of the Executive Committee ot the opposition to abolition, the Committee being Sir George Grey, Sir Wm. Fitelierbert, Mr Macandrew, Mr Rolleeton, Mr Sheehan, Mr Donald Reid, and Sir Robert Stout. During that protracted struggle he had many opportunities of becoming acquainted with Mr Roileston'e ideals in publio life. From then till his death, though often politically opposed to him, he hud never ceaeed to remain his friend. There were two means he believed which would provide for the social improvement of the race—liberal provision ior close settlement and education, and hence he was ever found supporting every effort made to encourage land settlement and for the diffusion of culture. He was keenly anxious for /he welfare of the people and their progress. He did more than his share in furthering the higher education, for he saw that unless our nation could produce coloniste with high intellectual attainmenta, we would lag behind in the progress of the world. He was a moat valued member ot the University Senate. He was a strong advocate of our primary school system, and he had a large correspondence with those in Britain who had taken a part in promoting the 'boarding out of children committed to industrial schools. He was in favour of dealing in that manner with our waifs and strays. There was, however, no social reform in which Mr Rolleblon was not interested. No one could come in close contact with him "without being struck with his intense earnest-' ness, and enthusiasm for the well-being of all. He had a broad and liberal mind, and his cultured intellect wae ever at the service of his fellow-coloniflts. Sir Robert. Stout says:—"l do not know anyone who .gave a better example of what classical culture could do in humanising mankind. It was an education in itself to discuss with 'him some literary, historical, or political subject. He was wise in counsel, and you could rely on ever obtaining from 'him* an unprejudiced opinion. When after his accident he was told that he. could not expect to live the strenuous life he had hitherto led he was consoled with some difficulty to a life of comparative inaction. The lines of one of Ms favourite poems, Tennyson's "Ulysses," came to my mind on a visit to him — 'How dull dt is to pause, to make an end, To rest uaburnished, not to chine in uee! As though to breathe were life.' "Even then, however, he had hoped that in a quiet way he might do some work for New Zealand, and has thoughts were those of Ulysses— 'Death, clones all: but something ere this end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove mm Gods. , " The Chief Justice ended by saying: — '*No one who ever came in close personal contact wiih Mr Rolleston could help loving him. His ideals were the highest, and liua means to attain his ends were ever the pures.lt. New Zealand has lost much by his death, but I hope his life and' example may stir all to nobler aspirations and a true devotion to our country. I feel sure that his memory will ever be cherished as a choice possession. "A TRUE CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN." In the course of its leading , article, the "Otago Daily Times" cays:—"At this mournful time we have no wish to dwell at length upon controversial matter, but as it has been the fashion in some quarters to belittle Mr Rolleston's intellectual vigour, and even to minimise the value of his actual services to the cause of political progress in New Zealand, it is fitting that we should give utterance to our firm conviction that that cause never had a more loyal and seldom a more sagacious servant, and that this truth will be generally recognised .in the day when true patriots, alive and dead, come to their own. . . . No young country was ever blessed with a finer set of pioneer statesmen than fell to New Zealand's early lot, and Mr Rolleston, of somewhat later birth, may be said to have sat at the feet of that distinguished band. Virile cultured, hardy, dauntless, fully equipped—these are come of the epithets that may fitly be applied to those eatly statesmen, and with equal fitness to the statesman who died on Bunday. Mr Rolleston wae a great reader — his mind was saturated, so to speak, with the world's best literature—and he was no mean scholar in the special cense of the term; but he had' none of the foibles and deficiencies of the mere bookish man. Books helped him greatly, and ho had a healthy hatred of that contempt for the stored experience of the past, which fie found to be too common in hie later years; but ho was a practical worker, observer, and thinker, with * direct eye fo» tht facts and conditions of modern life, and utterly free ifrom any sentimental tenderness for ancient abuses and anachronisms. There was nothing to his taste in the oligarchy of tradition and caste. Himself a practical farmer, in no very large way of business, his simple habits of life blended in engaging fashion with t3ie width of his culture and the universality of has sympathies : and wealth," display, and power, had no attraction for him. 'Plain living and high thinking' might well have been his motto, and his ideal thought for New Zealand was the perpetuation of a race of self-reliant, educated, bright, thoughtful, resolute people—free from the extremes of wealth and poverty—valuing mental growth even more than material prosperity—strong, resourceful, free. ... It will suffice to make special reference to his actual and fruitful labours, as a politician and a. Minister of the Crown, in the nutter of reforming the system of land tenure and popularising agricultural enterprise and industry. Here, as in other matters, there was nothing showy or egotistic about hie methods of working; he accomplished his task and benefited the people, without saying much about it: and in after years he was wont to maintain silence when more self-assertive reformers boasted of their exploits and omitted to give due praise to the man who had shown them the way. New Zealand has lost a. faithful servant, a wiSe counsellor, a sagacious colonist, a true Christian gentleman. 'And so he bore without abuse the grand old name of gentleman.'" In concluding, the writer says that only Mr Rolleston's relatives and intimate friends "can know the full charm of that winning personality—the simple and signal courtesy, the manly beauty of his character, the sweetntes and light of hw daily conversation—4«he total impression of a rich'ry distingiished eoui." Ak the Geraldine Road! Board yeiterday the following raeolu'tcon was carried: — 'That it is with regret this Board is adof the death of *,he Hon. W. Rolk*«ton, and desires to have recorded in the minute book its high appreciation of the many sterling qualifies possessed' by the •hoD. gentleman, both in his public and private capacity. The Board wishes to express kind sympathy to the bereaved family, and further requests that a copy of this resolution be forwarded io Mrs Rolleston. Simplicity is a desirable feature. Take a complicated piece of machinery, and it takes an expert to understand it. If you are not an expert mechanic, beware of the complicated bicycle. Choose the simplest for it is less apt to get out of order. MaseeyHarris Bicycles are marvels of simplicity. Major Taylor rides a Massev. ' Depot, 148 Casbel street. 6436