RETURN OF A RHODES SCHOLAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 22 August 1913, Page 3

RETURN OF A RHODES SCHOLAR.

MR. COLIN M. GILRAY.

TO PRACTISE LAW IN DUNEDIN. Mr. Colin Jtacdonald Gilray, who was chosen as tho New Zealand Rhodes Scholar for 1907, and who has since been in Great Britain prosecuting his studies, returned to New Zealand by the Rotorua yesterday. Jlr. Gilray is one of the best known of all the Rhodes Scholars appointed from the Dominion since the inception of the scheme in 1903. His lame rests not only on his scholastic attainments, which are great, but also on his prominence in the athletic world, lie is a son of Professor Gilray, of the Univeisity of Otago, and was educated at the Otago Boys' High Schooi and the Otago University, Dunedin. While still a schoolboy, Jlr. Gilray attracted the attention of footbali followers, and earned his place in tho Otago junior representative Itngby fifteen. Ift 190-!, his first year at Otago. University, he earned his Otago representative cap, and played in the three-quarter line of the combined Otago and Southland team which met Bedell-Sivwright's Britishers atDunedni. He was offered a place in tho famous All-Black team, of IDOS, but was unable to make the trip, being tho holder at the time of a junior scholarship at the University, which, he had won from the Otago High School. Nevertheless, he was a member of the New Zealand team which met the Australians in tho memorable match at Tahuna Park, Dunedin, .while tho All Blacks were Home. The match was played in a howling storm, and victory rested with the New Zealanders. It was in this year that the Otago University team came in to prominence as a club.

Sir. Gilray went' to Oxford wit!, ail Arts degree of the University of No* 1 Zealand, and at the famous old seat of learning commenced the study of law. He soon earned recognition in the Rugby football field, and not only won ■ his "blue" as an Oxford representative, but was awarded his international cap for Scotland. Whilst at Oxford, and subsequently whilst resident in London, he played many games for Scotland. After leaving the .University he played for London Scottish, of which famous club he was elected captain. J[r. Gilray has decided to settle down in the Dominion. He has been admitted as a barrister of the Jfiddlo Temple, and intends to seek admission to tho N'ew Zealand Bar. Ho will enter into the practice of his profession in' Dtmediii. It is very unlikely that ho will be again seen in the football field

Questioned by a reporter as to tho results of the Rhodeb Scholarship scheme,, Jlr. Giirny said that he had little to add to what had already been said on the subject. The schemo'certainly worked well, and fulfilled the objects for which the late Mr. Cecil Rhodes conceived it. A young man going Home from the colonies learned to look at things from a different standpoint. Tho English view of affairs was not always the same as the colonial, and it was a good thing for young men to be brought to realise this. Tho same thing applied to Americans. Many of the scholars from tho States had been greatly surprised at what they saw in the Mother Country, which they eventually liked very'lunch. Many of them went back to their own country satisfied that in many respects Americans wero perhaps "just a little too up to date." Do the Rhodes Scholars return to their own countries after tho completion of their term? the reporter asked. "A verv fair proportion of them do so," replied Jlr. Gilray. "As a matter of fact, I myfelf am one of the last to return. I have been away so long that my people were beginning to despair of my ever coming hack." The scholars who returned, he added, would bo found to be, in most cases, useful men, and of better service to their country than if they had not hnd tho opportunity of a sojourn in tho Old Country. There might not be i<o many Cabinet' Ministers amongst them as some people at ono time rather foolishly seemed to expect, but they were, nevertheless, eminently useful men.