LORD KNUTSFORD.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2010, 18 March 1914, Page 7

LORD KNUTSFORD.

. —„— -^-^ — ■- ■ . ONE OF OUR BEST COLONIC SECRETARIES.. ' PASSING 0F THE Oki) SCHOOL The Mo lord Kmatsfoml, wlio' died recently, in his oiglity-iMiith J'eafy beloftged to a political that is rapidly pas&iiig away. Over twenty years have passed since, oh tHo resignation of the ueVtiHuripiit in tthioh. ]\q )Vas Secretary for the Colonics, lip pranMiv ally retired frofn political life. ;This fras three years before Mr,- Chairibiu , - lain comjnousecj liis great Coloiii|i Sccretar.yshij). ted Kmifeforf) fjiaiigh li« did Dot Ell tlve- ptthlic 'eye to IJjo shkto esteftt, was a ivortlty predecessor of Mr. Chaiulie.fjaiu. Tlie Hyo. ycafs lie spoilt at the Colonial Qfficet wei» rendered memorable by the fact that, during tho first <jf them tho Cofl&renod tamp rtiif) beiiiig, " 'Lord, Kjiititeford (then Sti- Henry Holland} himself jxroskliftg. It was lie yAfi \va,s t'esponsiMe fer the Acts givit'R settUovcnmieiit to. Natal and to Western Australia. During hi? terni of o'fliee, alsij,. British New (iuinott was incorporated Lute the Eiiipirc and Bi-itisli Sovereiuitty wa.s piwskiiheil in. »£uluInnd, wlijjo t!ic Bfilish SiWtll Alrtea Coro-paiiy obtained its charter. V t3o!priial dlfice AgylSof. Ih tlm begiiVijiiTg of tlie year/' 1867 ■ Lwd Garnarv-on liM.to thq licist of kfnl adviser to tile Colonial ; Oik , *;, and fclirC'e years later ho liecanvo Assistant Uttlcr-s'eGWtiwy. Ho held tbal position till AtigWSt, 18f'l. frJioH ' h<j resigned . in flrdet to Stand 'ill tlig Conspfvativc iiitefcsfc for tiio tefqdgli of Midiiiifst, Sir 'Heiiry Bollsiid, aj> lie had note become throygU the death of his fatlier hi 1873, had tlift gootl fprtimo tn be roturne'd wi.Miont n cpntost : for the f)W Sussex tarough, which bo. contiitued to represent umti'l Isßs. In that year the bortittgh \vhs tßslfajiphisod by the. Redistribwtimi .arid' Sir .ifcn.ry Ijceaijio n crwdidate for tho now temsglj of EaWipstn.iid. Qβ had to fifilit .n-gaiiist, a fariiiidabte sijijicijieiit, the Marquess of Lome, iioVv Dilkc of "Arftyll, blit WSi tfe cleotioii by a large majority. He had reiidered stid.li: good, to lire Cfliiservntiyo KWis.ii pn\ Jii-S ajuilities \fcro so ftiß.y fecQgn.i>Cfl that liewas (tertj- ijiaifel out for office when his party again caitvO into jiowpr, When Imnl SalisrerJ' bccaiiio Prtnse Minister in Jiinfe, ISBS, Sir Henry was appefotefl Finniifial Srerctary to . llio'TreaKury/'r-H' , disolrii.i'gcil }\k diifries of this office So effioientTy ;md with such eourtcsy as to win tls.<> fovovir of nil ; sectiims of the H-oiise (it Coinittfrns.. ITo hchl the wfflco only till Set)t<sfitlu>r, when he ftewpted ijvo post of of tho. Committee of Coikuci'l <iii SBducjttifli.l. eihl was Jrtvorii as a incni.bcj- of the Privy Cfliinefl. Jμ 1888 lie was fo* ekctetl fpf Maiiinstfiad, aijc'l agaiii apIWttotl V!cp-P«!SI?t«l)t? . Secretai-V to the Cblnniqs, Sβ held the oflk'o d Vicu-l'rtsiid.ciit ! of tlw Coilllilittco df Obuflq.il Oii .tjon till Jfluuii-ry, 1537, when Ik? ww appointed Secretary of ■ State for, . tho Coloftiijs, witil) a seat jij \fna an adßiirftbte appoiitkncnt iit, every re*speet. His iiitiiijilto; Idioivie.dge of co'to- . likj u.ffftiTs oiialjlcii him to deal iuitlidi-i----tatively frilii the Various qutations , . tiui.t. aresiß. . Ho aftprpached. thfeui j)« f iSinn- ; ner so bi'oeu, JJborft'lj aivd obneiiiatory as' to prevent any frietioii between; |ti.o 1 eoloiiial and tho Kome anthofit<i&Sj ajul ■to give general sa.tisfa.fc*io|r. to tlie eoloiiists. In. tho year in wincii.liq.)«!'■ canie Qdloninl iSccfc.titity, Sir He.nr3 J, ' Keilsind pFcsicJejl over ti.io imperial obnfereiice, ivlrieh -\Va,s held iti Louden. .In the Mlmring year Jiq wa.s raised to tire ' peerage, ana took liis scut jij. iM tippci■Hd.vis(! as BaroU. Knutsford. tits qoiiImnjofj to holtl ftp <rf tlw Ckt'loJiicß till the rcskkiatipii o.t tile Bvy- ■ Miinwiifc in 892,. Three yeaps licioph . that event he kid enrried. thimigh theHouspof Xiortls a Bill fox givtiis a coih stitutianal to Wcstpi-ii Ads- , tfalin. Tins Was throivn out l.ij* tie House of ■GKiuiioiis, but Irceajno hw lit' i8!3o. .• ' . ■■■■■;

As iv piiMic nwfn Lord Kimlsfoht was ediupafaife% wnhnowii. ijo rarely took part in papi'ilar meetings, aifti iii tbe House of o<s!»nioii# lie ivjvs iiot .i Iroqucnt speaker. When hi slid address, the- Bouse, hawever, h& imp.t«;ssp<l life luwers by Ms clearness of statomciit.., «lose reasonins!, uroiid fliifj tofeiwit vioivs, ftnet ipofobsd style. His rermin* l iests mainly on lijs sueecssmi <h)ffiihistiratidn nf.O.oJoliml a-ft:aivs, : btii ir the .ot.li<!f official ppskifonfi iv-Ijn'cli Tio filed lw 4id vslntiWo WoVli. lii'n ■rotkcnieiit, frcM office tin t : ]io fall of Lord SaMslrary's. GbVcninieiit ifl j:Bf2,I/Wd Kniitrforil did not in.ls<j nli,y active pa.rt in poK&a.i lifci kit lt& ntsfef ceaSott to interest hitn-sulf afosyly In the projrt'<?s.s of the Ooftsatvcttwe ciuss. I' 1&95 his scTviePiv \vci?P.f;irtl)(?i' rccpgiijsoci by his etevatipn to ii. Visceimty.