THE LATE WILSON GRAY.

Evening Star, Issue 3788, 15 April 1875, Page 3

THE LATE WILSON GRAY.

The following observations fell from Judge Ward on opening the sittings of the District Court at Invercargill on if-onday : I cannot proceed with the business before the Court this morning without? briefly adverting to the loss recently sustaining by the judicial bench, the bar, and the public, through the death of Judge Wilson Gray. As a judge, his sole failing was .distrust in his owd judgment—a distrust most deservedly disregarded by all suitors in his courts, there, being, probably, no One on the iVew Zealand Bench equally learned in mining law. But H was not only his merit as a judge and bis learning as a lawyer that drew all Dunedin together to see him laid in the grave. Still less was it the past political battles in which he had been engaged—buttles, the echoes of which have long since died a-way. We came to render honor to him as to one who died bravely in his harness, with far higiier courage than many, honored as heroes, have shown. The mere excitement of ordinary* physical perils gives a positive pleasure to many, There is a far rarer and nobler bravery than is needed to face these. When a man is smitten with a sore disease, and knows full well that sentence of death has been rucorde d, and that his sole chance—even of a brief reprieve—lies in immediate rest from his labor n ; yet, in accordance with what he deems the (dictates of honor, battles against his illness, and toils in the discharge of hu devoir, until he Is J)oi me—even as Judge Gray—from the scene of his duty to his deathbed; is he notone to wb oni is due all the reverence that can be paid in c leath? We may deem his sense of honor and iof duty over-strained: but he is gone, and wh> a among ns is worthy to judge him ? Even sue hj a death as this, however, would scarce aoc* >unt for the deep feeling shown by many. Tbi jre needed no hired mourners at the grave of Wilson Gray. His generous gifts were inoy snerable; and he possessed that rarest and “ .nest charity, which neither thinketh nor * peaketb evil. During an acquaintance of six 2/er ars, I never heard an unkind word of any one 'from Judge Gray. And among all the thousiuicls who lined the streets of Dunedin, as the funeral train passed by, there was probably not vme who would not say of him, in the words of ThMkeray—

fgi Kind heart’and true—- • ■ Gentle and just—- ' _ Peace to his dust!

Ihe Crown Prosecutor (Mr T. M. Macdonald), on behalf of the legal profession in Southland, joined with his Honor in lamenting the loss sustained by the Bench and the country in the death of Judge Gray. Although personally little known in the district, yet aueh were the qualities and virtues of the deceased Judge that his name was a household word iu Southland, and in hideath the Colony had sustained a loss which was almost irreparable.