SIR GEORGE GREY.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 15 May 1912, Page 4

SIR GEORGE GREY.

It is a little strange that the centenary of the birth of Sir George Grey, which occurred on April 14th, should have received so little notice from the people of New Zealand. Sir Geprpe gave many of the best years of his life to the service of this country as Governor and as politician, says a contempory, and he has left the, irn* press of his keen intellect and broad .sympathies on most of our public institutions. He was responsible for the best features of our Constitution, and it is inteiesting to observe, after the lapse of sixty years, how accurately he gauged the requirements of the country and of its people. It was Characteristic of the man that, after twice filling the position of Governor, he should have stepped out of his well-earned retirement to take part in the controversial politics £of the Do minion. It was a sacrifice which few men of ample means and cultivated taste well advanced in the autumn of

life would have cared to make. But Sir George was a dreamer of dreams and an idealist with h'gh ideals, and it was his ambition to do for New Zealand what red tape and officialdom had prevented him from doing for South Africa and South Australia. His dreams were not all Reached, but he gave an inspiration to the public life of the country that is still keeping his memory green,

Alfred Buckiand & Sons-, Sales. Messis Alfred Buckiand and Sons report: — At our usual Westfield fat stock sale on Wednesday, May 8, fat cattle TT«re yarded to the number of 411 head. Competition was less keen than the previous week, and taking the sale on the whole values were about 10s below late quotations. Choice ox, to £1 6s; prime, £1 3s 6d to £i os; cow and heifers, 16s to £1 3s Steers ranged jn price from £6 12s 6d to £13 2s fid; cows and heifers, £3 15s to £9 2s. There was again a big yarding of heavy calves, and prices for these were on a par with last week, Choice medium wethers were better worth. .Runners, £3 10s to £2 2s; heavy calves, £5 3s to £3 3s; medium. £1 8s to £2 Is ; small and light. 3s to 18s, (95 sold.) There was a heavy entry of mutton, the major portion being prime heavy wethers. The demand was stronger than at late sales, and generally there was a slight, improvement in prices. Extra heavy prime wethers, 19s 9d to £1 Is 6d ,; heavy prime, 18s to 19s 8d ; medium, to heavy 16s 6d to 17s 9d ; light, 13s to 15s 6d ; best heavy ewes. 15s to 16s 6d, good 12s to 14s, others 9s to 11s, (2138 sold.) There was onl ya fair demand for the 109 pigs penned, and values were, if anythiDg, a hifle lower. J3aconers, £2 to£2l9s; large porkers, £1 8s to £1 15s ; lighter, 18s to £1 6s slips . 12s to 16s ; weaners, 5s to 12s.