SIR GEORGF REID.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1018, 15 July 1911, Page 4

SIR GEORGF REID.

Sir George Reid must have determined, before he arrived in London as the first' Australian High Commissioner, to capture the Press and make a name as an after-dinner speaker. He succeeded beyond the anticipations of anybody in Australia. Ho was wise enough to realise that it is not oratory —unless it be of the incomparable Rosebery order —that counts at big gatherings in Loudon, but brightness, wit, and humour. Before many weeks were over London sub-editors had marked Reid as “good copy.”. Among brilliant men of all professions, he stands out as a man worth listening to at any time. The London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald describes a speech he made to one of the most critical audiences in England—at the midnight farewell supper to Mr H. B. Irving on his departure tor Australia. Dozens of the most prominent mon in art, law, and politics were there, yet a famous K.O. could be heard whispering to a friend, “You wait till Reid speaks; that will be something worth hearing.” Sir George described an experience of his own with an amateur dramatic society in his early days, when in carrying a dead man off the stage, he became entangled with the scenery. Before Sir George was half-way through that story he had the whole room rocking in their chairs—novelists, barristers, party leaders, nearly helpless with laughter. He led them on, as only a consummate artist could do, from comedy to tragedy. The laughter suddenly stopped—he was dealing with the awful fire in the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh, the night before. He swayed that audience from one extreme to another—led them through laughter almost to tears and back again, and finally landed them back in their level spirits again.” A few weeks later ho invited a number of notable people, including many Loudon editors, to meet the Federal Ministers. His task in commending the chief guests to the assembly was not easy; as the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent says, utterances of this kind are usually rather painful. But by a cunning mixture of banter and seriousness, Sir George made tho introduction most enjoyable. He chaffed the Secretary of State for tho Colonies, and tho Lord Mayor, and he made amusing references to various distinguished colonials in tho throng. Of his experiences in appearing before Mr Justice Cohen he said; “My law was always right, of course, but he always seemed to get into trouble when he followed it,” and there must have been loud laughter at these words;—“l have a dim sort of recollection—perhaps you will confirm it if I am correct—that I was in active politics in Australia at some time or other—but all that militant, ferocious desire to obtain possession of things which do not seem, meant for you, has disapneared.” This kind of thing puts Englishmen on good terms with Australia, which are' a preliminary to friendship.