WILSON GRAY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 319, 10 April 1875, Page 3

WILSON GRAY.

When only a fortnight ago we drew attention to Mr. Wilson Gray's announced relinquishment of the office of District Court Judge, we; did not anticipate that in so short-a time we; should be called upon to say the last few words which have, at some.time or another, to be said over every one, who by position or accident becomes prominent among his felloWs. ' During Mr. Gray's last circuit we were aware he was suffering, but as, unfortunately, this of late years was nothing new, his friends were hopeful that rest and quietness would at any rate bring him some little bodily relief. This was not to be. The simple fact is—he left Dunedin dying by inches', and travelled hiß circuit to the very last; finally on Wednesday, the last day of March closing his connection with the District Court at Lawrence, after which, he was carried out of the Court House by friendly hands to die. We, believe it was a relief to him in. his last, days to think that, having done his work to the very smallest particular, he would not be burdensome to the State. It is natural, and indeed preferable,

to us to look, upon Mr. Gray as the Judge. The outer world will lo ok at his life differently. Highly educated; advanced and advancing in his profession, when only 25 years of age; holding a, high position in England as in Ireland, his native country, it was to be expected that he would be prominent wherever his future career might lead him. It has been so, but not exactly. as might have been anticipated. Alike be declined political rank, offers of high position in the Supreme Courts of Victoria and New Zealand, solely (the ' Guardian ' informs us) because he could not bear the slightest suspicion of receiving a reward for his political services, and partly also because his tenderly timid nature shrank from • the responsibilty of depriving his fellow creature of liberty and possibly of life itself. lie yet attained the highest position of all —as evidenced by the purest moral integrity and .self-sacrifice. Mr. Gray understood, as few are able to do, the nobility of service. ,Of him it may be: said he never wearied in well-doing. To many he has been the quiet assiduous friend, and often the unknown though suspected benefactor. It is good that such men do &t r times arise and. pass before us as examples of what is possible to those who simply aim at, and pursue" after, that which is good and true. The • Daily Times'. furnishes its readers with an admirable notice of Mr. Gray's life, which will, no doubt, be largely, circulated. -The we think, lays too much stress on Mr. Gray's alleged timidity in-judgment. So long as there was the faintest possibility of eliciting- evidence affect'ng the case before him he was patient to a fault, but when,his miud . was made •up there was no hesitation; When, indeed, any principal or practitioner, ignorant of whom he had to deal with, took advantage of at first sight an ap-pearance-of timidity or hesitation, he very quickly learnt his mistake. If, indeed, any such was not rendered in future submissive on account of,the rebuke administered, he would certainly be bound over by the mild after apo T logy—aa if the ' Judge were in the wrong—almost sure to follow any assertion of authority from the Ben«h. Most tenderly considerate was Mr. Gray for those working under him, and amply was he repaid in the assiduous attention and care that were always placed at his disposal. The remarks we have already published as to the value, and "yet actually the uselessness of the work done, in the District Court during the last ten years, owing to the absence of any collected record, receive double force from Mr. Gray's death. We need not here repeat them. It was right that a general mark of public respect should be paid to the, remains of a good .man throughout the Province -on Tuesday last,' the day of the funeral. -■ There is nothing in themselves in the tolled bell, the 'closed shutter, or other emblems, of mourning..- Something, indeed, there often is in these of sham, of a making mock of death. In this case we are glad to think they were genuine tokens of a desire to reverence" the majesty even of human truth—of purity of life. Such purity had, in Mr. Gray been cultivated to the highest perfection—which we take to be an entire ignorance of its own existence. It is satisfactory to know that, at the last he was well' attended by many friends. " Dr. Stewart, his principal medical attendant, was most unremitting in his attentions, and did for him all that medical skill could accomplish." That certain point,' however, beyond which Walter Scott thought medical gentlemen' could do nothing had long since been reached. Jn Scott's own words, " when they have regulated our bodies to the best of their skill, our spirit and courage can do much for us afterwards." Spirit, and an indomitable courage carried Mr. Gray to the very last Soct he had, as he thought, in accordance with his duty, to do—and he did it. We doubt whether we should wish him more than he wished for himself; " Tou have seen," he said to a-friend, during those last few hours at Lawrence, "I have done my duty ; tell my friends so." Undoubtedly Wilson Gray did do his duty.