SIR GEORGE GREY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2409, 25 September 1886, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY.

The following able sketch oLSir George Grey ia published in the Nineteenth Century for August by Mr E. J. Wakefield :—Now, Sir Geoige Grey is a fectly well-known personage. HrFrjß| did not diaoover him. When 1 first aaw Sir Geoipe Gray waa when 1 waa eight yean old, and 1 have known Mm ever since quite intimately enough to form aa good a judgment as anybody of his public character, at all events; and of his opiate character, I am auite sure can know absolutely nothing,- is the most inscrutable of men. lie Is aa exceedingly polished man and is aa incomparable hast, in his paradise «jfaa island home, especially when he has his own reasons for widung to make himaalf agreeable to a guest. His venerable bearing, the prestige of his eady career; his grace aod.d|gnity of manner; "his imEmwom of nleaoa when he is slant, golden-mouthed eloquence when hi spsaka, his haughty seclusion contrasted . with hi* i&h'lily when he appears ia public, have given him s great measure cf personal popularity—Hem acknowledged to be the moat distinguished public man * who ever tpok part in the. spurs of a colony. But to make him oat to be. only so very little lower than the angels, ae Mr Froude does, is sheer nqnaenee. Sir George Grey was s troubleeome Governor, dever at taking advantage rf others' mistakes, bat always in hotvpter< with his Ministers, with the lEUbsiyeit with the Colonial Office. It otided by his being summarily removed, irom the Government in 1887 because the dHhid Office saw nootherwayofterminunthe chronic and futile feud whichpiad so long caused an ill-feeling betweenthe colony and the Mother Country. He went Hoofe and tried to get into Parliament; but only anooeded in Moping Sir Henry Storkea out; and having oflended Whigs and Tories in turn got the cold shoulder from both. He returned to the Colony llmiinlflj soared, and shut himself op in the gloomy solitude on his lovely island of Kawau. In 1875 he datermined.tn enter into Colonial politics, - and easily got • aeat in theHouae of Repraoeatsbves and the leadenhip of a considerable party. In 1877 he became Prime Minister, and he ruled the ooantry withalmostaheolate power /or twoyears. It was the darkest period in the political history of Snr Zealand. Immediately on the assembling of Pwliamentin 1878, a -yiaolut'ton affirming that Sir George Gray's Ministry "hadao mismsnssod, and maladmimstered the afiairs of the ooontry"that they no possess the eonfideoee of this Hoase/W waa carried in the House of tives by the lanrest vote ever reoorded oa a Ministerial question. Sir Gooijge Gmy appealed to the country; bat the coostjfaienries endowed the derision of the House, and he waa compelled to relinquish the power he had used so ID. Kb suoresenra found the Treasury wjUmai a shilling in it, and deficiency for £BOO,OOO were voted uem. oim. for paying salaries and meeting other priming demands of administration. Thepaymeat in London of the interest on the puhlie debt, aad other engagements of the utmost importance to this public credit, had been left unprovided for ; and the Gorsrnamnt. had to telegraph to the ' Agent-Geoeral to xaiee t lon of fir* millions on any terms whatsoever. The public expenditure was reduced by aa enormoas sum, snd a heavy property tax was imposed .in addition to aa increase of 60 per cent, of the ad scleras customs duties. The state of native alEurs waa such that a aerious disturbance waa only averted Bjy the moot stringeat oiiasmso oa the pert of the Native Minister, Mr Bryce, and by the most active efiorts of the Commissioners, Sir William Fez aad Sir DiOuh BelL The colony waa saved, bat from that day to this Sir 6hk Grey has never exercised any phava qt'i political influence. At the next general election, he oa|y saved his own seat liy 14 votea, ha nephew, whom Mr Fronde was debated, and hia party were annihilated. His personal popularity MUWpferon of literature and art, aa the VBow of a great name, is andiniinished; tmtia poUtios he stands alone withoat i nndl foliosrer. Ho is in a chronic to every Ministry, and usually moves two or throe motions of want of mn fid anno - I every session, withoat being able to rt anybody to go into the lobby with him. Sometimes, aa was the caoo last asmioa, ho lsevss the Hoaee himeslf, aad lots the —Boa go on the voioss. Ha is Aa osm> rfaiaasf of 9«r flsslsnd fist this is thrmaa on whoeaaala; oaaa»parted wetd/ Mr Froade deliberately foriaod Ma judguisnl of .l|w pahße m and psbliofifeef thie; celeny; aad mt oa Was rssponsible alfrnrity thsahis. II 7 thst were possible, hecstalypvomtilfKied thoartooadingiiiveatMjjattatws.ialaai 4iitt. '

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