SIR GEORGE GREY IN ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 143, 16 June 1894, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY IN ENGLAND.

HIS VISIT TO WINDSOR CASTLE.

(FROM OUE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

London, May 5. Her Majesty the Queen returned to Windsor on Saturday evening, and on Monday a Privy Council was held ab the Casble, after which Sir Geo. Grey, X.0.8., Sir Chaß. Rueselland Sir Francis Lascellea were duly Bworn in as Privy Councillors. Sir George travelled to Windsor by special train in company with the Prime Minister, the Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord Carringbon, and the aforementioned Privy Councillors in embryo. Driving from Park Place to Paddington Station in good time, he was met on the platform by Lord Stamford, and soon after the Premier pub in an appearance. Recognising Lord Stamford, whom he had meb before, Lord Rosebery beerged to be presented to the veteran New Zealand statesman. The greetings between the Grand Young Man of the North and the Grand Old Man of the South were extremely cordial. Lord Rosebery ab once took Sir George under his wing, and, after introducing him to the rest of the party, chatted to him all the way to Windsor. What the two great men talked about I cannot tell you, but it will not, I hope, be an indiscretion to )eb out that Sir George Grey was delighted with the Prime Minister, and succumbed altogether to the charm, of his manner and conversation. The Queen's visitors, were met ab Windsor by the nsual officials and drove to the Castle in the Royal carriages. Lunch with the household followed and amongsb its members Sir George was gratified to recognise an old friend in Sir John Cowell, X.C.8., (Deputy Governor of the Castle). The Privy Council did not take long, only formal business being transacted, and by three o'clock Her Majesty was ready to receive and swear in her new Councillors. During this ceremony it is usual for the takers of the oaths to kneel, bub Her Majesty specially sent out a gracious message dispensing with Sir George Grey attempting this trying feat. The Lord Chumberlain then introduced the new Privy Councillors, Sir Chaa. Ruseell being on the loft., Sir George Grey in the centre, and Sir Francis Lascelles on the right. Despite the Royal orders Sir George tried to kneel till tbe Queen said, "Certainly nob, old friend," and signed to him peremptorily to remain standing. Her Majesty, who has been suffering much from her bad knee, wae not at all well, and in consequence Lord Carrington cut matters as short as possible. It was quite expected thab private audiences would be afterwards granted both to Sir George Grey and the new Lord of Appeal, who is persona grata ab Court, but the Queen felb too unwell to see anybody. I understand, however, Lord Carrington intimated tbab another opportunity for an interview would be afforded bo Sir, George Grey before he leaves England. The Right Honourable Sir George Grey returned to town rather tired after this eventful,day, bub full of old memories which Windsor had stirred strangely. It was just 35 years since he laet saw Her Majesty, ab thab time a comparatively young wife and mother, with the Prince Consort at her side, and the Duke of Edinbro', then a little lad in sailor's euib, filling in the picture. Sir George was just off to the Cape then, and the best part of his brilliant career lay before him. Now, long and well-spent lives lie behind both the widowed Queen and the veteran statesman. ATTENTIONS TO SIR GEORGE. Sir George Grey would indeed be hard to please if ho were not gratified at the marked manner in which the Colonial Office and the members of the Government generally have gone onb of their way bo show him respecb and attention. As an old servaab of the Crown it was jusb a question whether etiquette did not demand that he should call first on the Secretary of State. Lord Ripon, however, settled the matter by leaving his card in the first 24 hours, and Mr Sydney Buxton and Sir R. Meade shortly after followed euib. ' MR WALTER MORNINGTON. Mr Walter Mornington, who is acting as secretary and social adviser to Sir George, is a capital specimen of the genus good fellow, with friends everywhere, and a very fair practice ab the Bar. He was for a time Attorney-General ot Tobago, but found £1,000 a year can be too dearly bought), and tiring of exile eventually threw it up. Ha also settled the rights and wrongs of Lord Stamford's peerage for him. INVITATIONS REFUSED. There is a sincere desire amongst all sections of the Liberal party to do honour to Sir George Grey, and quite a number of important invitations to banquets, etc., from persons of the highest rank and political influence, have been uncompromisingly refused. For example, I may mention Lord Rosebery has asked the i-igbb honourable gentleman to dinner in Grosyenor Place, and also intimated it would give him great pleasure to preside at a banquet which the exclusive City Liberal Club wished to got up in his honour. The Reform Club also organised (as the discomforted promoter told me) "a really magnificent function," ab which two Cabinet Ministers and a dozen or bo leading M.P.'s had actually promised to be present. They took the guest of the evening's consent rather for granted, and were sadly chagrined when he declined to come. The National Liberal Club had also begun to arrange a Grey banquet, bub on hearing of the snub administered to the Reform, they resbrained their exuberance. The Marquis of Ripon, Lord Onslow and many other private notables have also been much disappointed not to be able to entertain the distinguished visitor. The Agent-General suggested that as Sir George disliked going oub in the evening, he (Sir Wesbby) would give an afternoon reception ab the Whitehall Rooms or Westminster Palace Hotel. ThU would enable a large number of persons to pay their respects to the veteran statesman withoub fatiguing him. Even this, however, Sir George would not hear of, at any rate at present. Curiously enough; though Sir George refuses nearly all evening invitations, he will nob permib Mr Monnington to announce through the press that he is not strong enough for going oub ab night. He seems to think ho, may feel more inclined for visiting later, and, therefore, does nob wish to altogether close fcbe door. VISIT TO OVERBURY COURT. Sir George Grey leaves town this after' noon tor Overbury Hall, Tewkegbury> where he will be the guest of his old friends Mr Roberb Biddulph Martin, and his wife. Victoria Woodhull Martin, the heroine of the recent cause celebre againsb the British Museum. Sir George had arranged bo leave town on Wednesday, but Sir Baldwin Leighton called during the morning, and he and his bosb were so absorbed talking that the latter missed his cram. He was also detained again yesterday, bub to-day is so tired and' worn oub with visitors thab I really think he will get off. CALLERS ON . SIR GEORGE GREY. Amongst the callers on Sir George the last few days, I may mention Mr Birch of Hawke's Bay, Mr R. B. Martin (the eminent banker, and husband of Victoria Woodhull), Mr and Mrs Henry M. Stanley, Mr Heaton, M.P., Mr J. S. O'Halloran, Sir Frederick Young, Lord Knutsford, Hon. Roberb Reid, Admiral Sir Edward Sotheby, Sir Roberb Meade (Permanent Secretary of the Colonial Office), Captain and Mrs Aehby, The Speaker of the House of Commons and Lady Peel, Sir H. B. Locb, Sir Charles

MilU, Mr Riversdale Walrond, Sir Thoe. Esmonde, The Maßter ot Trinity College, Cambridge, Sir Henry Barkly, Lord Monk Bretton, Sir Tiiomas Fowell Buxtoo, Mr Andrew Carnegie, Mr Farmer, Lord Stanmore, Mr John Dillon, M.P., Lord Carrington, Sir Gardner Englehearb, Sir Rawson W. Rawson, the Earl of Burford (eldeßb son of Duke of Sb. Albans), Mr Richard Glyn (President Bank of New Zealand), Earl of Onalow, Lord Cranley, Hon. Wm. McGullough, Lord Bipon, Mr Sydney Burton, Lady Tennyaoa (who saw Sir George). •^Our Henniker" arranged a nice little party at the House of Commons in honour of Sir George. Lord Randolph Churchill and Sir John Gorsb and other loading Conservatives had promised to come. Bub, alas ! the new Privy Councillor was not to be tempted. After refusing the Prime Minister he was nob very likely to honour the member for Canterbury. COLONIAL PART? AND SIR GEORGE. Sir George Grey has received two invitations to meet) the so-called '-' Colonial Party," bub on each occasion, alter accopting, he has postponed the function. The truth is, the veteran statesman does not, I fancy, altogether trusb the movement. Like others, he possibly sniffs too much self-advertisement on the parb of certain honourable members therein. Anyhow, he seems on his guard as to associating his name with it or expressing any opinion upon its utility. MR MBNNELL AND SIR GEORGE. One of bhe few pressmen Sir George has received since bis arrival is Mr Mennell, who interviewed him as follows for the " Pall Mall Gazette" :— Our representative, who saw Sir George Grey at the Hotel Me"tropole states that although in the enfeebled health natural at his years, the veteran publicist looks Stronger altogether than when ho met him at Auckland, New Zealand, in 1891. The date of Sir George Grey's return to the colony is uncertain, but that he will return is undoubted. Sir George Grey expressed much pleasure at the reception which he met with the other evening at the House of Lords, where he was introduced to Lord Rosebery and renewed with extreme gratification his old acquaintance with Lord Salisbury, who, as Lord Roberb Cecil, stayed with Sir George Grey in New Zealand over forty years ago, and was very merry over reminiscences of the embittered battle which hia host was then fighting with the chiefs of the self-governing party in New Zealand. Our representative ascertained Sir George Grey's views, or in some oases no views, on certain important questions, which may be briefly stated as follows : — As regards his own mission, he intends to devote the rest of his life to preaching the desirability of forging some elastic tie of union between the Anglo-Saxon Englishspeaking races of the world. His idea is mainly of a league of peace against) a world in arms—not) actually of war, bub armed to the teetb, Subsidiary to this idea of an Anglo-Saxon union, his great purpcme has been and will be to prevent old world evils, especially old-world militarism, penetrating the new—that is, the colonies of the Empire. Sir George considers that as arbitration has now been established as a means of settling controversies between England and the United States, a virtual federation with our American cousins has been achieved, which musb.render war between bhe two countries impossible for the future. A precise application of this practical federation with the United States is that she should aid us in keeping the curse of European militarism oub of the South Soaa. France, to be sure, has gob a foothold in New Caledonia, bub if another great arsenal were, established in the Pacific the United States would be compelled to incur greab expense for the defence of her Western coasb. This naturally brought up the topic of Samoa, which has become a matter of European diplomacy owing to the suggestion that its adminiatrationshould for thefuture be confided toNew Zealand, in place of retaining the present triple control of England, Germany, and the United States. Sir George has boon cabled to to supporb the plan ot the New Zealand Government, and it is needless to say that he heartily favours ib, quoting the beneficial results achieved ab Raratonga, where the British Resident, Mr Moss, who acts under'the directions of New Zealand, has already done splendid woik in preparing the islands for complete self-govern-ment at aba future date. Sir George is naturally glad to see the renaissance of a policy for which he risked recall and consure forty years ago, and which, if it had been adopted by the Imperial Government/ at the time, would have preserved the Pacific absolutely clear of those foreign influences which, in the future interests of the Empire, and especially Australia and New Zealand, ibis desirable to keep oub and to weed out as far as they have crept in. In connection with this policy of Anglo-Saxon sway in the Western Pacific, Sir George enunciated the much more comprehensive thesis that the Eng-lish-speaking races may vet have to lay down the limits within which the populations of the world shall distribute themselves. They have opened oub all the new territories, and he thinks they should have the potential voice in their disposition. Coming to matters of everyday politics, Sir George is a warm approver of female suffrage. He thinks the New Zealand experiment has answered splendidly. There was the large proportion in which the women voted, then the fact of the unprecedented order which prevailed at the first election under the new regime, rendering ib wholly unnecessary to provide separate polling booths for the sexes. Sir George Grey is also high in praise of the moderation and good sense of the New Zealand labour party. "AH parties admit it." He thinks, however, that they made a tactical mistake in unreservedly pledging themselves to keep the Liberal Government in power during bhe past session. They observed their pledge loyally, and he thinks by this means lost the opportunity of extracting larger concessions, Our representative could not get Sir George Grey to express a definite opinion as to the utility of the colonial Parliamentary party over here. He wanted to know more of their aims lirsb. On the question of South Africa he was equally reticenb, bub eaid he was making inquiries. Whatever view he comes to bake on minor questions, will be governed by the primal consideration of holding the Empire together, and carrying out his old policy of federating the South African communities —Imperial and republican—in some form more or less elastic.