DEATH OF SIR GEO. GREY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1898, Page 9

DEATH OF SIR GEO. GREY.

(Froni Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, September 23

| The 'one clear call for me? which Sir George Grey had so long and patiently awaited, came on Monday evening last, and AA.th a gentle sigh of content the strong soul quitted the worn out body and passed 'beyond these voices.' It must have been a Avelcome release. To' pretend anything else would be affectation. If Sir George could have had a say in the time of his decease I am sure he aa .raid have chosen to go Avhilst his keen intellect remained unimpaired. But he had extraordinary pluck and a thoroughly Avholesome disposition. Instead of crouching OA"er the fire and Availing 'Oh, God, my mind-s going, my mind's going? as I have known too many very old folks do, he faced the ineA"itable with wondrous courage. When he could no longer remember recent events in New Zealand he talked of South Africa, South Australia and even earlier days. His resurrection last year in order to do honour to Mr Seddon avus a, phenomenal triumph of Avill over weakness. Doctors, nurse, private secretary, relatives were aghast at. the Great Pro-Consul's sudden resolve to visit the New Zealand Prime Minister at the Hotel Cecil. Only a week previously he had—for about thef ourth of fifth time—been pronounced irretrievably moribund.

'Die before the Jubilee!' cried Sir George, on recovering 'certainly not! I'm living for it and mean to see itthrough.' And so he did, though that reckless visit to the Hotel Cecil nearly ended him. Remonstrated with on his • imprudence by Lord Stamford, Sir George chuckled in quite his old form. 'No, no? said he, 'Seddon doesn't tire me. I like him, I like him, very much — when he's not making speeches.' This Avas so absolutely the English feeling Avith regard to your Premier that Lord Stamford roared. Later Mr and Mi. Seddon visited Sir George at. the Norfolk Hotel, Avhen nothing Avould satisfy the great Pro-Consul but that they should all be photographed together, lie wanted to go out to have it done, but this the nurse vetoed. Ultimately a man was got from close by and a group taken. It is not an altogether satisfactory picture as. by the, time things Avere arranged the aged statesman was very tired and the bright light of intelligence had gone out of his face. Still 'tis the last photo of the G.O.M. Sir George Avas the despair of his medical attendants, Avhose predictions he consistently falsified. When they pronounced him in extremis he forthwith recovered and if they called him better he promptly relapsed. Last Aveek Aye had scarcely been informed by then urse that, the G.O.M. was physical.y stronger than he had been for a long time before the final illness supervened. HOW THE END CAME.. On Friday came the beginning of the end. When his former companion and secretary railed to see him that I morning after the requiem service for i Lady Grey, he Avas sleeping peacefully, j but in the evening congestion of the brain set in. his temperature went up rapidly and paralysis appeared to some extent. The long spell of hot weather had doubtless taxed his strength considerably. Those in .attendance sent for Dr. Walker in hothaste, and believed that at last Death Avas about to triumph. But Sir George's elastic vitality remained unsubdued for the next three days. On Saturday evening his temperature Avas better and ice was placed on his head. ! Lady Grey's maid and his nurse Mrs Wilkinson were in constant attendance. Ho opened his eyes aud looked about, but spoke little and it is doubtI ful whether- he was conscious. Soon i after lunch on Sunday afternoon came j another crisis. The breathing- Avas i affected, there was death in his face and again his relations expected that eve*y moment would be his last. But he lingered on unconscious all Sunday night. On Monday morning came a Avonderful change for the better. It seemed —so the nurse surmised—as if there had been a clot of blood on the brain Avhich had uoav cleared away. He.waa able to get- out of bed Avithout difficulty, and to reply 'No' and 'Yes' Avlien Mr Biddulph asked 'Have you had your breakfast?' 'Would you like me to get some'?' Both physically and mentally he seemed stronger. He was able to speak a little and gleams of consciousness manifested themselves from time to time. It looked as if the old statesman. Avorn as he Avas, had managed to shake off his grim antagonist again. But the ray of sunshine was soon clouded by Death's last storm. Soon after lunch on Monday, it was clear that Sir George was dying, his breathing became laboured, his whole frame heaved with the struggle for breath, the teeth became clenched, and he Avas unable to SAvalloav the brandy and water which Mr Biddulph and the nurse tried to give him. From time to time his eyes opened but all consciousness had left them and he became quite black in the face. There was nothing to do but moisten his lips and await the end. Dr. Barloav was out of town, but Dr. Colenso, the son of Sir George's old friend Bishop Colenso, Avas at hand, and Dr. Walker, his regular medical attendant, looked in from time to time. As the evening wore on, his colour improved a. little', but at half past ten Sir George ceased his heavy breathing, drew a few quiet breaths like a child, then the breath just stopped, the head fell forward and good Governor Grey, the great Imperialist, had passed peace- : fully to another Empire. At the bedside Avere Mr and Mrs Campbell, Mr Ormus Biddulph, who has been living at the Norfolk Hotel during Sir George's illness, aud the doctors and nurses. Lord Stamford. Avho had not been present at Lady Grey's funeral, was still away in Scotland.