MR. JAMES MACKAY AND SIR GEORGE GREY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 305, 22 December 1904, Page 2

MR. JAMES MACKAY AND SIR GEORGE GREY.

(To_._e Editor.) Sir, —When mistakes are made it' is always advisable to correct them as soon as possible. Many of my old friends in the colony know that I have substantial reasons for the breach of friendship be-. tween Sir George and myself, and many asked mc yesterday in Queen street if I had really brought up Maoris to take part in the ceremony of unveiling the Statue. In order to place myself in a proper position with the public and many old friends, I had to allude to my official connection, and "also to my former personal friendship to Sir George Grey. I, however, find that the "Herald" has inadvertently promoted mc to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Maori Forces, and also by inference being Sir George Grey's favourite officer in that capacity. What I believe I said yesterday—at any late what I intended to say —was: "That I presumed the committee had invited mc because I had for many years been the head of the Native Department in the Auckland Provincial District: and also Sir George Grey's favourite officer of the Native Department during the -.Waikato campaign. And when the seat of Govern-, ment was removed to Wellington in 1865 I was given charge of all native affairs in the Auckland Provincial District from 1865 to 1869, a very troublous time. That, although having been on unfriendly terms with Sir George Grey of late years, I had accepted the invitation of the committee and come to do honour to my old chief, and had buried the hatchet." The other portion of the "Herald" report as to the gathering of Maori representatives is correct. It should, however, be mentioned that Mr. W. Swaeson also took a prominent part in that matter. With your permission, I would now wish to note a few reminiscences of Sir George Grey. My first acquaintance with him was when he visited "Nelson in 1847. At that time my father, who waa a prominent Nelson settler, invited him to his place. Sir George Grey was much interested in some prize Shorthorn cattle and merino rams which my father had brought out in our ship from the Old Country. Sir George Grey, on all his subsequent visits to Nelson, came out to my father's place. He once asked mc whether "I was continuing the course of study which I had gone through at school at home*" I replied: "Yes, sir; but it is uphill work after twelve hours' work a day on tbe farm." He also on one occasion corrected my pronunciation of a Maori word, and advised mc to continue to study the Maori language, as it might be of ~use to mc in the future. In 1858 I was appointed by Governor Browne to be sAsistant Native Secretary in the Middle Island, ln 18-3 I had to arrest five chiefs of the Waikato tribe who had gone South to gather up recruits for the coming war. On my arrival at Auckland with the prisoners I saw Sir George Grey for the first time as a Constitutional Governor. He, however, at once recognised mc as the youth whom he had advised to perfect himself in the Maori language. While awaiting the trial of the prisoners, which was prolonged owing to the illness of the Chief Judge, Sir George Arney, a disturbance occurred at a Maori settlement near Miranda Redoubt, Thames, between the troops and friendly natives, and Sir George Grey, deputed mc to inquire into- it, I did so, and ascertained that "a"- number ''of 'natives who had been fighting at Waikato-had returned, _nd others were coming back to the Thames. On the Bth February, 1804', Sir George Grey' issued a proclamation calling on ex-rebels to surrender their arms to any officer commanding a military post, or -to any person duly authorised by the Governor on that behalf. I was appointed and instructed to take measures to pacify the Thames tribe. My efforts were attended with success, and tlie Governor at once asked mc to sell out my sheep and cattle run in the South Island, and come to reside permanently at Anckland. He at the same time offered to make mc Civil Commissioner for the Hauraki District at a salary of £500 a year. I rather reluctantly accepted this appointment, and severed lryf connection with my relations n dd friends in the South Island.

Sir George Grey had no stuck-up pride about him. I have always in my memory a little incident. When the Maoris retreated to Maungatautai, after the fall of the Orahau pa,' it was rumoured that the chief Rewi Maniapoto intended to erect fortifications at Haugatiki and make a final stand against the pakeha. I was instructed to ascertain the truth of this rumour. This was accomplished. Sir George had instructed mc to .come to Government House the moment of my f-.rrival, night or day. I left Alexandra in the morning and jumped off one commissariat horse and on, to another at each military post, and finally arrived at Government House at 2.30 a.m. I went to the servants' end of the house and aroused the butler and sent him to Sir George. He came down to his office in hia~dress-ing-gown, and said: "Well, Mackay, what a fearful night to have come down in." (He saw the water running out of my boots —it had rained torrents all the way from the Queen's Redoubt.) "•>"ow. when did you get anything to eat last? " I replied I had'a couple of biscuits and a glass of rum at Queen's Redoubt I began to talk of ray mission. He said: "Mackay, you must have dry clothes and something to eat before you make your report." He sent for clothes, and with his own hands brought mc some refreshments. Such acts as there cement 'a friendship between the superior and the inferior officer. It is a pity that political complications should cause a disruption in attachments thus formed. As regards Sir George Grey, in my opinion he was an ideal Governor for a Crown colony. As a constitutional Governor his autocratic tendencies" and his dislike to control prevented "him from being the equal of some subsequent .Governors of this colony. I consider he made a mistake when he entered the New Zealand Parliament, as "it" Was a step down from the pedestal-on which he had previously stood, and from his peculiar temperament he was unable to agree with his colleagues in the Minis? try. I was surprised that none of the speakers yesterday alluded to Sir George Grey's great deeiie to bring all the islands of the Pacific under a British protectorate- Sir George Grey was a man who always looked ahead of the times, and had his suggestions been carried out we should not have to-day seen French occupation of New Caledonia and the New Hebrides, or German of Samoa, places which may 'hereafter become naval and military bases for hostile, operations against Australasia, New Zealand, etc. 1 In conclusion, it may be said that no braver man than Sir George Grey ever stood in this colony, or one who more faithfully and patriotically served the British Empire. He had his peculiar ways, and like all others numerous fanlts, but he always desired "the greatest good, for the greatest n__ber.' r He

despised riches", and with all the chances which he could have utilised to acquire large Wealth, died a poor man.—l am, •" r .' JAJPS. MACKAY.