GEORGE THE FIFTH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 144, 20 June 1910, Page 5

GEORGE THE FIFTH.

CHAKACTER STUDY BY MR. . . W. T.: STEJff). .- "EVERY INCH A KING. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, May 13. Mr. W. T. Stead has an interesting character-sketch of the new King in the "Daily.News" this week. "'.When I came away from my first long talk with the Prince, who on Saturday was formally, proclaimed King George the Fifth, I had the impression," he writes, " that I had been face to face with a reincarnation of George ill. it ■was not bluff old Farmer George of Windsor this time. But it was young, brusque Sailor George, in whom reappeared many of the characteristics of his namesake.

" The resemblance did not extend to the outward embodiment of the Georgian spul. But there was also a haunting suggestion of another Sovereign. The then Duke of York and the present Kmperor of Russia were as like as two peas in a pod." The interview, (therefore, gave Mr. Stead the impression that our new Sovereign had the mind of George 111. in the body of Nicholas the Second. PASSIONATELY DOMESTICATED.. "Yet," continues the writer, " the face is that King George approximates much moje to the ethical ideal of the English middle classes than any man who iiaa ever held sway in England since the days of Oliver Cromwell. He resembles the Czar of Russia—his favourite cousin—in being passionately domesticated. He is a model pere de famille. He dislikes fua3 and feathers and ceremonial, and all the flim-flam of Courts. He has got a gooa ■wife, and he knows it. He is simply devoted to his children. His one delight is to get home and spend a quiet evening with his wife and weans. He hates dining out. He does not play: much at cards, and never for money.

"He hates corruption, and rumour credits him with v cherishing designs against the innumerable fakers of commission who batten on the tradesmen ■who supply his palace, -which, if'carried out, will raise Old Harry in certain quarters. He is a studious . man, reading newspapers and Blue Books with avidity. ,He owjis no racehorses. He playe. well to golf, and when he goes out shooting his hand is ' steady. and his aim is true. Xo be*in bed at half-past ten and to be up at about half-past six has been' his ambition as a Prince. A HIGH SENSE OF DUTY. "Of many other sides of the character of bur new Sovereign I have not lelt myself!, space to speak. '. I have said, enough to indicate that whatever George V. may be on tlie -TJirone, he is- not likely to be a cipher. He will be no roifainmeant,"but will be a King, aye, every inch a King. He is no mere youtn. ■He is forty-four, in the very prime and heyday of life. He has spent many! years in familiarising himself' with the problems of government in every part of the Empire. The' King is ambitious, and he has a high sense of his duty to the nation and the responsibilities of his position. It remains to be -seen how this new hand at the helm will steer tne ship of State through the gathering storms: 7 But,-" as rArchbishop Tait .re-; minded the lad on his confirmation 'a perfectly level plain calls for little engineering; a sunny voyage through a summer sea does not test the mettle of a sailor's seamanship, or lay up for him a store of useful .experience. 1 W-j----"The King need not fear but that will have plenty of opportunities to call for his engineering, and for tests of the mettle of his ' seamanship. " I have not more than a line in which to say, perhaps, . the most important thing in this article, that it is a good thing for the nation in this, crisis that our new King has a good wife, -whose, tact and judgment and inborn instinct will stand him in good stead in every hour,pf need. The Queen, better known as Princess May, is the first English Queen we have had for centuries who is an Englishwoman. It is, perhaps, the fact which of all ottfers is of happiest augury for the new reign." .. A BUSY MONARCH. The first week in the reign of King George;has been one of the busiest in his active life....His Majesty is working ■from morning till' night, supervising the *multifarious arrangements which httve to be made in connection with the iate King's funeral, and the many other matters concerned with his accession to the. Throne. v King George spends, most of 'his time in his own room, which is situated on the second floor of Maryborough House, overlooking the beautiful garden, with . the Processional-road in the background. Here all the State -papers which neefl his personal supervision are submitted to 'him, and here His Majesty, has discussed all the details of the coming lying-in-State and funeral. It was the King himself who decided that the actual date of the funeral should be delayed till May 20 in order that the fullest preparations should he completed, and that nothing should be left to chance.

The King has a telephone at-his elbow communicating with his secretary, Sir Arthur Bigge, who occupies a room on the first .floor of Marlborough House, and the instrument is in constant use. His Majesty, is a most conscientious and methodical worktr, and insists on fully understanding every subject with which he is called on to deal:

He has taken a particular interest in the arrangements which are being made for the housing of the many .Royal personages who are coming to the funeral of King Edward, and has insisted on being made acquainted with every detail.