THE WEEK'S GREAT DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 69, 23 March 1931, Page 6

THE WEEK'S GREAT DAY.

MARCH 23.—BIRTH OF LORD MILNER.

(Copyrighted.)

Seventy-seven years ago, on March 23, 15.34, Alfred Milner, who was destined to become one of the ablest statesmen and administrators of modern times, was born in Germany, his father being an English professor at Tubingen University. After receiving his early education in Germany and at King's College in London, he went to Oxford University, where he rounded off an unusually brilliant academic career by securing a fellowship at the age of 22, and five years later, when he was called to the Bar, he entered the journalistic profession as a member of the staff of the "Pall Mall Gazette." His public life commenced in 1887, when he became principal secretary to George Goschen, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the grea.t financial abilities which he displayed in that pjst secured for him, two years later, the appointment of Director-General •of Accounts in Egypt, from which he was speedily raised to the Under-Secretaryship of Finance. On his return to England in 1592 to become chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue he published a book "England in Egypt," which brought him wide fame and is. regarded as an authoritative record of the work accomplished during the British occupation of Egypt. He entered the most eventful stage of his career in 1897, when Joseph Chamberlain, then Colonial Secretary, chose him to succeed Lord Rosemead as Governor of Cape Colony and High Commissioner for South Africa, which at that time were posts of extraordinary responsibility owing to the delicate situation created by the . raid of Dr. Jameson into the Transvaal. He displayed remarkable skill and diplomacy in dealing with the many difficulties which arose, both before the Boer War and also during its progress, and at the conclusion of hostilities he was entrusted with the administration of the newlyannexed Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State, while his services were officially recognised by elevation to the peerage.

In 1903 he refused the offer of the post of Colonial Secretary, despite the fact that he was suffering severely from ill-health, and his acceptance would have provided a dignified escape from the imbroglio created by the importation of Chinese labour into South Africa. He remained at his post until ill-health forced him to return home, and, although when he left South Africa in 190.1 the country was still in a state of political chaos and his administration was violently criticised, it was later clearly proved that his eight years of arduous and devoted service had laid the foundations for the Union of South Africa, which was effected in 1910.

After his return home Milner inspired and supported Lord Roberts' memorable campaign for National Service, and he also laboured strenuously to bring about Imperial organisation. During the progress of the Great War he became a figure of international importance and performed invaluable service. He was one of the War Cabinet of live members in Lloyd George's Coalition Ministry, he accompanied the Premier to the Allied conference at Rome, he was political head of the mission to Russia, he was responsible with Clemenceau for setting General Foch in supreme control of the Allied armies on the Western front, and as War Minister he worked out with General Pershing the many problems occasioned by America's entrance into the war.

Milner became Colonial Secretary at the end of the war, and in this capacity he attended the Paris Peace Conference and signed the Treaty of Versailles, while later he was responsible for settling the many difficult problems arising from the disposal of the German colonies. In 1919 he went to Egypt to inquire into the causes of the revolution, with the result that he recommended the recognition of Egyptian independence, and on his retirement from public life a couple of years later he was created a Knight of the Garter. He died on May 13, 1925, at the age of seventyone, leaving behind him a record of untiring zeal and devotion to the Empire, which has seldom been equalled and never excelled.