SOME PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10148, 22 September 1898, Page 5

SOME PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.

[By a Journalist.]

SIR GEORGE'S LOVE FOR AUCKLAND.

It is in Auckland that the death of Sir George Grey will be more severely felt than in any other part of New Zealand. Auckland tor many years was his home, and for that town and its inhabitants he had a worm personal love. No one can wander, even in the most casual way, through the Auckland Public Library witfhout witnessing on every- side the signs of that affectionate regard. His magnificent generosity has enriched this library with many priceless original manuscripts, and rare editions of books, now worth a small fortune. To show the character and value of these gifts, it will bs enough to state that one of the manuscripts is a document signed by Marie Antoinette. To roam through the "Grey collection" with Mr SShjllington, the libra.rian, as guide, is the delight of all visitors to Auckland. There is in one corner of the library a small glass case in which there is a souvenir of Sir George Grey which will be peculiarly valuable now that he has passed away. This case contains a waxen, phonographic cylinder recording a message from liim to the Auckland people. The message, which is naturally a brief one, exhorting the people in general terms to continue well their work of naticn-building, was spoken by Sir George one morning about eight or ten yeaxs ago, during the visit of Mr Archibald with his phonograph to Auckland, and near the case Jiangs a photograph of the scene, showing Sh> George Grey and tine then Mayor of Auckland, Mr J. H. Upton, at whose invitation the message was delivered, standing beside the machine.

SIR GEORGE ON THE PLATFORM. But even more than by these generous gifts of his, Sir George Grey endeared himself to Auckland by the political -guts in which he figured. The Aucklanders looked upon the old man as,their one invincible gladiator, and never did Kamnite in the Roman arena have a more devoted following. Hero-worship seems but a mild term to describe their affection for him. Be he ever so visionary, Demos listened with' bated breath to his honeyed words, and sliouted itself hoarse in its admiration. After aspeecb of a couple of hours, in which Sir George Grey had. wandered over a variety of theoretical subjects in his cultured, fascinating manner, he was always cheered to the echo, though the majority of his audience probably bad but little idea of what application his speech had to the politics of New Zealand. It would have gone hard with an opponent had he ventured to climb the platform then. One nighty when Sir George was in the midst of an oration, in wnicn he was discoursing ardently of the "unborn millions," a listener in the gallery sought to bring him back to earth again with the query, "What about the railways?" For the railways, be it known, constitute a perennial topic in Auckland, where the Stratford route hebeen a grievance as long as one can remember, and where Mr Samuel Vaile is by some regarded as the potential saviour of his j country. Sir George Grey having ignored | the interruption, the question was repeated in an even louder tone than before. "Let us," Sir George then replied, breaking off i in his speech—"Let us settle these matters j affecting the future of the people for all time, and then"—with a fine note of scorn in his j voice—"then we can come to such surface questions as railways." A shout of applause ] told that the old man had scored with his j audience, and the interrupter was silent.

A GREAT ELECTION CONTEST. Yet it was in those palmy days that Sir George Grey could win the Auckland Central seat by only thirty votes, after one of the most memorable contests ever seen in New Zealand. His opponent was Mr J. McCosh. Clark, who died some little time ago in England. Mr Clark, who was a member of the soft goods firm of Archibald Clark and Sons, was exceedingly popular, and* it was at once seen that his friends in bringing him out had made a very clever move. Such indeed it proved to be. The conflict, while in every way free from personalities—for both candidates were gentlemen in the truest sense of the word—was fierce to white heat. Their supporters made things lively up till the very day of the poll. One of the humours of the campaign was the publication of a pamphlet, "What Sir George Grey has done for the working man." The reader, after scanning the title and its elaborate ornamentation, discovered that there was nothing else to read —that the thirty or forty pages of the little book were so many blank Sheets. At a meeting addressed by Sir George Grey a night or two before the poll, into the midst of the hall thronged by Greyites, who surged up to the platform, there suddenly descended a great shower of these blank pamphlets, thrown by one or two of the enemy. For a moment things looked threatening; but the humourous side of the incident caught the fancy of the audience, and the value of the "squib" was thus largely destroyed. There was a great scene at the declaration of the poll. An immense body of people charged so wildly up a flight of thirty stone steps to the Oourthouse, used as the polling booth, that it was a wonder no one was killed. Then Sir George Grey was seized, and an attempt was made to carry him shoulder high, but the crowd soon desisted, and after a few words, in which he thanked the people for having given him an opportunity to be useful for another three years, he walked to his hotel, about a quarter of a mile off, accompanied by a dense crowd of enthusiastic supporters, who cheered him tumultuously along the streets.

INVARIABLE COURTESY. On the way an incident occurred ; characteristic of his genuine kindness of i heart. Immediately in front of him trooped ' half a dozen grimy blacksmith apprentices, , who had run up after finishing work to take j a hand in tne fun. With the cheering, one | of these lads seized the cap from the head of a companion and began frantically waving it, whereupon Sir ueorge stopped, and lifting his hand appealingly, besought the boy to give the cap back to its owner. A trifling incident, ot course, bnt one showing really what Sir George Grey was, a man | overflowing with human sympathy and kindness, and thoughtfulness for others. We have all read Thackeray's description of a. gentleman. Sir George Grey fulfilled' Thackeray's ideal, with his simplicity of heart, his want of meanness, his equal manly sympathy for the great and. the small. A poor woman, a stranger to him, who called upon him qne day at his home in ParneU, to seek his help in gaining, a situation for a friend, was received with stately courtesy; a promise, afterwards scrupulously fulfilled, was given that he would do his best to meet her wishes, and after the interview he in*

sisted on going ou£ bareheaded in a blaring sun to help his visitor into the ? fon» on nei return journey. „ FENCJNG WITH THE INTERVIEWER. If Sir George Grey in his public Speeches, had, like Mi Gladstone, an infinite capacity for saying nothing when ho wanted to be strictly non-committal, he had the same gift in an even greater degree when jour* nalists sought to engage him in conversation concerning the political situation and his intentions thereto. If Sir George did not want to speak, it was of no use trying to fit him to do so. Many a time nas the a* liaiuentary "special" endeavoured to pKmb the depths of his knowledge on occasions oJf political anxiety, only to com© empty away. One morning, in Wellington, when affairs in Parliament were and when people were wondering what Sir George Grey, a free lance, and still with some influence in 'ho House, was going to do, an ent. uprising journalist, whom we shall call Jones, made an effort to glean his views. Before the interviewer could say more than six words, Sir George proceeded to : discuss some cable message wliich had appeared in that morning's paper. He spoke in hits most affable manner concerning the outlook in Europe, whilst the journalist, with ill-concealed impatience, waited for an opportunity lo get a word in about New Zealand. From foreign topics the talk proceeded to social matters, and even to the weather. All this was very charming, foe Sir George Grey was a fascinating talker; but it was useless to Jones—it was not "copy." At length, when nearly an hour had gone by, the visitor suggested that Sir George Grey's views on the political crisis would be exceedingly interesting. "I am just gding out for a walk, Jones, remarked Sir George, rising, gracefully oblivious of the suggestion—"l take a walk jusb about this time every morning, Jones—good morning, Jones," and so ho bowed himself and the intervi&wer out. The Pro-Consul liked, to be considered a "mystery man of modem politics." He was never happier than when springing a surprise on the House, and invariably he kept his own counsel about such tilings m> till the' very last moment. On ono or two occasions, he disclosed to the writer his strong opposition to certain measures introduced by Mi Balknee, and was then particularly destructive in his criticism I of- the tax on improvements and the Land Bill. The strained relations which existed between Sir George Grey and Mr Balance ever since their notable quarrel were well known.

A LONELY FIGURE. There was a strange pathos towards the last in the sight of the lonely old man, the greatest figure in the House, and yet deserted, without a single follower, his words listened to with the utmost deference, while they failed to command a solitary vote. He had lived to se© political changes which, he had predicted and struggled tor, and yet there he was, his influence gone, _„ party vanished. Even in those later days, bent and frail-looking though he was, Sir George Grey showed that he was possessed of (remarkable physical vigour, and his fund of wit and! humour was still as that of a young man. But to see him in the House in hia isolation reminded one, in spite of himself, of the "veteran lagging superfluous." Much rather would one meet him in the little nook reserved for him in the Auckland Library, where, in the midst of his books, he chatted away with all the charm of his polia)ied conversation and the matchless vigou'r v of his intellect. Then, indeed, was he a host in himself. Peace to his ashes 1

MARKS OF RESPECT. Flags were at half-mast, out of respect to the memory of the late Sir George Grey, at the Working. Men's Club, Warner's Commercial Hotel, and at the Government Buildings in Cathedral square. The flags at the Harbour Board office, and some. of the buildings in Lyttelton, were at _alfmost.

At the meeting of the National Association last night, a resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr A. B. G. Rhodes, the President, expressing the regret of .the Association at the news of the death of the late Sir George Grey, and also referring to the great loss the colony hod sustained.

(PBESS ASSOCIATION THLEGRAMS.) AUCKLAND-, September 81. Flags were at half-mast throughout t_* city and on the public buildings, on account of the death of Sir- George Grey, ■ The Mayor has cabled, asking the AgentGeneral to put a wreath on the coffin of behalf of the citizens of Auckland.

WELLINGTON, September 21. TJie flags of all the principal buildings ii the city were flying atttalf-mast to-day, qul of respect to the memory of Sir Geprgt Grey.