REMINISCENCE OF SIR GEORGE GREY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5571, 5 July 1875, Page 3

REMINISCENCE OF SIR GEORGE GREY.

The following reminiscence (says tho" ir«/rarajta Stamlu nl) of Sir George Grey will show that he may prove as able a debater as he is known to bo as a despatch writer. A man who could make a financial statement without notes is not unlikely to leave his mark ou tho annals of our Colonial Parliament. In the year 1851 the General Legislative Council for the whole Colony, sat in Wellington under the Presidency of Sir George Grey, Goveraor-in-Chief. When he made what has since been known as tho "Financial Statement," the reporter for the Iiulepeti' dent, feeling certain a copy of this lucid statement would bo furnished to the Press on application, failed to take any notes of it during its delivery, though ho listened with breathless interest to it frbin its commencement to its close. On applying at the Spectator office for a copy of the speech he wu told that no copy could be furnisRbd, and that he ought to have taken notes at the tiino of what was said. Tho only recourse left to him was to apply personally to Sir George Groy, when he was politely informed by the latter that he had not spoken from notes, but that if tho reporter would supply him with the several topics in the order in which he had referred to them, he would connect them togothor with any necessary remarks that he should find to have been omitted. There was therefore nothing left for the reporter to do but to go homo and to endeavour to writo out the speech as well as ho could from memory, which he could not have hoped to accomplish had it been such a voluminous and elaborate a production as those which have since been delivered. When ho had performed this task, ho hastened to Government House, and placed his notes in the hands of Mr. Cooper, tho Assistant-Secretary. The reporter hod not | waited long when he was sent for by his Excellency, and was immediately after ushered into his presence. After congratulating him on the general accuracy of the report, Sir George pointed out one or two omissions which no said ho hod taken the liberty to supply, and at the same time he told him that if at any time ho fell, at a lots, or stood in need of information, in the discharge of his duties, if he would apply to .him he would bo only, too hnppy to render him all the aid in his power. The repo. -or thanked him and withdrew ; and suhbcquontly had the satisfaction of seeing the speech which had been reported under tho above circumstances reprinted in all tho Colonial uowspapors. Tho circumstance made a deep impression on the writer's mind, ami though it occurred nearly a quarter of a century ago he remembers it as vividly an if it had only happened yesterday.