The Evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1911.

Evening Star, Issue 14630, 28 July 1911, Page 4

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1911.

It is with deep regret that we record lie denth of Mr T. K. Dssth of Taylor, the talented, Mr T. E. Taylor, attractive, and (it is hardly too much to cay) famous member for Christchurch North. This sad event will cast a gloom over the early stages of the parliamentary session, end will evoke manifestations of sincere sorrow among all classes and parties in the Dominion. Mr Taylor was a born fighter, and it was only natural that his militant activity should excite keen animosities; but there was an engaging quality in the man that served to prevent any lasting bitterness. Wo can speak with some authoritative experience on this point. Six years age. during the brief day of the “New Liberals,'’ and especially at the time of a memorable visit to Dunedin, relations between Mr Taylor and the ‘ Star ’ were (to use a conventional euphemism) decidedly strained. There was no mincing of language on either side; the Christchurch freelance gave full rein to a pretty gift of verbal denunciation ; and the fight was fierce while it lasted. Yet to-day we can honestly affirm that the remembrance of that very willing combat does not qualify by the shadow of a shade our sorrow for the premature loss of a public man who. despite some notable foibles and disabilities, had made his name a household word throughout the Dominion, and who, as a fearless champion of political integrity and civic idealism, did work of substantial value in his day and generation. There is a tragic element in the swift cutting-off of that alert figure, with its unresting, nervous vitality; and vve find itdifficull to realise that the intellectual, finely-poised head and the clean-chiselled features will be. seen no more in the streets of Christchurch and Wellington, and that the ringing voice, with its sure note of passionate conviction, will never avain bo hoard either in the senate or from the platform. Little did the surging crowd of Christchurch citizens imagine, a fortnight ago, when that wildly mingled demonstration took place on the occasion of Mr Massey's visit, and the Mayor watched the pandemonium with vigilant eagerness—little, wo say. did they imagine that that puissant personality was dominating a critical situation for the last time, and that they wore giving the final salute to their civic hero. “ Moriturum to salutamus.” In these first hours of lose, when relatives and friends are mourning a bereavement for which they had such brief preparation, wo aro not disposed to essay a discriminating or nicely-balanced estimate of a career which was never colorless and a character which was rich in complex interest. We may return to the subject in dispassionate mood a little later. To-day we. prefer to note broadly that, though Mr Taylor had the defects of his qualities, though a somewhat Ishniaelitish temperament left him lacking in co-oporative facility and spoiled, to some extent, his real effectiveness as a political force, though his judicial and deliberative faculties were far from being commensurate with his high gift of persuasive oratory, nevertheless he will live long in memory and tradition as one of tho most arresting political personalities of his day., and as a public man whose erratic tendencies never interfered with his ardent devotion to what he conceived to bo the cause of true democracy and national righteousness. “Doctor, what a funora! you will have!” —such was the unconventional but not altogether infelicitous tribute once paid by a grateful old lady to tho late Dr Stuart. Assuredly the people of New Zealand, north, south, oust, and west, irrespective of creed or parly or class, will be present in spirit—in deep regret and heartfelt sympathy—when the representative citizen of Christchurch passes through the mourning crowds to his last rcetine place.