THE LATE MR STEAD.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 102, 1 May 1908, Page 5

THE LATE MR STEAD.

AN APPRECIATION

[from our correspondent.]

CHRISTCHURCH, April 30

In concluding its biograph of Mr G. ,G. Stead, The Press says:—"This sketch, will haye. been written in vain if it has not shown that the late Mr Stead was a good citizen and in many respects a remarkable man, who has exerted considerable influence for good upon the community. As a business man ,he showed powers of concentration, judgment and rapid decision which excited the admiration of all who knew him, and accounted in a very -laf'ge measure for his success in life.. His most noteworthy quality was his wonderful fund of sound, com-mon-sense, but he was a keen judge of character, and had a great capacity for looking at both sides of a question. He was essentially a fair-mind-ed man, and never allowed his own personal feelings to interfere with his innate love of justice. He could be keen in negotiation, but his word was at all times his bond. r Public confidence in his absolute integrity was nowhere more convincingly shown than in the way in which the public backed his horses on the.racecourse, being sure that at anyrate they would be run 'straight.' People who knew Mr Stead only were apt to get offended with his rather brusque speech ' and his somewhat dogmatic way of deciding things, although they generally had to admit that- his decision was a sound one. Those who knew him more ' intimately realised that beneath a rather hard exterior was a ' generous disposition, ' always ready to give help where it was wanted, although stubborn to resist anything like coercion. He was not prone to let his good deeds be talked about if he could help it. - , "From whatever point Mr Stead's career on the turf is regarded,' it is a marvellous one. It is,a history.complete'in itself; it shows clearly his judgment, his enterprise and hjs pluck as an owner, his judgment and skill as a breeder, and his knowledge of men in .obtaining the best trainers and 'best riders. Mr Stead' understood horses, and he understood how to place them. Often he used to say that the-b'esfc horses, the best training and,the best-riding would not win races unless there" was judgment in selecting the races or the horses to win. • No marc, ever studied the pedigrees of his-horses so closely; he knew the merits and the failings of a* family to a nicety, and very very rar.ely w.as,his opinion on the promise of a,yearling at fault!" ,

THE FUNERAL

. CHRISTCHURCH, May 1. Mr Stead's funeral starts at 2 o'clock to-day. It will be large and representative. - ,