LATE LORD CARMICHAEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20405, 6 November 1929, Page 11

LATE LORD CARMICHAEL.

PUBLICATION OF MEMOIR.

SERVICES TO ,THE STATE.

POLITICS IN VICTORIA.

By Telegrr&ph'—Press Association—Copyright (Received November Is, 6.35 p.m.)

LONDON, Nov. 5. Lady Carmichael's memoir of the late Lord Carmichacl, formerly Governor of Victoria, Madras and Bengal, was published to-day. It includes a chapter on Lord Carmichael's services in home politics by Lady Novar, wife of Viscount Novar, formerly Governor-General of Australia.

Sir David Masson, formerly Professor of Chemistry at Melbourne University, contributes a detailed account of Lord Carmichael's term of office as Governor of Victoria.

Tho memoir narrates his youthful friendship with Mr. Robert Bridges, the Poet Laureate, who was best man at Lord Carmichael's wedding. Incidentally it recalls that the first political meeting which Lord Carmichael ever attended was ono held during Mr. Gladstone's Midlothian Campaign in 1879, at which, as be found years later, the late Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Andrew Fisher, was also present. A long passage is devoted to the political crisis that arose four months after Lord Carmichael's arrival at Melbourne in 1908, when on a vote of no-confidenco the Bent Government was defeated, and Lord Carmichael granted a dissolution. Sir David says that in his opinion it is beyond dispute that the Governor followed the best constitutional practice, and had no responsibility for what followed. The public and the press quickly came to tho view that the Governor's decision was probably right, or if not, that. the blame was tho Premier's who, on certain points, misled the Governor. A tribute is paid to Lady Carmichael's work for the Victoria League, the kindergarten movement, and the Arts and Crafts Society. After a description of Lord Carmichael's work in Madras the interesting volume concludes with a chapter written by Mr. John Buchan, M.P., entitled " The Last Years" and a record of Lord Carmichael's services to art as a trustee of the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection and as an art collector.

The late Baron Carmichael of Skirling, County of Peebles, was Thomas David Gibson-Carmichael. He was the eldest son of the Rev. Sir William GibsonCarmichael, the 10th Baronet, and succeeded to the baronety in 1891, at the age of 32. He was at St. John's College, Cambridge. He married in 1886 Miss Mary Helen Elizabeth Nugent. He was a member of the House of Commons for Midlothian, 1895-1900; chairman of the National Galleries of Scotland, 1907-8, and of the English Galleries. He was Governor of Victoria, 1908-11, of Madras, 1911-12, and of Bengal, 1912-17. Sir David Masson, of Melbourne, has been Professor Emeritus since 1924. He is a distinguished chemist, and has been President of th 9 Australian Chemical Institute and the National Research Council.