THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, JANUARY 24. GREY STATUE AND MEMORIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3646, 24 January 1899, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24. GREY STATUE AND MEMORIAL.

Sith ! Which '■lncorporated -the ■* . T Independent, Established 1815. >, v

"Appeals are now being made to tUo public of New Zealand by two separate comihittecs formed —one in London and .tho oilier in Auckland—to ’ promote the erection, of permanent memorials of that, Mans of Empire, Sir ; George Grey, w-hose long!official,and political connection with, this | colony sheds lustre upon, the history of Greater Britain. The AgentGeneral, as a member of the London committee, will bo'pleased to' receive donations on behalf of- the■ proposed Grey, memorial in the metropolis , of , the Empire,- which will prolfably .take tho shape of 1 a bust and tablet in St. Paul s Cathedral. Subscriptions to that, object are promised by a number of statesmen and others in England, and there will, of course, be contributions from Cape Colony and Smithy, Australia, where Grey’s genius as an administrator and, a ■friend of the native races has left an indelible impress. It is very much to be desired that New Zealand, should add its quota to this Imperial tribute, to tho illustrious dead. Tho Hon Mr Reeves, in, a letter on tho subject, hazards the view that “ about £2OO could be raised in New Zealand, partly by Parliamentary vote arid-partly by small individual subscriptions.” Wo feel certain that there would be no difficulty in raising the sum ipdicated, if there wore, any organised effort; made in the colony; hut it is doubtful whether ,-tho amount will he subscribed in individual donations sent independently to London. : # Parliament might, however, with perfect propriety bo asked to subscribe the full amount named by Mr Reeves, as this country’s tribute in recognition of tho services rendered by Sir George. Grey to the British', Empire. It would be petty and ungenerous to raise Objections on, party grounds. The great Pro-Consul was much ‘ greater as G overnor than as party ■ politician; and though we should he tho last to detract from the , value of the services he rendered in fanning the flame of Liberalism and pioneering the cause of land reform in this country, the animosities which he aroused ■by his onslaught upon certain interests ought to bo forgotten when it is a question of honouring his memory, as a, faithful servant of tho British Crown and a toiler In tho cause of Imperial unity and greatness. We trust, therefore, to. find that Now Zealand’s contribution to the Grey Memorial in London will take the shape of a unanimous vote by the Legislature, representing the whole of tho people of tho colony. * Tho obstacles in tile way of otherwise obtaining support for the project from New Zealand are intensified by tho fact that the people of Auckland have in hand an ambitious project for erecting a statue of Sir George Grey in the northern city. It may bo taken for granted that the many- admirers of Grey in Auckland will pass over th o Imperial memorial and give all their support to tho proposal for a local statue. .The committee, we observe, is soliciting subscriptions from all over New Zealand, and has forwarded a sheet to this. office; but wo should be raising false hopes in tlio minds of the Aucklanders if wo expressed the opinion that there will be any appreciable response to their appeal. 1 The provincial spirit in New Zealand is a'necessary out-, come of tho configuration of the country ; and although there are thousands of genuine admirers of Grey in every part of the colony,- candour compels us to say that neither 'Wellington, nor Christchurch,' nor Dunedin, will subscribe generously towards the erection of a Grey, statue in Auckland. Auckland will practically be left to erect her own tribute v%

to the “ Grand 0!d Man” who made such splendid .benefactions to the Queen of the North; and in our opinion the only way in which the people of the other large cities cotxld be aroused on the subject would be to start Grey memorial movements in each place. . Christchurch, which owes so much to Grey’s advocacy of land reform, ought certainly to show its gratitude to him by “storied'.'nm or animated bust.” Dunedin liberals, who appreciate what ho did in breaking down the system of plural voting and. establishing popular representation on a sound basis, might, with little effort erect a lasting memento of him in the Octagon or Triangle. Wellington, where Grey lived so much, and which was the scene of his administrativ e triumphs and of his political battles, will neglect its duty if it fails to erect an obelisk or other conspicuous memorial to him in front of the now Parliamentary building. There has, however, been absolutely no response to a former appeal that we made for a public movement to that end. Colonial communities are, as a rule, apt to take a severely utilitarian view of such things ; they lack that touch of imagination which enables men to see that there are other incentives to noble achievement than the hope of gain. It may be, therefore, that it must devolve upon a future generation of Wellingtoniaus to do justice to the memory of Sir George Grey; but we would fain hope that there is in the broad-minded public men of to-day sufficient of the sentiment of “ hero-worship ” to cause them to set before the rising generation a visible stimulus to grand endeavour, and a proof tnat the people are not ungrateful to those who have been their benefactors.