SIR GILBERT LEIGH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 574, 5 March 1878, Page 2

SIR GILBERT LEIGH.

This is the title of ail ably-written novel, emanating from the pen of Mr. W. L. Rees, whose name as a politician is widely and favorably known in the Colony. The writer has infused as much ■verve into his work as lie always does into his political speeches. Yfhatsoever his hand fhuleth to do, he does it with all his might. From the commencement of his career as 'a-'politician, he has identified himself with the liberal party, to which lie has given his unwavering support,'and, with a,n amount of self-abnegation deplorably uncommon in these days of political scheming and corruption, he has been a firm adherent of that mail who, like himself, sought not his- own good in entering the field t<> do battle with questionable public transactions, having abandoned for a season the ease and comfort of a I if« of independence. He is so great an admirer of Sir George Gi-«y, who, in a" appendix to his work, is designated ■ theGreat Pro-consul/' that he has introduced many of the stirring events of his eventful life into his book. He tells us lion- our present Premier threw off the trammels of red-tape, and, while Governor at the Cape, forwarded troops, whose destination was China, to India, to assistill quelling the mutiny, in opposition io the officer in command, and sent men and money, 011 his own authority, to effect the same purpose. We cannot do butter than quote the author's own language to show his estimate of the people's Governor :

" He was not merely a showy salaried servant-of the Crown, nor a person ap-pointed-by a Cabinet Minister as a reward for services rendered, or fur private reasons as a favor,'so that lie might- make or retrieve a fortune in the Colonies, nor indeed in any way as Governors are appointed now by Downing-street. For Governors are now appointed not worthily to represent her Majesty in', these Colonics of Britain, but to be. more dependents or hangers-on of the Ministry of the day. Sir George Grey was a Governor in truth of a great dependency, not holding'himself responsible merely to the changing occupant of the chief place in Downingstreet, but to his country, his Queen, and God, for the welfare in every sense of that portion of the Empire over which lie ruled. I\ot- inaptly was he termed the ; Great Pro-consul.' To his mind the position of a Colonial Governor bore a strong resemblance to the position of Scipio and Caesar in their respective provinces. But Scipio in 'Spain and Caasar in Gaul had no Secretary for the Colonies to embarrass and impede their efforts for tiic public good." The book is fertile in vivid, forcible writing, and is characteristic of him whose handiwork it is, and.whose utterances in Parliament liave been a terror to evildoers. Gilbert Leigh " stamps Mr. Rees a -writer possessed of a marvellous capacity for putting his ideas in not only appropriate but choice language, and we are therefore gratified to learn that he has other works in hand which will shortly be published.