DEATH OF MR W. GRAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13860, 25 March 1907, Page 2

DEATH OF MR W. GRAY.

SECRETARY POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENTS. (Per United Phess Association.) WELLINGTON, March 23. The death occurred at midnight of Mr "William Gray, Secretary of the Government' Postal and Telegraph Departments. Mr Ciray had bren in indifferent healln [or some considerable time, but recovered sufficiently to proceed to Koine in February of Inst year as official attache to the lost-mastcr-general at the Universal Postal Union Congress. The deceased gent email lii-,1 erroat hops thai Hie cxWmled trip then made had restored him to health, but it was evident on his return last August 'that this anticipation was not likely o ■bo realised. Mr Gray's devotion to duty was such, however, that despite the remonslrauc of his friends in and out of the department he continued at active work with one or two brie! iliterva s «nl«l »« three weeks ago. He died at Ins residence ill Wellington terrace. \ SKETCH OF Mil GUAY'S CAREER. Tho following notice is supplied by the Postal Department: Tho late Mr Gray was born at Aberdeen on tho 23rd of Aiiguel. 1845 and arrived w 111 his parents at Sew Plymouth iNew Hand, in October, 1852, in the ship Slide. He joined the Taranaki News office in 1858, ami subsequently removing to ; Served in tho Nelson Biamine* olhce whore ho remaincxl until tho beginning of ISM. iFstfaftS , «f';"F - |,} ? Office, Wellington, in ll« follawrinß year and'mail agent on the Panama lino in 1E66, in which position he remained until ih» termination oE the service in 1803. lit filled a. similar position between iSew /-calami and Melbourne until the San Iranc.eco orvieo was inaugurated in 1870, when he war, appointed clerk in the «*rctary . office of the General Pert Office, and on the 20th Mav 1872, received the appointment of ihict derk o[ tho Gcnornl Port OHicc. Hβ was promoted to the pceifou o seoreiaryot the Postal Department on tho -1 si il«), 1874, and on the amalgamation of lie lo»t and Tolc-Tiiph Departments in January, 1881, was "made secretary of Iho combined service. He w» created a Companion of tho Imperial Service Order on the Ist Mi,1905 Mr Oray's father, the late Mr "»- liam\ira-who y dicd in 1571 had tilled the offices of postmaster at New Plymouth, chief clerk at Nelson, secretary at Duncdin and Auckland, inspector ol post, oflices, ana subsequently secretary of the department. To further relate the history of Mr dray would.be to relate the history of I lie Post Office for the last 34 years, and o. the Tost and Telegraph Department since the amalgamation in 1874. ' When Mr Gray took up Hid position ot secretary of tho Post Office, the department was lo our modern ideas small indeed. Then tho total number of letters posted pud received in the colony was just a shade over 9,000.000 for the year: last year the letters posted and received were nearly 70,000.000. Thou a staff of 735 officers succeeded in carrying out llio work throughoiit tho colony; now the staff is 3209. The revenue of the Test Uffire" (not including telegraphs) in 1374 was £60,535; last year it was £445,310. or, including telegraphs, £743,090. While it is obvious that the increase in population since 1874 would have greatly -increased the volume of mail matter and the amount of the revenue, il must bo remembered that in the 33 years of Mr (.iray's career as secretary to the department many important reforms (which, by the way, often involved arduous and responsible work for long periods on the part of the subject, of our memoirl had been introduced by successive Posl masters-general. These reforms, involving lower charges to tln> public, have necefisilatal nu enormous expansion of business to attain financial results which might, have been morn easily reached with (.he higher Kilos. \Vlv# he joined Hid service tho ralce of postage on letters ranger from 2d to 2s 6cl ]ier Joz. When he died it was Id for 4oz inland. Id lo British possessions, and lo nolvho'x; was it more than 2-j.d. Tmporlant reductions in other rate; ol .postage took place during his adminiolration, including that in. Ihe i registration fee from aa much as Is lo many points to id all round. The late Mr Gray served under 18 Post-maMurs-goiK-ral, his first Minister bcinj? Sir Julius Vogol. Ho was throughout held in high regard a-s an honourable and capable ollicial with opinions I hut could be always dcppudod up oll as grounded on his own experience. Ho was I lie doyen of. tho administrarm- staff of tlie civil service at the lime of his death. In the, old time, from 1860 for several year?, the intercolonial an<l interprovincial steam services, generally performed by separate'agencies, loomed largo in'the plans of l'oslmasters-general. Both Mr Gray and his father were immediately concerned in the working of these services. He took an interest, as absorbing as it was powerful, in the San Francisco service throughout ihe whole period of its operation. Jt will never be recorded hew much of Ihe actual goixl done by the service in the days when mail communication with Europe by any one line was a mutter }f far greater moment than it is to-day was due to Mr Gray's 'personal influence. .By encouragement., by advice, bv argument, lie titled over luany a' difficult, passage in the negotiation of a contract For the-performance of the semen , by surce.-sive contractors. Mr Gray was in , eiiargc of t tio department when, among other reforms and extensions of facilities, pest-cards, letter-cards, and postal notes were introduced, British postal orders were given currency in New Zealand, and sixpenny telegrams were introduced. During bis office, too. the Pacific cable was laid. Mr Cray was one of tho oldest, if nol the oldest, living members of the Star Boating Club, in which be early won his laurels. Later he was an ardent cricketer, and of late years had given his attention to bowls.

MR GRAY'S DEVOTION TO DUTY. (Fnoji Our Owx ConnEsroxDCXT.) WELLINGTON. March 23. For some time past Mr Gray lias been in very bad health, suffering from heart, trouble, mid within ilic past week or so his chances of recovery wore known to ho wry small indeed. Duriiij; his recent trip abroad with Sir Joseph Ward lie had one or two bad turn?, and the party became rather anxious about liim. lie. however, received the greatest consideration and altcnlion from Sir Joseph Ward, who, as the political head of the department for several years, came much in contact with him. and held him in I ho highest esteem. Had Mr Cray consulted his own case, he would have retired from active scrvire two or Iliive years ago, but he insisted on continuing his work, and practically he (lied in harness after bein? for 40 years a public servant. He was irreatly liked by all who came in contact wiili him, ami he was very ■widely known. Re certainly will he greatly missed amongst a very large circle of

friends in Wellington. In Ws younger days Jli- W. Gray was an excellent cricketer and a first-class oareman. Latterly he was prominent in bowling circles—indeed, he was one of tlio founders of flic Wellington Bowling Ulub. Mr Gray's wife diod some foil , years ago, and ho now leaves a family of five sons and oi>e daughter. His eldest son, Mr \V. A. Gray, is on the Union Company's Wellington staff, Mr C. Gray is it dentist at New Plymouth, and Messrs P. and 11. F. Gray are on the Eastern Extension Company's staff at Adelaide and Port Darwin respectively.

HON. DR HNDLAY'S TRIBUTE. . Mr D. Robertson, Acting Secretary, has issued Ihe following memo:— " The Hon. Dr Findlay. Acting Post-muster-general, directs me to convey to all officers his sympathy on the bereavement to the service by Mr Bray's death. Dr Findlay is greatly pained to hear the sad news, and deplores the loss to flic colony of one of ils best and most loyal servants." IN INVISRCARGTLL. . (Per United Press Association.) ■ INVERCAUGILL, March 24. News of Mr Gray's death was received with deep regret by the local department, and the Chief Postmaster has wived tho sympathy of .llio staff. The flag on llio Post Office in , Duncdin was flying at half-mast on Saturday as a mark of respect to the memory 'of the deceased gentleman. Tho funeral will take place this morning at 9 o'clock. Mr St. George Douglas, Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, went by the express train to Wellinglon on Saturday to represent tho Duncdin postal staff at the funeral.