AN EX-LORD CHANCELLOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19069, 15 January 1924, Page 6

AN EX-LORD CHANCELLOR.

Loud Lokeburn, concerning whoso death on November 3 we were not advised by cable, was hardly a famous man, and his public career was not unchequeredly successful ; but he won considerable distinction in the forensic and political arenas, attaining the highest honours of his profession and making bis mark, at least temporarily, as a Cabinet Minister. As Mr, subsequently Sir, Robert Reid, he sat for a good many years in the House of Commons as a Liberal of a somewhat advanced school, being meanwhile engaged in large practice at the Bar, where he was very popular,—a fact perhaps indicated in the familiar designa-

tion of “Bob Reid.” He was AttorneyGeneral (outside the Cabinet) in Lord Rosebery’s short-lived Administration, but had to share his party’s long spell of exclusion from office, extending from the middle of 1895 to the close of 1905. Diming that period he was appointed (by his political opponents) one of the British counsel in the Venezuelan Arbitration. The Unionist debacle occurred at last, and on the formation of the Campbell-Bannerman Government Sir Robert Reid realised his natural ambition and became Lord Chancellor, continuing in that position when Mr Asquith took over the Premiership. The Lord Chancellor, though he is Speaker of the House of Lords, has the right of taking part in debate; and Lord Loreburn stood up manfully to the overwhelming majority of Conservative peers, and probably he was the most capable and resolute exponent of the Government policy in the -Upper Chamber during the crucial discussion on the Parliament Bill. But somehow he did not get on smoothly with his party. He was very independent in administrative affairs; the frankness of his obiter dicta was apt to discontert the partisan mind; and—a heinous offence in the eyas of the party hack—he declined to make political colour a criterion of fitness for magisterial office. To a deputation which cynically reminded him that the Conservatives had unblushingly observed that principle, he curtly replied, “Perhaps so, but two blacks don’t make a white.” Certainly the Liberal rank-ind-file did not like “Lord Lorebum” as well as they had liked “Bob Reid.” Occasions of friction—negligible singly, but serious in the aggregate —arose repeatedly, but it Was an affection of the heart which necessitated his resignation in 1912 and enabled Lord Haldane (his own cloud not yet visible) to move from the War Office to the Woolsack. That was virtually the end of Lord Lorebum as a politician, though he subsequently posed as a candid critic and during the war delivered occasional speeches, not of an inspiriting order. His judgments in the court of final appeal were, it may be added, regarded with respect and confidence.