SIR GEORGE GREY.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 20

SIR GEORGE GREY.

(Fbom Our Special Coerbbpondhnip.J London, April 15*. Through the personal influence of Sir George Grey, Mrs Seymour George and Mis* G*erge, Miss Coates, and Mr and Mi*» Horton, all of New Zealand, have been admitted as * sptciftl favour te view her Majesty's private apartments at Windsor Castle. - Sir George Grey celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday last Tuesday. I «»y "celebrated," bub I use the expression merely in its conventional Reuse, for I am sorry to say hi* festivities were confined (o sitting at h^me *o Mir»* * bad cold and rtcdving sheaves oi co"t<^<.i)a.\ioxv telegram*, including one. from the Premier ot New Tit -viand. Unfortaoat*-ly, and ttwre is no disguising the fact, Sir George Grey's itate of health if by no means what his friends could wish it to ba. He got through tha winter fairly well, but seems to' have grown steadily feebler, aud though he has been most carefully and affectionately tended by hi» uiece, Mra Sajmuar George, and her daughter, _he happened one day, when they were out of town for a few hours, to take it into his bead that he wonld like a walk, the weather apparently being fine. A cbill east wind, 'however, had get in, and the result was that he came home with a bad cold, which developed ioto bronchitit, and ever »ince he has needed the greatest care. One result has been that Sir George G ey has dtfiuitely and finally abandoned all idea of returning to New Zealand. In a conversation I had with Mrs Seymeur George yesterday she exprosied much anxiety about her uncle's health and great reluctance to leave him, bat she reooguised that in his P'eienb condition a l<»ug voyage was not to be thought of. As yet it is rather a pnzzle to know wbat airingements can be m*de for him after her departure. That he will require the moat constant, affectionate attention, is quite certain, yet it is not easy to see how this can be secured. His nephew Lord Stamford and the Cotlutess have always been, I believe, most auxi.>m to do all in their power for Sir George, but I fancy, although I have no authoritative kno fledge on tho subj-cfc, tbaf; perhaps when Sir Gftorge Gi'uy wme to England two years ago tbe Earl was just a shade ,too attentive to him, and slightly overdid it in his anxi«ty to spare his uncle all possible worry and fatigue. I suspect this extreme care rather irritated the old gentleman, who is very independent in his ideas and by no met>ns 'iepoced to being shepherded too closely. But unless Lord and Lady St*in*'ord look aftsr the ve*<r*n when his niece and her daughter leave, I am efraid he will have rather a lonely and melancholy time of it, as he certainly had for a while in his corafoitable but ■«oinewhat dull lodgings iv Park street.