THE LATE KING EDWARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 13701, 7 June 1912, Page 5

THE LATE KING EDWARD.

A CANDID MEMORIAL

Press Association.—Telegraph.—Copyright LONDON, June G. An outstanding feature of the new volume of the “Dictionary of National Biography” is Sydney Lee’s candid memorial of the late King Edward; It is largely based on unpublished and unwritten sources.

Mr Lee says Queen Victoria’s obtinate refusal to grant the Prince of Wales genuine political responsibility >r a settled, solid occupation somewhat iif octet! his moral robustness, wliile he gloom of his mother’s Court helped o evoke a reaction against the conveninia! strictness of his upbringing. Vtnong proposals for employment which jncen Victoria vetoed was that of Mr .Mudstone in 1873, viz., that the Princo hrmld join the India Council, as a 'nbitn-t key giving access to foreign h'Miatrhes. This was not granted until -ho so that at his accession he was i stranger to the administrative details if a groat office, when too old to repair. Though at the outset there yvere slight ■idications that he over-estimated the ■lovereign’s power, this was due to inesirrience. Later, in Home politics, he •vas for tlia most part content with the •ole of onlooker, viewing detachedly. the iragi-amme of all parties. He earnestly lesired a peaceful solution of the Lords vnd Commons conflict, lint ho passively icqni>sc<'d in the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith’s plans. King Edward found 10 comfort in the action of any of the 'wties to the strife, hut to the last he innately cherished the conviction that ■mace would bo reached without the croaieri of Peers. Though there were short masons of variance between him and the 'v-’iser, he could net be charged with

' 'liberate* f».n»i systematic hostility tovrmls the Gmnan people. His personal ’eel i tig was verv superfirallv affected by he euitnal iealousv which crew up durng libs re ; ga between Britain and Gcranny. He was a peacemaker, not 'h rough the exercise of anv dinlovnc.tic iiia*'V(' or ingenuity. but bv faith in Am blessings of peace, and by the ’nfbience passively attaching to his high and temperament. His personlitv greatly strengthened the hold of Royalty on the public affection. Prohibit- no King won so affectionately th° 'odwill at once of foreign peoples a rl d lis own subiects. ' man of the world. Jp'-irpd the intellectual equipment of he thinker, yet he was always eager or information. a*'d eatbered orally a very varied store of knowledge.

FURTHER QUOTATIONS. Recc' June 7, 9.10 a.m. LONDON. June 6. f*ir Rvdnev Lees, in his article, sa\s hat King Edward was more interested in men than measures. The inclusion of i I.aimin' member in the Cabinet wes iot uncongenial to him, and he was soon n cordial terms with Die Hon. John Burns, who interested him. The King failed to persuade VP : * »-s to deal with he housing question, beyond which few ther domestic nrohlems obtained much ttention from him. Prince Bismarck’s ““ml; 1 towards the Rov.l Family nr.tirallv aff•‘••'ted Kin* Edward’s feelings nvar'ls Germany. His grace of manner ■clued to create- a temper favourable to ’ > French entente, hut otherwise be md no direct responsibility for its inflation or conclusion.