THE LATE SIR SAMUEL GRIFFITHS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160726, 12 August 1920, Page 5

THE LATE SIR SAMUEL GRIFFITHS.

IMPRESSIVE STATE FUNERAL. BRISBANE, August 11. The late Sir Samuel Griffiths had an impressive State funeral. All Government offices were closed. The late Sir Samuel Walker Griffith, as a statesman of notable constructive ability, as a j uriet who took an important part in framing the Federal Com stitution, -and as the Chief Justice ot the principal Court in Australia for 16 years, may justly be described as one of the founders of the young Australian nation. Sir Samuel Griffith was only nine years old when he went to Australia with his father, the Rev. Edward Griffith, a Congregational minister. He was born at Merthyr-Tydvil, South Wales, on June 21, 1845. The family lived first at Ipswich, and then at Maitland and at Brisbane, and the future .phief Justice saw at close quarters much of the roughness and vigour of those early pioneering days in Queensland. In 1860 he entered the University of Sydney, having matriculated at the early age of 15. He proved a brilliant scholar. At 18 he became a Bachelor of Arts, obtaining first-class honours in classics and mathematics. He won the Mort travelling scholarship in 1885, at the age of 20. This caabled him to go to Europe to continue bis studies, and achieve his M.A. degree. On returning from Europe he took up the profession t.f law, and was called to the Queensland bar in 1867, being then only 22 years oil. His remarkable intellectual power and his' mastery of law and procedure at once brought him a big practice. Five years later he entered the Parliamentary arena of Queensland as member for East- Moreton. In Parliament his forceful personality soon won him a foremost position. In 1874, at the age of 29, he was appointed Attorney-General. He held many portfolios in subsequent years, and was Premier during throe different terms. He retired from politics when, in 1893, he was appointed Chief Justice of Queensland. Sir Samuel Griffith retired from the post of Chief Justice last year. He had the distinction of being the oldest surviving Australian Knight, having been made K.C.M.G. in 1886 and G.C.M.G. in 1895. He married, in 1870, Miss Julia Thompson, and had one son and four daughters.