GREY, Sir GEORGE (1812-9S). A British colonial governor and author, in his later years popularly known as 'the veteran colonial admin istrator,' and 'the founder of the British South African Empire.' The son of Lieutenant-Colonel Grey, who fell at Badajos, he was born at Lis burn, Ireland, in 1812. He was educated at Sand hurst Military College, and on attaining his captaincy he received an official commission, on application, to explore interior Australia. He started on his journey in 1837, and the fol lowing year organized another expedition to explore the Swan River District. The results were embodied in two books published on his re turn to England in 1840. His enterprise and ability obtained for him, unasked, in 1841, the post of Governor of South Australia. In 1846 he was made Governor of New Zealand. Both here and in Australia his first task was to acquire the language of the natives, with whom he be came very popular. His government was so wise and conciliatory that in 1848 he was made K.C.B. (civil), and in 1854 was appointed Governor of Cape Colony. The task of allaying the irrita tion left by the Kaffir 1Var demanded high powers of statesmanship, and Grey was equal to the oc casion. In 1858, however, the Colonial Office inter
fering with measures which he considered neces sary. he threw up his post and came to England. Public opinion at the Cape Was so strongly mani fested in his favor that he was requested by the Government to resume his Governorship. On the breaking out of the Indian Mutiny Grey sent every soldier he could spare to the assistance of the Indian Government. In 1861 he was again appointed Governor of New Zealand, in the hope that he would bring the war then raging there to a satisfactory conclusion, and he succeeded in bringing about pacific relations with the Maoris. He resigned his office and returned to England in 1867; but afterwards resided in New Zealand, and from 1877 to 1891 was Premier of the col ony. lie revisited England in 1894, and resigned his seat in the New Zealand Parliament in 1895. Be died in London, September 19, 1898. Grey was the author of: Journals of Discovery in' Aus tralia (1841) ; Polynesian Mythology (1855) ; and Proverbial Sayings of the Ancestors of the New Zealand Race (1858).