GREY, JAMES GRATTAN (1847-1931) was born in County Down, Ireland. On first coming to Australia he was on the parliamentary and literary staffs of the Argus, Age and Leader (in Melbourne). He came to New Zealand under a three years' engagement to the Lyttelton Times, of which he was chief reporter. He was for a while on the New Zealander (Auckland) which ceased publication in 1865, and was connected with the New Zealand Sun (Dunedin) as dramatic critic (1869). At this time he was correspondent of the French La Patrie.

After being some years in New Zealand Grey contributed interesting character sketches of our public men to the Leader. In 1879 he published in Wellington His Island Home, a description of Sir George Grey's home and the northern part of New Zealand. In 1883 he wrote pictures of travel for the Press (Christchurch) and in the early eighties sketches for the Evening Post on 'The New Zealander in Australia'. Grey was appointed to the staff of Hansard about 1875, and became chief reporter in 1896. His dismissal at the time of the Boer war was the occasion of much political controversy. He afterwards went to the United States and, returning to Australia, was editor of the Perth Record, the Perth Morning Herald and the North Coast Daily Times (Lismore). He died on 10 Jul 1931.

Cycl. N.Z., i (p); App. H.R., 1900, H29, 1S; Evening Post, 10 Jul 1931; The Press, 17 Jul 1908.

Reference: Volume 1, page 179

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