Sir George Grey is New Zealander of the Year, not because of his roles as imperial governor or colonial statesman but because of his generous donation of about 9000 volumes to the new Free Public Library in Auckland.
"No description could make intelligible the rare beauty and value to bookmen of some of the books and missals," said Auckland Mayor Albert Devore at the opening of the library in March 1887.
Grey followed the mayor with an emotional speech saying how happy he was to be making the donation.
His books and manuscripts are now at the heart of the Sir George Grey special collections at the Auckland City Library which includes some of the earliest printed material in Maori as well as Grey's personal papers.
From the Herald archives:
Report on the opening of Auckland Free Library, New Zealand Herald, 28 March 1887
