MR. D. M. LUCKIE.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1487, 16 November 1874, Page 2

MR. D. M. LUCKIE.

As a general thing in criticism a man and hia principles need not be identified. The principles may be canvassed, while the holder of them is ignored. But when a man Msaurnes the idle of a public teacher of political truth ahd in doing so attacks individuals, he mast not complain if the value of his statements are weighed by hia own political character. Mr D. M. Luckie teaches political morality in Auckland. Most people know why he is here, and of what it is the reward that he occupies an editonal chair. By the grace of Mr Vogel, and the softness of shareholders he has had secured to him for a term of years a competence such as he neA'er knew before, and it would be ingrat tude such las we would not charge him with, if he did ■ not in his daily orisons bless the hand of the ! giver, and if he failed to render the stipulated service. We are not therefore to be supposed as censuring Mr Luckie for the alacrity with which he serves Mr Vogel. In the House of Representatives it is slightingly said of him that he is the " fetch and carry" of ministers; and the manner in which he jumps about and "si dels " up to members in his pleasant jaunty way, and teils them what Vogel says, although referred to sneeringly by members is really a testimony to political worth of a certain kind ; and the advantages to a ministry of having one whom they cannot offend by asking him to brush their coats or boots, or do any other little service of a menial kind, can hardly be over-esti-mated. There are few fitted for that particular kind of service, and Mr Luckie, whose speciality is in the particular line of obsequious and humble service to the great, is a gentleman —whatever others may think — deserving of no ordinary recognition. But while we admit thi3 from a ministerial point of view, there is another aspect, namely, that inVhich Mr Luckie is presentedto the public. A few days ago we inserted an article from a Southern paper, and which had gone the rounds of all the Southern papers excepting the ministerial; organs. Ib must therefore have met the general opinion of those who have watched Mr Luckie's political career. Says our contemporary : —

"It is indeed humiliating, and a subject for the saddest reflection that we are compelled to recognise in men like Mr Luckie, the outcome of colonial politics. But, though the spectacle is on the whole depres-ing, ih has yet a ludicrous aspect; ; and that aspect is pro ianio beneficial, or even hopeful. The Gieeks of old use;! to display a tipsy helot to their children, in order to impress upon them the absurdity of drunkenness. And so a man must be allowed to have his place, however low, in politics, whose excess of tergiversation and servility, makes other.3 shudder Avhile they laugh."

Any words of ours would fail to add to the force of such description. This is the estimate formed on the review of the political life of one who seemingly has adapted his politics to his bread and butter. A Provincialist of an ecstatic kind when Mr A Togel was provincialist, he has become hysterically Centralist when centralism has become the principles of his chief. .According to the quotation so aptly applied by our Southern contemporary, he had "turned his coat as he would have turned his skin, to please his master." No man could have been better adapted to do the peculiar duty which Mr Luckie has had to do in Auckland. By nature a flunkey, by necessity driven to obsequiousness for Iris daily bread, he is an adept in that crawling sycophancy which to some is as generous wine. Hanging on to the skirts of everyone that occupies position, he toadies in that jerky, acquiescent twaddle peculiarly his own, while his advocacy is ever on the side of that which he conceives to be the strong and the winning. In the matter of the late contemplated visit to Europe, by eavea'-dropping at the Club he had got a portion of the story, and by listening at the backs of chairs he had heard the proposal apart from the obstacles which, as was known to those who knew it all, rendered the proposal impracticable. But it would not do to enquire of these obstacles ; it would be more acceptable service to Mr Vogcl to make a " Oaskowiski" story of it, and kudos will be claimed with the patron for having blown upon a matured and perfect project. However, for the present we have devoted perhaps too much of space to Mr. Luckie. We should apologise for the personal tinge of our remarks, but that he has been personal. He once pleaded with us almost with tears in his eyes to spare his cuticle, and especially to not call him "Lickspittle" again. We made a truce with him which his scurrility of disposition and the necessities of his service to Mr. Vogel compelled him to abandon. But we have not called him "Lickspittle," and we don't mean to. We promised it, and that promise we mean to keep. But in the overflowing kindness of our heart we shall expostulate with him as an erring brother, and ask him why he will continue to ride the Cross to ruin. He has in so many words charged the ex-Provincial Treasurer with "unricness" for the arduous and onerous dutie3 of the Provincial Treasury. But see how nobly the ex-Provincial Treasurer has acted. The very weakest brother of the New Zealand brotherhood of journalism, Mr Luckie, now occupies a position once held by men who made the Cross one of the leading papers of New Zealand. Why will he not do as the ex-Provincial Treasurer did, who, as charged, finding himself "unfit" to fulfil the arduous duties of the Provincial Treasury, bravely threw up the screw and took to honest labour? Why will not Mr Luckie go and do likewise ? He knows he is not doing his duty to those who feed him. He knows that he is sitting on the Cross like a huge ugly nightmare, bringing horrible dreams of insolvency and ruin. If he has a conscience in his breast -if it has not wholly gone and given place to a gizzards-why does he not go and do anything for which nature fitted him rather than continue scrawling leading (!) articles about rock oysters the "delicious bivalve." Why will he not forego his pound of flesh and let the poor unhappy Cross live, and regain something of the vitality and healthful appearance which it had before it had the misfortune to he saddled with his keep. It has an able business manager, one that would make its finances success if man could do so ; it has a vigorous and hopeful directory—a treasurer that can prepare a satisfactory balance-sheet from the most untoward materials, a good staff-workers all-all except the one drone, who sucks most of the honey and hums dolefully of Nana Sahib and nS1 O3 p f S- ,?° SOOner had he lef<= Nelson Colomst than the opposition paper the fanner showed signs o f dissolution and f.Z « & -I a ud n° SOOner did hetouch the C7OSB than it began to wither and exhibit premonitory_ symptoms of the state to which it is reduced to-day. It was a "Lucky" day on th r° lonii whenMr Luckie ™a f*st^d fnr fH r SS ' We would Plead with him h.™Ken oU°? f Journalism to not keep the n2KS rded moment they were trapped, but b now 7Z a DObly throw UP wages that he k nows he does not earn, and give up a profession tor which nature never intended him.