PIONEER LEADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 269, 12 November 1936, Page 9

PIONEER LEADERS.

EARLY PARLIAMENTS. RULERS AND STATESMEN. STOUT-VOGEL GOVERNMENT. (By S.S.)—(No. IX.) Forty odd years ago Mr. William Gisborne told us, in his very interesting D volume of "Eulers and Statesmen,"' that Robert Stout was born in the Shetland Islands in 1844, and had emigrated, to Otago, in New Zealand, in 1803. In 1875 Mr. Stout was elected to the House of Representatives, and three years later, having passed as a barrister and solicitor in 1871, became Attorney-General in Sir George Grey's Ministry. In June, 1879, he resigned both his oifice and his seat in Parliament.

However, he returned to the House of Representatives in ISB4 and joined with Sir Julius Vogel in forming the StoutYogel Government, in which he secured the office of Premier, Attorney-General and Minister of Education, while Julius Vogel figured as Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster-General, Commissioner of Telegraphs. Commissioner of Stamp Duties and Customs, and Ministar of Marine, a total of responsibilities that must hav'e burdened him heavily during tiie three vcars and one month that the Stnut-Vogel Ministry survived. It will he remembered that the lirst Premiership of Robert Stout lasted for twelve days, from August 10 to August 28. 18S4, and the fourth Prime Ministership of Harry Albert Atkinson for six davs, from August 2S io September 3, 1884: These delays need not he considered. What militated against the more rapid rise of Robert Stout to the highest parliamentary distinction _ «as his retirement from national politics during two critical periods. In 1879 as T have already mentioned, he resigned office in the Grey Ministry and his seat in Parliament raul " faneously, and when the Stout-Vogel Government was rlefented in 18S< lie retired again. In both cases his retirement was for long intervals. He may

have had good reasons for these actions, and they undoubtedly operated to his political advantage, both while he was away from the House and after he resumed his seat. Robert Stout, with great power to comprehend and to analyse financial proposals, was by no means an ardent economist, and was not always averse to trying the effect of some of Julius Yogel's boldest proposals; but he never believed in any of his other colleagues so implicitly or so justly as he believed in John Ballance. However, his private business was all the. time becoming more and more lucrative and attractive, and finally lie left Julius Vogel to finance in his own way. Tt had been generally expected that with his democratic theories Robert Stout would not accept the K.C.M.G.. but finally lie agreed, much to the disappointment of some of his ardent supporters. When Sir Robert Stout decided toi resign the Governor, Sir W. F. D. Jervois, without asking for advicc. sent for Major Atkinson and instructed him to| form a Government. This he had 110, difficulty in doing with the support of two of his old colleagues and five eager followers. Sir F. Whitaker was once more Attorney-General; Mr. Mitehelson, Minister of Public Works; Mr. Hislop, Colonial Secretary; Mr. Richardson. Minister of Mines and Land; Mi. Fergus, Minister of Justice and Defence; Mr. George Fisher, Minister of Education and Customs; and Mr. h. Stevens, without portfolio. . Major Atkinson, now of course, more ; general!v remembered as Sir Harry, took a'large part in the Maori War . before turning to politics. Mr. (.lsborne , savs. "He became Minister of the. Crown , in* 1864 He was a notable instance of political development. Hidden germs in his nature had grown, under the , force and pressure of his surroundings, into distinctive and prominent qualities that raised him to political greatness. He was intensely self-reliant. He had "•rent moral courage and had great faith Tn himself." He was ready, as Sydney Smith said of Lord John Russell, to command the Channel Fleet. No -Training. Harry Albert Atkinson occupied the position of Premier five times during his periods in the House of Representa- 1 tives. and in 1874, in the absence of the Colonial Treasurer and without any previous training, undertook to prepare

and deliver a Budget. He determined to succeed and, at the cost, 110 doubt, of great trouble and labour, he did succeed. He could not, however, be frankly called a great financier. His knowledge of the higher principles of political economy was somewhat superficial and unsound, and he was disposed to think that finance was made for Ministry and not Ministry for finance. In 1800 his health became so bad as to "incapacitate him for work, though lie still was nominal Premier. I In January, 1801. tlie Governor , appointed him Speaker of the Legisla- , tive Council, his Ministry having . resigned owing <o tlic adverse result of the "general election in December, His health, which had been bad, became worse, and he died in the Fernet* of the- Council Chamber from wlnch he hail retired.