THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1881. SIR JULIUS VOGEL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2254, 23 June 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1881. SIR JULIUS VOGEL.

Reports are abroad that Sir Julius Vogel intends returning to New Zealand and resuming political life here, and those gentlemen who are dissatisfied with the present Government, that is to say, those gentlemen who long for the fleshpots of office; who disapprove of that humdrum system of procedure which lays down as a first principle that the ordinary expenditure should not exceed the ordinary receipts ; and who, finally, pine for the fine old days when the living on loans was the order of the day—these gentlemen are ready to receive the capacious person of the doughty knight with open arms. And there seems to be some grounds for the rumor alluded to above, as the late Agent-General has, apparently, boon paving his way by a profuse use of the ink-bottle, and a more sparing use of his purse, in the purchase of several little items, which he thinks may prove acceptable to the inhabitants of this benighted country. As far as Sir Julius’ use of the inkbottle is concerned, he may bo congratulated on the skill ho has thrown into the letter to Mr.Curtis,for circulation throughout the colony. Ho is a well-practised journalist, and the paragraphs are reeled off with a scientific ease that lures on the reader, and, provided once that the statements given as facts are accepted, all appears plausible enough. But most people who have looked into the letter in question will, wo think, come to the conclusion that the statements are by no means unassailable, and that to swallow them holus-holus, because Sir Julius chooses to make them, would be the height of folly. To take some of the points attempted to be made. The writer states that New Zealand is suffering from a depression common to all other countries and colonies, and the Government, instead of recognising its temporary character, was seized with a panic, magnifying the difficulties and producing a distrust that might have wrecked every man of means in the colony. Now it happens that the Government were by no means seized with a panic. Nobody knows bettor than Sir Julius Vogel the critical state of the colonial credit when the present Ministers look office, and nobody has written more stongly on the subject. We may refer the reader to the correspondence between the Government and the late AgentGeneral, when the latter was applying for pecuniary compensation, beyond that attached to his official position, for his services on that occasion. Sir Julius in that correspondence dwells strongly on the peril that this country was thou in, but, now that the sop was not given to Cerberus, ho turns round and says that crisis was not a crisis at all, but a more depression in trade common to all countries on the face of the globe. A more bare-faced reversal of opinion it is impossible to conceive. Owing to the t otal incapacity of the late Government ' wo all know the danger in which the

colonial credit then stood. The present Government acted promptly, but not hastily. Moreover, there was no panic displayed, but they determined to act as all honourable men would have acted on such an occasion. They determined to lay bare the financial state of the country to the money market. They did not, as falsely stated by Sir Julius, magnify the difficulties, but placed a plain, unvarnished tale before the public. And so far from this course proving dangerous it was far otherwise. The English capitalist recognised the honesty of the men in power, and since that date Now Zealand securities have gone steadily up. After dealing with the late crisis, Sir Julius in his letter proceeds to say that the falling off in revenue should have been replaced by reinstating the tea and sugar duties, but that a property tax at such a time was dolefully inexpedient, because the depreciated value of property was the main cause of depression, and it was obviously unwise still further to reduce it. Sir Julius seems to think that the revenue produced by the increase of tea and sugar duties would probably be sent down from heaven, and would not come out of the pocket of the taxpayer. And it so happens that the property tax has not depreciated property in the slightest. Sir Julius’ dictum is a sort of penny-a-liuing aphorism, which looks well on paper, but has no intrinsic value whatever.

And then with regard to the thousands of farmers who were prepared to put in an appearance if it had not been for the action of the Government. We confidently believe that their existence is pure moonshine. Neither the property tax or any other act of the Government has had the slightest effect in driving away Messrs Grant and Foster and their following. Intelligent farmers are not alarmed by such a tax as the property tax. Taxation in this colony, say what detractors may, is but small comparedto taxation in England, if the local taxation is added to the Imperial. And as for half a dozen shiploads of farmers sotting a colony of 500,000 inhabitants on its legs, as Sir Julius says they would have done—why, he had better communicate the idea to Jules Vernes or some other master of sensational fiction. But space forbids us wading through the remainder of this letter, which is supposed to prepare the way for Sir Julius Vogel’s return. It is cleverly written, but that is about all that can bo said in its favor. And a second letter has followed this opening effusion. But the second, which is addressed to the Ministers, is described as being so incredibly offensive in tone that it was thought right to return it to the writer unanswered. The beauties of composition, of which Sir Julius is a master, have evidently been sacrificed hero to the terseness and energy of speech patronised byjbulloek drivers. We trust that on some future date we way be favored with a sight of this valuable document, not because its perusal will afford any pleasure, but because it would be best to know the inner depths of the individual on whom so many pin their faith. In vino verifas is a very old proverb. It, of course, signifies that, when a man is in his cups, he throws aside the veil of conventionality which hides his true feelings from the outer world. But it is almost equally true that in anger there is truth, and that men when angry often rip open that same veil of conventionality. Sir Julius when calm writes classic English, but when angry the coming man behaves like a low type of bullock puncher. But Sir Julius Vogel, besides shedding a considerable amount of ink in preparation for a possible return, has forwarded tangible proofs of his inestimable regard for the colony that has done so much for him. The school prizes about which there was some time back a considerable amount of talk were the first effort, and now we learn that ho has invested in a South African diamond imbedded in clay, which ho has presented to the Otago Museum with a hope that it will be sent generally round the colony. It may be remarked that this is not exactly the first Cape diamond that has appeared in this colony, but as a Vogel diamond it is quite unique. Most ••lebrated diamonds have a history well known to connoisseurs in precious stones. Some have been swallowed by faithful messengers in time of peril, others have been the cause of historical scandals, and so on. Wo should recommend the authorities of the Otago Museum to keep an eye on tho Vogel diamond, although at present its sotting is of the humblest order. Following closely on tho profound letter on Now Zealand politics and on tho bullock punching letter, and preceding the possible appearance of the donor, it may acquire a value quite apart from its intrinsic worth. No doubt some day it will rank with tho Groat Hoggarty Diamond and other jewels of that class THE PETTY COURTS. The freaks of those who have tho ordering of the fixtures connected with these courts are becoming something more than eccentric. It is now impossible to say, with any degree of certainty, whether police business on any given day will bo transacted at tho R.M. Court or at tho old Provincial Council Chamber, while tho itinerancy of the civil side is just as puzzling, and, in every sense of the word, as hard to follow. In point of fact, tho saltations of tho courts cannot at all times bo followed by any one individual, for there are often to be found two Resident Magistrate’s Courts or two Police Courts sitting at tho same time in different places. Tho hours of sittings, too, are worked in a similarly confused manner. Tho want of punctuality on tho part of tho Court, is in itself tho cause of sufficient discontent and loss of time to tho public ; but that may call for nothing more than the exercise of patience on the part of thoso interested. When, however, a suitor summoned for half-past ten at one place finds, after for some time kicking his heels there, that his affair has been adjudicated upon at ten o’clock at tho other, tho case becomes one of serious trouble and possible loss. This is what has boon going on now for many months past. No one, not oven tho officers of tho Court, seems to know what are tho hours, and which aro the places of sittings of either of tho petty courts hold in this city. It is high time that tho state of things sot out above were altered.