A SPRING OF NOBILITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9427, 30 May 1891, Page 6

A SPRING OF NOBILITY .

OUE LATEST CRITIC. '

c Under this heading the Wellington Post writes W-Most, if not all, of our readers will remember the Hon J. W. Fortesoue, a young gentleman who for a time acted as Private Secretary to His Excellency Sir William Jeryois., Mr Fortescne was supposed to have literary proclivities, and, we think, once or .twice contributed papers to the Hew' Zealand Institute or Wellington Philosophical Society. He was - also yagnely understood to have written something else somewhere or other, and on the strength of these intellectual achievements ha applied for the office of Parliamentary Librarian, and by some occult influences succeeded in getting the appointment from the Library Committee. The House, however, was not as impressed by Mr Fortesoue’s birth and abilities as the Library Committee, and some question was raised as to salary. Mr Fortescne thereupon, relinquished his disire .to benefit New Zealand by his wterioes, and betook himself to his ancestral and patrician Vhome. Finding time hAngh'eavily on.his hands in England aftir the wild excitement of Colonial life and .society, -he- has fallen hack on literary tiwktfqr amusement, and in the colums of the $ Nineteenth, Century he expresses hia disgust with things cblonial, especially in matters of public finance. His cheerful title is “The Seamy Side of Australia,” and be. begins by denouncing the misrepresentation of all who before him have ventured to - write about these colonies. He ■ays they have only one story to tell, which they do in a chorus of cant phrases about—- “ marvellous progress, indomitable energy, admirable enlightenment, unequalled prosperity, boundless- resources, magnificent future, and so forth.” It required a Fprteacue to look deeper, discover the iftaiay side and tell the truth. His aristocratic soul revolted, and his blue blood curdled when he made the appalling discovery:** that State Socialism* entirely permeates the ruling classes in Australia, and that Colonial borrowing. Protective tariffs, hindrances to emigration (immigration?) and to the growth o! population, tpe labour question, &c., are not isolated a&d 'detached phenomena, but the natural outcome of that State Socialism.” Then, With,the technical knowledge of ahaberdaphet'e assistant, for which distinguished rjbU Mr Fortesoue was endowed by Nature With a)l the qualities necessary- to achieve distinction had he not been born in tbe pxirple, he informs his readers that " there ipr/l do/ W 0 know,, such a thing as cottonbacied satin, but' tbe Colonists take care to show' us only tbe face of their gbods.” He professes to assert his right to show the other side also, and fo - justify - this he recounts the Vast - ; benefits which “we” have magnanimously conferred oh those wretched Colonies.- Who the “we” are is not very clearly explained, or how Mr Fortescne claims inclusion in the “we.” We might bUggeat ' that Mr Portesoue’s article will probably cause another question to be first baked i and answered: —Why should the colonies hospitably receive and indirectly pay young, "men of the Fortesoue class, ..who, ,as, soon as they return Home, set zealously to work to misrepresent* and malign those to whose kindness they have been;.indebted, and.the country in whose Cqrvice they sought employment? We wonder if the failure.of Parliament to value Mr Fortescue’s abilities at his own figure lies'Bad anything to do l with the spirit in writes. The object of his article is evident. It is to injure the prospects of the proposed measure permitting the investment of trust funds ‘ in colonial securities.