THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 11, 1579.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5638, 11 December 1879, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 11, 1579.

What is the meaning of Colonel Whitmore's motion in the Legislative Council, that the Agent-General of the colony should be appointed only for a term 1 That it has something to recommend it is ; true, but the objections to the proposal I appear to outweigh anything that can be said in its favour. If it be presumed that the occupant of the position for a protracted period may have his allegiance to the colony sit lightly on him, the obvious answer suggests itself, that his interests would operate in the opposite direction, and there is the still more telling reply, that he can be removed whenever the Government might think that the public interests required it. It is always bad policy for a Government to tie its hands and this would be to some extent the effect of the adoption of Colonel Whitmore's proposal. It might even then be desirable to remove him, and yet there might be no serious charge against him, in which case he would have a grievance and the Legislature might find itself in the position of having to award him compensation. It could be urged that the appointment having been conferred on the expectancy of a certain duration of possession, his interests had been sacrificed, and that there had been a breach of faith. Again, the prospect of the successful discharge of the duties of the office in a great measure depends upon experience, and this advantage would be lost to some extent if we were to have a rapid succession of Agents-General. On the other hand, there seems no sufficient reason why [the colony's representative in England should stand on any other footing than that which 13 occupied, say, by the permanent heads of departments who hold their ollbes 011 the tenure of good behaviour and the will of Parliament. If the object o; the motion be to retain the position as a reward for party services, as a prize which may be looked forward to as the result of large political services, or as a means of getting rid of a troublesome political opponent, it must be contended that this would be to render the interests of the colony subordinate to very inferior considerations, and of that there is quite enough already. This, besides. would be to introduce the thin end of the wedge, and launch us in the direction of the American system, that to the victors belong the spoils of office. It is true that one of the neighbouring colonies has adopted the principle of which Colonel Whitmore is the advocate, and it is well known that it was the result of an unworthy pandering to the jealousy of the members of the Legislature, and their desire to have the hope of a lucrative sojourn in the old country, even though the prospects of its fulfilment might be remote. It would be well if it were possible to sweep away the patronage of Governments ; i' is one of the most pernicious elements of democratic government, and little better than bribery shorn of the name. The suggestion of Colonel Whitmore would intensify the evils, and apply it with regard to one of the most coveted appointments in the gift Ministry. We fail to see that the proposed change would be an improvement, and it wonld render less secure the position of the Agent-General, who could not now be removed except on some very sufficient grounds. He would not be sacrificed to party objects ; Parliament would shrink from that. It appears io us that the saying is applicable to this matter, which tells us to "leave well alone."