A SEAT FOR VOGEL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5795, 16 June 1890, Page 2

A SEAT FOR YOGEL.

The air is already thick with election rumors. In fact, more attention is given to next September's electoral campaign than to tho work of the session which is tOvQpen on Thursday next. The opinion x s general that Sir Julius Yogel is coming out to New Zealand, and thafc he Avill reenter politics if he can secure a seat. Ifc may be thought premature to discuss the subject, seeing that Sir Julius himself has made no direct announcement as to his intentions ; but it is not unlikely that the great financier is awaiting an expression of opinion at this side before he makes a final declaration. The throwing out of feelers is a main feature of political tactics. Governments have frequent resort to this course to gauge public opinion, and seekers of a seat in Parliament often find 'it prudent to employ the same means. It is known that aflairs in England have not prospered with Sir Julius Yogel. His literary efforts have not been crowned with success ; and company promotion is far from being a sure road to fortmie. English investors look askance afc New Zealand speculations. Their fingers have been burned over the Blue Spur and other ventures. A company to work the petroleum springs and beach ironsand of Taranaki was recently formed in England. Sir Julius Yogel was one of the principal promoters of the concern. He has thus earned the thanks of the settlers on the opposite coast. Whatever may bo the prospects of the speculation, there ia no doubt that it is of a bona fide character. Mr Charles Marvin, who is recognised as one of the best petroleum authorities in the empire, is at the head of the company. Mr Marvin was probably less influenced by the representations of Sir Julius Yogel and the other original promoters than by the report of Mr Gordon; the Inspector of Mines in New Zealand. When that report was #reb* published, the peonl§ of Me

colony Who gave Atiy attention to the matter did not consider it favorable. The show of oil in tho West was nothing to what it was in the East, yet an expendi* fcure of about LBO,OOO on this ooaat hr,s not placed a gallon of oil in tho market ', and although the South Pacific well has not been abandoned, the public have pretty well abandoned hope of anything coming out of the venture. The surface indications gave much better promise than was the case on the West Coast, and colonial people formed thoir opinion accordingly. Mr Marvin possesses a deep knowledge of the subject, and he was very favorably impressed with Mr Gordon's report. It may be mentioned that the Inspector of Mines was himself by no means sanguine of the prospect at Taranaki. He had infinitely more confidence in the profitable development of petroleum deposits in the Gisborne district. About tho time Mr Gordon's report was published, a Mr Parkes expressed an opinion that the principal petroleum field in New Zealand would prove to be in the neighborhood of Mount Egmont. Taranaki lies at the base of that mountain. We sincerely hope that the English Company will succeed in finding oil in payable quantities on the West Coast. The whole colony would be benefited by the development of an important industry, and the success of tho venture on the other side of the island would undoubtedly lead to further searches being made in this district. Sir Julius Vogel's name has been mentioned in connection with the New Plymouth constituency, and it -is a matter for regret that nearly all the papers that have alluded to the subject do so in a sneering tone. Assuredly no one could honestly contend that Sir Julius is not head and shoulders above the run of colonial politicians, lie is a mm of great intelligence, though he may be too visionary to be trusted at th n head of affairs. He is capable of shedding light on any difficult financial matter that might come before the House. In finance, he is brilliant, if not always s:ife to be followed. Sir Julius Yogel has been a man of mark in the New Zealand Legislature, and is probably the best knov'ta outside of our politicians. There would be no impertinence on his part if he stood for any constituency in New Zealand. Ib is now alleged that his candidature for New Plymouth would be chiefly supported in the hope that he would be able to engineer a harbor relief Bill through Parliament. The Wellington Post, a journal that is not unfavorably disposed towards Sir Julius Yogel, says : — "If he intends to return to the colony with a view to re-entering public life, he will do well in his own interests to seek a seat elsewhere than in Taranaki. As member for New Plymouth he would be handicapped out of tho race for office. Ho could never carry the weight. The colony is pretty well tired of Taranaki government, and when Sir Harry Atkinson reth'es it will be one of the worst possible recommendations on the part of any candidate for office that his constituents dwell under the shadow of Mount Egmont. Future party leaders wiU be looked for from other quarters. As member for New Plymouth, also, Sir Julius Yogel would have to father the scheme for inducing the colony to take over the Harbor Board loan. Not oven his most eloquent advocacy would, we are conceived, induce the colony to do this, and the attempt to urge such a scheme would probably prove fatal to any chance of political usefulness in other directions. If Sir Julius Yogel really aspires to a seat in Parliament, with a view to ultimate return to office, he should seek a seat for constituency which has no local local log to be rolled, and where he would bo free to de--1 vote his energy and ability to dealing with those large colonial questions upon which he might claim to speak with authority. As member for New Plymouth, lie would be that and nothing more." The country would be very distrustful of Sir Julius | Yogel as a Minister of the Crown, for if i in a Cabinet he would be certain to lead. He very nearly ran the colony into bankruptcy, a disrstrous gtate of things which people will not read ;i y forget. But as a private member Sir Julius is capable of doing, good sei vice in Parliament. Members are bac^y in want of enlightment on Harbor Board finance- The conversion of local loars^f all descriptions would be a good thing for the colony. That is the view held by every financial authority who lips given an opinion on the subject, and ; s veiy probably shared in by many members of the House, but there is not a man rnong them of any prominence who has the course of his convictiors. Now, Sir Julius Yogel ; g capable of putting a qu ition in a true light, and he is not lacking in courage. There is great danger of this district being injured through the stupidity of the majority in Parliament. There is darkness to be dispelled, and therefore Sir Julius Vogel's enti/ into Parliament in the present circumstances would not involve all risk and no prospect of gain. His chances of again becoming the leading spirit of a Government are very remote indeed.

A mail for South per s.s. Fairy closes at 3 p.m. to-morrow. The Kaiti Road Board notify their intentention of striking a general rate of three farthings iv the pound. At the Holy Trinity Church yesterday morning and evening Canon Fox conducted services and at both times referred to the kindly feelings manifested by the parisboners towards himself and Mrs Fox on their marriage. The presence of the policeman on duty at the Salvation Army now and then would be an advantage, for a number of young larrikins congregate there night after night and by various forms of disorder make themselves most obnoxious. In the football match on Saturday, Gisborne v. Waerenga-a-hika, the referee had to order a Gisborneman off the field for striking a Maori. The iViaori was keeping him away from the ball, evidently in order to let one of his own side get it first. This according to the new rules is nob allowable, and tho penalty is a free kick ; but the Pakeha, iustead of claiming his right, took the law into his own hand and struck the Maori a back-hander across the face, and was very properly ordered off. On Tuesday evening a dinner was given by the native interpreters of Hastings to the President of the Licensed Interpreters' Association, Mr E. F. Harris, of Ciisborno. There were about thirty persons present altogether, and Host Dennett, of the Albert Hotel, gave an excellent spread, which wos greatly appreciated. During the evening speeches of a very interesting character were delivered and son£{3 sung at intervals, everybody spending a pleasant time. The chair was occupied by Mr James Carroll, M.H.R., who was supported on his right by the guest of the evening, Mr Harris. Mr W. Braasey, solicitor, occupied the vice-chair. Besides interpreters there were present a number of Native chiefs and members of the legal profession. — Napier News. At the Presbyterian Church last evening quite an unusual ine'dent occurred. The first hymn was ii good progress when the harmonium broke down, and the singing with if. Miss Adair tried her best to get it to make a joyful noise, but the only result was a series of squawks decidedly inharmonious. Then the Rev. Mr McCullum endeavored to lead off tho singing without the aid of the instrument, bufe the congregation was too much taken up with the novelty of the situation that the reverend gentleman, like the harmonium, broke down too, and the remaining verses of the hymn had to be abandoned. When the time for more singing camo round, Miss Adair again tried to coax the music, but the music would not be coaxed. The clergyman, after a short interval of embarrassment called on a member of the choir, which had been quite defeated, by the loss of the music in the firafe. instance, and he managed to lead ther singing, which when once under weigh was joined in heartily by the whole congregation, and during the rest of the evening the lo^a of the harmonium was not felt, but the innovation rather regarded as cheerful.

Mi 1 Colekook, of Wairetiga-ahtka, announoes a clearing sale of his stock. An old man named Daniel Heeney, who on Saturday pleaded not guilty to the l«rceny of a pair of boots, valued at 16a fid, the property of Arthur Cooper, was again brought up. The evidence showed that accused had been in the employ of Mr Cooper, and went into his shop making a false statement to the boy in charge that he had bought a pair of boots and paid for them, and on that statement took then away with him up country. He told Constable Reddell that he would not have larceny against his name, but it was false pretences. Mr Cooper asked the Bench to deal leniently with accused. The Bench (Messrs Bennett and Mabthewson, J.P.s), inflicted a sentence of 30 days' imprisonment with hard labor. Sergeant Carlyon conducted the prosecution. At Ormond yesterday morning the new poman Catholic Church was formally opened, .Solemn High Mass being celebrated, during which Weber's Mass in G. was sung by a full choir. After the second reading of the gospel Father Kehoe congratulated the people of Ormond on the erection of such a comfortable building. Mass was followed by the Benediction and the Most Holy Sacra- ' menfc. There were some 150 to 200 people present at the services The Church is a neat little edifice, being well buiJt and seated, and containing a gallery and a good harmonium. The Hawke's Bay Herald says : -The "inner circle" of the Liberal Association are determined to have an outsider to represent Napier if possible, and they have "opened up negotiations," as the phrase goes, with a Poverty Bay gentleman whose name has been recently before the public in connection with bankruptcy proceedings. The above paragraph brought the Herald the following letter.; — " Sir,- Surely your usual sagacity has been wanting when you sa3' in a leaderette to-day that the Liberals are seeking for a candidate in Poverty Bay, and further that the party has been connected with bankruptcy proceedings lately. The intended party is in Napier, and has been prominent not only in bankruptcy, but in other proceedings ; iv fact, no one haa done so much to make him notorious as the quasiLiberal party themselves. — I am, &c, lijuiiiND the Scenes." The Gisborne Tennis Club announce that a meeting of its members will be held at the Albion Club Hotel to-night at 8 o'clock to consider a proposal received from the Bowlers to rent a portion of the tennis ground. As the disposal of any portion of the tennis ground is a consideration to all members of the Club it is hoped there will be a good muster this evening. There is no doubt but that the bowlers will make a great improvement to the ground if their request i 3 acceded to, for their list of members is expected to be a strong one next season.